Go to the corner, lay down and stay there!

I often tell people in class that this is my goal - I just want someone, sometime, to tell me to go to the corner lay down and stay there and yet. No one ever does! Its always 'do this, fetch that, more!'
Now, our dogs seem........not so interested in the idea. Sometimes our puppies do not wish to lay down at all it seems. Our big assertive dogs think its way too much a sign of submission to lay down in front of all the other puppies. I assure their owners 'that's okay - sometimes, they don't have to want to. They just have to.' which, as an aside seems to be a totally new concept especially to some who are new parents to four or two legged little ones.
Our teeny tinies sometimes have an issue with down - "I'm so far down here already!"

And sometimes there is so much going on in the class for them to focus. Sometimes it takes a little extra time, and putting on your patience panties! My last little Havanese in class was told repeatedly "you won't learn down!" It always makes me laugh at how excited puppy parents get when proven wrong. Just takes more tries than twice sometimes. Often. But that's okay - what else are you doing??

There are several methods to do down - one is the lure. Sit first, treat to nose, bring it straight down, and then hopefully puppy will follow it straight down. I think this one is about the easiest. For most dogs most of the time. Then there is the make puppy crawl under (Knee, stool) method, and they down to crawl to the treat - there you go. There is the 'make them think' click method. "HOW do I get that treat/click?? This, this? AHH! Down!"

Well.......almost!!!