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Training A Puppy

"How To Train A Puppy To
Lie Down and Stay"

Training a puppy can take a bit of time and patience but the rewards are great, as a well-trained dog is a well-behaved dog!

Whether you're training a Cocker Spaniel puppy, or training a Cocker Spaniel adult dog, any time invested in their training will certainly be worthwhile.

At the risk of stating the obvious - the 'down and stay' command is a combination of two sets of basic puppy obedience training; the 'Down' command and the 'Stay' command.

The Sussex Spaniel - Photo © About Cocker Spaniels.com 2008-2009

If you're wondering when you'd use this command, consider the following scenarios:

you may want to stop your dog's attention seeking behaviour,

you may want him to sit quietly while you read a book or a newspaper,

you may want to unpack your shopping in peace,

if you want to stop for a chat with another dog walker.

In fact, you can use this training command in any situation where you're not prepared to give your Cocker Spaniel the attention he's demanding, or where it's simply not practical to do so.

These are circumstances where teaching your puppy to lie down and stay are invaluable.

It's also much kinder to your dog to ask him to lie 'Down' and 'Stay', rather than 'Sit' and 'Stay', if you're going to be any longer than a couple of minutes.

If your puppy has already mastered these two commands it should be easy enough for him to progress to the combined 'Down and Stay' instruction.

However, if your puppy hasn't yet mastered these commands, we recommend you return to these basic instructions and progress to the combined command when your dog is ready to do so. Use the following links to take you to the relevant pages:

Training A Puppy - The 'Down' Command,

Training A Puppy - The 'Stay' Command.

Training A Puppy To Lie 'Down and Stay'

Step 1

Using the 'Down' command, ask your Cocker Spaniel puppy to lie on the floor; say the command word, 'Down' and use your hand, palm facing down towards the floor, as your visual command.

Don't make eye contact with your puppy; keep your hand in the 'Down' position, and give him the command to 'Stay'.

Keep your hand in the 'Down' position, and either walk around the room or sit down and read a newspaper or a book. Continue avoiding eye contact with your dog or he may expect you to play with him or give him your attention.

Leave your puppy in the down position for between 10 and 15 seconds before rewarding him with lots of praise and a treat.

If your puppy moves before you release him, don't praise or reward him. Ask him to lie down and simply try the exercise again but, this time, only leave him for a few seconds; don't allow your dog to fail, and don't let him get away with getting up before you release him otherwise you run the risk of diluting the training.

It's important to be consistent when training Cocker Spaniels, so practice this exercise regularly. Gradually increase the amount of time you leave him until he can stay in the 'Down and Stay' position for at least 15 minutes - better still if he can manage longer than that!

Step 2

When your puppy has mastered this command, try the exercise again but without using the verbal command; use the visual hand signal only.

Remember, don't make eye contact with your Cocker Spaniel, simply give the hand signal.

If he responds in the way that you want him to, and stays quiet and in position for 10 minutes or more, reward him with lots of praise and a treat.

In no time at all, you'll find that your puppy will respond to the hand signal alone and you'll be surprised at how often you use it!

Cocker Spaniel training, whether for puppies or adult dogs, is very important if you are to remain in control.

Whislt training a puppy is not always easy, training an adult dog will probably take longer as he may need more time to understand what you want from him but, your perserverence and his willingness to please, will get the desired results.

Happy training!