Puppies of all breeds should be taught basic obedience commands. It is particularly important for large breeds such as the black Lab. Down is usually the third command a puppy learns after walking at heel and sitting.
Things You'll Need
- Black Lab puppy
- Leash
- Dog treats
- Quiet training area
Instructions
Training a Black Lab Puppy to Lie Down
Place the black Lab puppy in a sitting position. This behavior, along with walking at heel, should have already been learned by the dog.
Hold the treat where the dog can see it. Give the command "down," or any command you choose, while slowly lowering the treat to the ground. If you have the dog's attention, they will lower their head as their eyes follow the treat. Once the dog is down, give him the treat and praise him.
Repeat the process until the puppy lies down on command rather than waiting for the treat to be lowered to the floor. This will likely take several training sessions. Try to end each training session before the puppy becomes tired of the process and won't focus on the trainer.
Hold initial training sessions in quiet areas with little distraction. The goal, as the training progresses, is to reach a point that the dog lies down in any situation, even near a busy street.