Kroki

Question · Puppy

How do I teach my puppy to lie down?

The short answer

With your puppy sitting, hold a treat at its nose and lower it slowly straight down to the floor between its front paws, then draw it a little forward along the ground. When the elbows touch down, mark and reward on the floor. You can also simply reward your puppy whenever it lies down by itself. Add the word “Down” once the movement is easy. Kroki, a reward-based training app for puppies and dogs, teaches Down as one of its early steps.

How to do it, step by step

  1. Start from a sit on a soft surface

    Most puppies find it easier to fold down from a sit. Practise on a rug or blanket, because many puppies dislike lying on cold tiles. Have tiny soft treats ready that your puppy can lick out of your fingers.

  2. Take the nose to the floor

    Hold the treat right at your puppy’s nose and lower it slowly in a straight line to the floor, close to its chest. Let your puppy lick and nibble at your fingers so the nose stays glued to your hand.

  3. Draw the treat forward a little

    Once the head is low, move your hand slowly forward along the floor, a few centimetres at a time. The front legs slide out and the elbows go down. If your puppy stands up, you moved too far or too fast; start again from the sit.

  4. Mark and pay on the floor

    The moment both elbows touch the ground, say “Top!” and place the treat on the floor between the paws. Paying low keeps the puppy lying down instead of popping up to your hand.

  5. Catch the down in daily life

    Puppies lie down many times a day, especially when tired. Keep a few treats in your pocket and quietly mark and reward whenever your puppy settles near you. This teaches it that lying down calmly is worth it, without any luring.

  6. Add the word and a flatter hand

    When your puppy drops as soon as your hand starts to move, say “Down” once, then give the movement. Over a week or two, shrink the lure into a flat hand moving towards the floor.

Teaching a grown dog instead?

An adult dog may resist lying down in new places, on hard floors or when it feels unsure, and some older dogs find it hard on their joints. Sessions can be longer, but the floor matters more. The page for grown dogs explains how to make down comfortable and how to rebuild a down that has stopped working.

Why gentle luring beats pushing a puppy down

Lying down puts a puppy in a vulnerable position, so how you teach it matters. A review of aversive training methods, such as pushing, scolding or pulling on the lead, concluded that they can harm a dog’s physical and mental health, with no evidence that they work better than rewards (Ziv 2017). Pushing a puppy’s shoulders to the floor also teaches it to brace against your hands rather than to fold down on its own.

Once your puppy is lying down, calm touch can be part of the reward. In one study, dogs stayed close to a person much longer when that person stroked them than when the person only offered spoken praise, and praise alone held them no better than no attention at all (Feuerbacher and Wynne 2015). A slow stroke after the treat suits a settled down better than an excited “good dog”.

Patience between sessions helps too. In a study with 44 beagles, dogs trained once or twice a week learned a task faster than dogs trained every day, and a single session worked better than three back to back (Demant and colleagues 2011). Those were adult dogs, but the idea carries over: give your puppy rest after a few good downs.

My puppy won’t lie down: what now?

  • It stands up when the treat goes forward: move your hand straight down first and wait longer before sliding it out.
  • It stays sitting with its nose on the floor: wait a few seconds. Many puppies give up and lie down. You can also reward a lower head or one elbow bending at first.
  • It rolls onto its back: lovely, but not a down. Lure it upright and keep the treat a little closer to its chest.
  • It only lies down on the sofa: practise first on the rug or blanket it already rests on, then move the blanket to other rooms.

Common mistakes

  • Pushing on the shoulders or pulling the front legs forward. It feels quicker, but it worries many puppies and they learn to resist.
  • Practising on cold, slippery floors. Your puppy may happily sit there but won’t want to lie down.
  • Feeding the treat from above. Your puppy pops up to reach it and learns that the down ends as soon as you reward.
  • Asking a very excited puppy to lie down after wild play. Wait until it has calmed down a little, or practise before the game instead.

When to see a professional

Down is a calm, gentle cue. Speak to a professional if:

The help pages list services in Germany, Austria and Switzerland only. Elsewhere, ask your vet practice who they recommend near you.

Frequently asked questions

Should my puppy learn sit before down?

It usually helps to teach sit first, because a down is easier to lure from a sit. Some puppies learn down first by catching it when they settle, which works just as well.

Why does my puppy keep standing up when I lure it down?

Your hand is probably moving forward too soon or too fast. Bring the treat straight down to the floor, wait until the head is low, then move just a few centimetres forward.

How do I stop my puppy getting up straight after lying down?

Feed the treat on the floor between its paws, then give a second treat a moment later while it is still down. Slowly add a little time between the treats.

At what age can a puppy learn down?

A puppy can start learning down at around eight to ten weeks. Keep it short, use a soft surface and stop after a few good tries.

Is it fine if my puppy lies down on its side instead?

Yes, a puppy lying on its side or with its hips rolled is still lying down. Many puppies relax that way, and it is a good sign that they feel safe.

Can I teach down without luring at all?

Yes, you can wait for your puppy to lie down on its own and mark and reward that moment. This is called capturing, and it suits puppies well because they lie down so often.

What is the difference between down and off?

Down means lying on the floor, and off means getting off furniture or people. Use two different words, so your puppy doesn’t hear “Down” when you really want it off the sofa.

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