I have noticed dog trainers can get their dogs to lie completely flat on their sides with a simple command. I even watched a video where someone used this “side” command to wash their dog super efficiently. Since my dog has trouble standing still during baths, I got interested and watched more videos on this.
I’m now trying to train my dog to do the same, and we’ve almost got it down. The only issue is that he won’t lay his head down—he just looks up at me, waiting for his treat while lying on his side.
If I kneel, though, he’ll lay his head flat. I think I accidentally trained him to do this because I would kneel and gently guide his head down with his body.
How can I get him to lower his head completely without having to kneel? Just need that last inch for it to be perfect.
2 Likes
Now that you can predict when he’ll naturally put his head down, it’s time to put it on cue. Start by kneeling and using a word as the cue. Reward him the moment his head goes down—timing is key.
Once he’s responding to the head-down cue, you can use it as a helpful hint. You don’t want to say both “lie on your side” and “put your head down” every time, so try chaining them. Use your cue for “lie down flat” (like “flop”), and if his head stays up, give the head-down cue as a reminder. Mark, reward, and repeat.
He’ll start anticipating the head-down part. After you give the lie-down cue, wait a moment to see if he does it on his own before you remind him. If he does, reward him. Gradually extend the pause, and he’ll figure it out without the extra cue.
If he lifts his head when you go to give the treat, pull your hand back and wait until he lowers it again. If he struggles with this, reintroduce the head-down hint temporarily until he’s consistent.
Remember, timing is everything, so stay sharp with when you reward.
1 Like
You can try waiting it out and letting him experiment to see what will get him the prize.
If he’s used to doing it as soon as you kneel, try making a motion like you’re about to kneel to see if he lowers his head.
Make sure your timing is perfect as soon as you see action towards the desired behavior. You want him to understand that his cheek contacting the ground is what got him his treat.
1 Like
@LunaPurrington Waiting him out and rewarding him as soon as he drops his head is the best option. Our dog quickly caught on to this. We call this “all the way.” We’ll instruct him to lie down, then say “all the way,” and he’ll roll onto his side to relax. Edit: This is a fantastic position for nail clipping or teeth brushing.
1 Like
My dogs respond to the “settle” order by resting on their sides, heads on the floor. I taught them by giving a down command and tapping the treat 5-6 inches to the left of their head. They want the reward, so they almost roll, and when they do, I applaud them and give them the treat. “Good settle”
My GSDs are always the first to learn, and the other dogs quickly follow…because they really want that treat. Use Level 1 treats, such as chicken. I teach while kneeling on the floor. This is my second group of dogs who learned it right away.
I use this technique to clip nails and give small treats as I go.