There is one technique to teach your dog to lay down on a regular basis, and that is the clicker technique. The clicker works because it stimulates the brain to release a neurotransmitter known as acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is responsible for many functions in the human body. It is also responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses to various parts of the body.
We use acetylcholine in our dogs to transmit messages from the brain to other parts of the body. In order to effectively train your dog you must have control over the level of acetylcholine in the brain. As dogs age they will produce less of this chemical, so training them can be more difficult. When you are training your dog, it is important that you not stimulate them so much that they loose control, and therefore the clicker technique is effective.
In this technique to teach your dog to lay down, you must praise your dog every time he lays down. You should also give him positive reinforcement. You can do this by using the clicker to stimulate them every time the right behavior is exhibited. Praise your dog for a longer period than you would to teach him a new behavior, then quickly end the training.
One of the reasons that dogs become difficult to train lies in their natural tendency to want to be around you all the time. This can be frustrating for both you and your dog, and as a result they begin to display unwanted behaviors. They may jump on you, dig holes and ruin things, and behave like untrained wild animals. This happens because dogs don’t know any better, and have learned that you are the leader of the pack. They are not used to being told what to do by anyone other than you.
To teach your dog to lie down when you are around, use this technique to teach your dog to lie down. After having your dog lie down in a relaxed position, surround him with the objects that you want him to lie down with such as a soft blanket, toys and a nice dog bed. Stay nearby. You want your dog to associate lying down with being near you.
After having your dog lie down, use the command to lie down over him again. When he sees you close your eyes, give him positive reinforcement and praise, and then give him his treat. This technique to teach your dog to lie down is so simple, yet it is one of the most effective.
When your dog does begin lying down, keep him on his tummy the entire time. He may think that you are sitting down or playing with him, but when you pull his tummy down, he thinks that he has fallen asleep. You can also try using this technique to teach your dog to lay down after a bath, meal, or other activity when you have been gone from home for some time.
The last technique to teach your dog to lie down after you leave, is to distract him from a potential distraction by heading in the opposite direction. If your dog begins sniffing out something in front of him, immediately head in another direction. If he picks up something that you have left behind, gently grab the dog’s collar and head back in the direction you entered. Your dog will eventually learn that if he goes to lie down when you are not home, he has no place to go because you are already heading in that direction.