09 Nov Dog Training to lie down and Not Eat

Dog training to lie down can be very helpful in some places, especially as part of training commands like “stay here” or “stay still.” If the dog has already learned to sit, your job is much easier for a lying down command. How about teaching a dog not to eat? Every dog ​​should learn not to eat anything off the ground because it can cause a lot of trouble, from eating park trash that can cause digestive issues like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea to chocolate that can kill him. It’s essential to train the dog not to eat; it is so dangerous to eat garbage, so it’s better to use a muzzle when taking him out if he hasn’t been trained yet. This article will teach you how to prepare a dog to lie down and not eat.

How to teach a dog to lie down?

Dog training to lie down and sit complement each other, and it is much better to train him to sit first. Like any other skill, teaching the puppy to lie down is more accessible, but you can teach IT to adult dogs with patience and follow-up. These exercises should be done several times in short but regular sessions. It’s better to practice on a mat or blanket because it’s easier for your dog.

Dog training to lie down if he can sit.

This training takes place in five steps, which we have explained below:

The first step: tricking with treats

Hold a treat with a pleasant and pungent smell in your hand and ask the dog to sit. When he sits down, let him smell the treat. Now slowly move your hand from the front of the dog’s nose to his chest and then take him straight to the ground until the dog’s muzzle is between his front paws. Usually, with this step, your dog will lie down, but if he doesn’t, start from the beginning. When he lies down, please give him a treat. It’s possible that the dog bends and goes down instead of lying down, but his elbows don’t touch the ground and stay in this position for a while. If he does, tell him to stand up and try again, and give him a treat for trying and almost lying down. Repeat this step until he completely sleeps on the ground.

The second step: performing the command without a reward

You shouldn’t use food now. Take your empty hand to the ground and say to lie down. The dog may not do this and look at your hand. If it happens, put food on your palm, hold it with your thumb, and repeat the downward movement. As soon as your dog lies down, give him food. Repeat this step three times in a row and the fourth time, do the hand movement again without food. So, the animal that has eaten enough food will probably do what you want without reward.

The third step: voice and movement commands together

When the dog gets used to lying down with the movement of your hand, you can teach him to lie down just by hearing your voice. Tell him to lie down, wait three seconds, signal him with a hand motion and reward him if he lies down. Repeat this exercise several times and gradually increase the distance between the voice command and the hand signal until the dog understands the relationship between the two and responds to the empty voice command. Dog Training to lie down from a distance, you must train him to obey your order by hearing your voice.

Fourth step: Complete learning and go to new places

At this stage, we gradually remove food (but non-food encouragement should continue). Whenever the dog obeys your order quickly and lies down, give him treats when he lies down more slowly. When he becomes fluent and immediately listens to your command, you can give him treats from time to time or do it if the surrounding environment is too distracting. When you see that your dog obeys your command quickly and easily at home, you should start training in more crowded environments such as the yard, garden or park.

Dog Training to lie down if he can’t sit

If your dog can’t sit, you need to change the exercises you will read below.

Dogs whose body shape is like greyhounds

We must remove the sitting step to train this command to greyhounds or similar breeds. Tell the dog to stand on a blanket or mat, hold a scented treat in your hand and let him smell it. Then gently take him down, so he lies down on the floor while he follows. When he lies down, please give him a treat. Then do steps 2 to 5.

Dog Training to lie down to a short-legged dog

Sit and stretch your legs. After that, bend them at the knees and using a fragrant food, push the dog to follow your hand so that he turns and goes under your foot. When his lower body reaches the ground, encourage him. Practice this step several times until the short dog lies down comfortably, and then do steps 2 to 5.

Ways to teach a dog not to eat.

At the beginning of the work, train in a quiet room so that the dog isn’t distracted, two or three sessions of five to ten minutes a day, and then when your dog walks a bit, change the training place and finally, you have to train outside the house. This training is one of the principles of dog training and is very important. It’s easier to teach a puppy not to eat, but with a little more effort, it can also be introduced to adult dogs.

“Let go” method; Don’t eat command with treats.

Take low-value food in your fist and let the dog smell it. Now put it on the ground, but as soon as he wants to go to him, say “let him go” and immediately give him the delicious food you had hidden in your other hand. Repeat this step until your dog learns it well. In the next stage of encouragement, put the low-value treat in your palm and hold it in front of him. If he wants to eat it, fist your hand and say no. But if he looks at it or smells it, tell him to stop and give him delicious food. The next step is to put a low-value treat on the floor. When he wants to eat it, order him to let go and if he listens, give him delicious food. If he doesn’t listen, go back to the previous step and practice until he learns.

“Throwing” method; Don’t eat command with toys.

Take two dog toys or the exact ball that your dog likes. Play with one of the toys to get your dog’s attention and come to get it from you. Now play excitedly with the second toy as if it is the most exciting thing you have ever seen. After a few moments, your dog throws the first toy and comes to get the second one. As soon as he drops the first one, say, “throw it”, encourage him and play with him with the second toy. Instead of the second toy, you can use delicious food.

“Come” method; Don’t eat command with a collar.

The third way to train a dog not to eat is by putting a collar on him and letting him go around. When he turns to you, shake your hands to get his attention. If he walks towards you excitedly and happily, tell him “come” and sit one or two steps away from him so that he will be more encouraged and come towards you. When he arrives near you, reward him with a delicious treat. After he learns and comes to you quickly, he uses less valuable food. The last step is to open the dog’s collar and tell him to come. If he comes, give him the tasty treat again so that he understands that the best thing to do is to come back to you and obey your orders. You have to repeat the command to the dog in different situations and environments so that he learns to obey immediately under any condition and doesn’t hesitate, even when he is faced with the most delicious food. 

To wrap up

Training the dog not to eat is essential. Starving dogs learn this later, but in any case, you shouldn’t give up. To teach a dog to sleep, you should hold a tasty and fragrant food in front of his nose. Then slowly take it down until the dog lies down on the ground without realizing what happened. Some dogs may learn this training later and some sooner, but in any case, it’s an important command, especially for large dogs. To have a healthy and lively dog, you need to pay attention to nutrition, activity, health, grooming, etc. In all these steps, you can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming. Our experienced and precise groomers have carefully and accurately groomed your dogs so they count the moments for the next session.