How to teach a stubborn dog to lay down
A friend of mine has a German Shepherd which is quite a piece of work. While it started out as a meek and very obedient pet, it has since grown into a huge, bold, and very stubborn dog that was fast becoming a nightmare for almost everyone in his family. However, he got some nice advice that’s proven really helpful and I thought it wise to share it here, just in case some else would find it helpful too; How to teach a stubborn dog to lay down.
So, if your dog has lately gotten stubborn and doesn’t seem to listen to anything you say anymore, you don’t have to sweat it—there are a couple of things you can do to help. But first, prevention is better than cure so if yours is still obedient and stuff I have a word for you too. You see, a lot of many first-time dog owners pamper their dogs too much that they forget to instill some discipline into the dog. As the dog grows, it forgets how far is too far and the line between good manners and bad manner quickly rubs off.
To keep your dog obedient, you have to keep rewarding good behavior and chastising bad behaviors. Same thing we do with our kids.
Dealing with a stubborn dog
A stubborn dog can be a nightmare to your family, especially if it just won’t take simple instructions. You see, a character is key in any relationship; be it with your dog, spouse, friends, or your child. If it’s your pooch, you need to put a stop to some habits; for example, jumping on you, peeing on your bed, name it. No matter how difficult it might be, you have to take this matter into your hands and make them understand whose yard it is and who runs the place. It all starts with the ‘down’ command.
How to teach the down command
The goal here is that by the end of the lesson, your dog lies down on its tummy whenever you mention “Down”. Teaching this command has to be direct. You’ll need to discover your dog’s weak points and exploit them. Most dogs have a weak spot for food. You can look for food that drives him crazy or his favorite toy and use it to assert your control. For puppies, you can achieve results within 5 days while for older dogs it can be a bit difficult and can take up to 10 days or more to achieve consistent results—remember that quote on teaching an old dog new tricks? It’s true.
Procedure
The most important tool you’ll need is bait, or rather food in this case. Take his favorite food and break it into small pieces. You can also carry along his favorite toy. For this task, you will require a quiet room with minimal distractions. Ensure you set aside around 10 minutes every day until you see results. You can:
- Instruct your dog to lie down
- Then treat him to a small portion of the food
- Lead him using your hand to lie flat on the ground
- Proceed further by lowering your hand and uttering the “down” command
- If he complies, reward him with some more food
- Gradually, you can begin using the word ‘down’ randomly when it doesn’t expect you to and see if it recognizes the command.
Conclusion
Your dog is still growing so there is no need to worry if it gets stubborn at times. Most of us got a little stubborn with our parents as we grew up so it’s pretty much the same concept. Often, the dog is not even being stubborn intentionally. Perhaps what you consider stubborn is your dog trying to catch your attention and bond with you in a way it knows best. It’s really always never personal.
However, you run the yard, the dog doesn’t, and what you consider bad manners has to be pruned. If you start by teaching him this simple command, eventually, he’ll get used to it and will begin following orders. Remember, if a dog can know and remember its name, it will surely remember a simple command. Some dogs may in a day, others may in a month, just don’t give up on it.
Also, if you want your dog lying on a nice dog bed whenever you utter the command, check out these awesome dog beds.