Teaching ‘Down’ - Full Lure Fade Protocol (DEPRECATED)
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→ Go to the Teaching Down Complete Guide
The content below is kept for reference but the modular version is recommended:
OVERVIEW
What It Is:
A cue that tells your dog to lie down on the ground (belly, elbows, and hips all making contact with the floor) and hold that position until released.
Why It Matters:
- Foundation for impulse control: Down is a naturally calming position
- Essential for advanced work: Needed for down-stays, distance work, place training
- Real-world utility: Settles her in public, at home, during vet visits
- Building block: Required before teaching down-in-motion, send-to-spot, etc.
What Skills It Builds:
- Body awareness and control
- Patience (down is harder to hold than sit)
- Handler focus during position changes
- Foundation for calm/settle behaviors
CLEAR CRITERIA: WHAT “DOWN” LOOKS LIKE
Full Down Position:
| Body Part | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Elbows | Both touching the ground |
| Belly | Touching or very close to ground |
| Hips | On the ground (not hovering) |
| Front paws | Extended forward or tucked under |
| Back legs | Can be tucked (sphinx) or to the side (hip out) - both count |
What Counts: Elbows + belly + hips all down = full down.
What Doesn’t Count:
- “Play bow” (butt in the air, elbows down)
- Hover down (elbows almost down but not quite touching)
- One hip up
Be consistent. Only mark and reward FULL downs, or she’ll learn that “close enough” counts.
THE FULL PROGRESSION: 7 PHASES
Phase Overview:
| Phase | Goal | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduce lure, get the behavior | 1-3 days |
| 2 | Build speed and reliability with full lure | 3-5 days |
| 3 | Fade the lure (smaller motion, empty hand) | 5-7 days |
| 4 | Add verbal cue | 3-5 days |
| 5 | Verbal cue only, hand signal becomes optional | 5-7 days |
| 6 | Add duration (2-60+ seconds) | 4 weeks |
| 7 | Add distance and distractions | 2-4 weeks |
Total timeline: 6-10 weeks to a rock-solid down with duration, distance, and distraction-proofing.
PHASE 1: INTRODUCE THE LURE (Days 1-3)
Goal:
Get Melon to follow the lure into a down position. She learns the motion = reward.
Setup:
- High-value treats (small, soft, smelly)
- Quiet location (living room, courtyard)
- She’s standing or sitting in front of you
- 10-15 reps per session, 2-3 sessions per day
Training Protocol:
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hold treat in closed fist | Sniffs your hand | - |
| 2 | Lower treat slowly straight down to ground between her front paws | Follows with her nose | - |
| 3 | Once treat reaches ground, slowly pull it toward you (along the ground) | Her nose follows, elbows start to lower | - |
| 4 | Keep luring until elbows + belly + hips all touch ground | She’s in full down | “YES” + open hand, give treat |
| 5 | Wait 1 second | She stays down | Give second treat while she’s still down |
| 6 | Stand up, take a step back | She gets up (or cue “break” if you’ve taught it) | - |
| 7 | Reset and repeat | - | - |
Key Points:
Lure Path:
- DOWN to the ground (not forward first - that makes her walk forward)
- THEN toward you along the ground (this folds her into a down)
- Like an “L” shape: down, then back
If She Doesn’t Lie Down:
- Make sure treat goes all the way to the ground
- Pull it slightly under her chest (toward her back paws)
- Be patient - some dogs take 20-30 seconds to figure it out
- If she stands up and walks around the lure, reset and try again
If She Backs Up:
- Lure more slowly
- Make sure she’s sitting first (easier to down from a sit)
- Practice near a wall so she can’t back up
Common Mistake: Moving the treat too fast. Go SLOW. Let her figure out that lowering her body gets her closer to the treat.
Success Metric:
By end of Phase 1, she follows the lure into a down position 8 out of 10 times within 10 seconds.
PHASE 2: BUILD SPEED & RELIABILITY (Days 4-8)
Goal:
She drops into a down quickly and reliably when she sees the lure. You’re still using a full lure (treat in hand), but she’s getting FAST.
Setup:
- Same as Phase 1
- 15-20 reps per session, 2-3 sessions per day
- Start varying her starting position (standing, sitting, facing different directions)
Training Protocol:
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hold treat in closed fist at her nose level | Sniffs hand | - |
| 2 | Lure straight down to ground (faster than Phase 1) | Follows immediately | - |
| 3 | Pull slightly toward you if needed | Drops into down | “YES” the instant elbows hit ground |
| 4 | Give treat | She stays down | Give 2-3 treats in a row while down |
| 5 | Release (“break”) | She gets up | - |
| 6 | Reset and repeat | - | - |
Key Points:
Build Speed:
- She should start dropping faster (3-5 seconds instead of 10)
- If she’s slow, make sure you’re marking the INSTANT her elbows touch
- Speed comes from clear timing
Add Repetitions:
- Do 15-20 reps per session now (up from 10-15)
- She needs volume to build muscle memory
Vary Starting Position:
- Sometimes she’s sitting
- Sometimes she’s standing
- Sometimes she’s slightly to your left or right
- Goal: “Down” works no matter what position she starts in
Feed Multiple Treats:
- Give 2-3 treats in a row while she’s holding the down
- This builds duration (she learns to stay in position)
- Feed treats between her paws (not above her head - that makes her sit up)
Success Metric:
By end of Phase 2, she drops into a down within 3 seconds of seeing the lure, 9 out of 10 times.
PHASE 3: FADE THE LURE (Days 9-15)
Goal:
She responds to your HAND MOTION (not the treat). You’re transitioning from lure to hand signal.
This Is the Hardest Phase:
Many people get stuck here because they don’t fade systematically. We’ll break it into 3 sub-phases.
Phase 3A: Smaller Lure Motion (Days 9-11)
What You’re Doing:
- Still have treat in hand, but make the motion smaller and faster
- Instead of slowly lowering treat all the way to ground, you drop your hand halfway and she should anticipate the rest
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Treat in fist, start at her nose level | Watching your hand | - |
| 2 | Drop hand HALFWAY to ground (not all the way) | She starts to lower | - |
| 3 | Stop your hand motion | She completes the down on her own | “YES” the instant elbows hit |
| 4 | Bring treat down to her and give it | She’s in full down | Feed 2-3 treats |
| 5 | Release | She gets up | - |
Goal: She anticipates the down and completes it even though your hand didn’t go all the way to the ground.
Reps: 15-20 per session, 2 sessions per day for 2-3 days.
Phase 3B: Empty Hand Motion (Days 12-14)
What You’re Doing:
- Treat is in your OTHER hand (behind your back or in your pocket)
- Your lure hand is EMPTY but makes the same motion
- She downs, THEN you produce the treat from the other hand
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Empty fist in front of her nose (treat in other hand) | Sniffs empty hand | - |
| 2 | Drop empty hand halfway to ground | She follows the motion and downs | “YES” when elbows hit |
| 3 | Immediately grab treat from other hand | She holds down | Give treat between her paws |
| 4 | Release | She gets up | - |
This Is the Critical Step: She’s now responding to the MOTION, not the treat. The treat appears AFTER the behavior.
If She Doesn’t Down with Empty Hand:
- Go back to Phase 3A for another day
- Make sure your hand motion is exactly the same as when you had the treat
- Be patient - this is a big leap for her brain
Reps: 15-20 per session, 2-3 sessions per day for 2-3 days.
Phase 3C: Subtle Hand Signal (Day 15)
What You’re Doing:
- Your hand motion gets even smaller
- Eventually it’s just a small downward point or finger motion
- Treat still comes from other hand after the behavior
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Small downward motion (just a few inches) | She downs immediately | “YES” |
| 2 | Treat from other hand | She holds down | Give treat |
| 3 | Release | She gets up | - |
Goal: Your hand signal is now a subtle cue, not a big lure motion.
Reps: 10-15 per session, 2 sessions per day.
Success Metric:
By end of Phase 3, she downs reliably (9/10 times) when you make a small hand motion, with no treat visible in that hand.
PHASE 4: ADD VERBAL CUE (Days 16-20)
Goal:
Pair the word “down” with the hand signal so she starts to learn the verbal cue.
Critical Rule:
VERBAL CUE COMES FIRST, THEN HAND SIGNAL.
If you do hand signal first, she’ll always rely on the visual and ignore the word.
Training Protocol:
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Say “DOWN” | She might look at you, might not move | - |
| 2 | Immediately (within 0.5 seconds) give hand signal | She downs | “YES” when elbows hit |
| 3 | Treat from other hand | She holds down | Give treat |
| 4 | Release | She gets up | - |
Timing Is Everything:
- Say “down”
- Count “one-thousand-one”
- Give hand signal
- She downs
After 20-30 Reps: She’ll start to anticipate. When you say “down,” she’ll begin moving BEFORE you give the hand signal. That’s exactly what you want.
Reps: 15-20 per session, 2-3 sessions per day for 4-5 days.
Success Metric:
By end of Phase 4, she starts moving into a down when she hears “down,” before you give the hand signal (at least 5 out of 10 times).
PHASE 5: VERBAL CUE ONLY (Days 21-27)
Goal:
She responds to “down” with no hand signal needed. Hand signal becomes backup/optional.
Phase 5A: Test the Verbal Cue (Days 21-23)
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Say “DOWN” | WAIT 2-3 seconds | - |
| 2 | Does she down? | YES: She downs on verbal only | “YES” + jackpot (3-4 treats) |
| 2 | Does she down? | NO: She doesn’t move | Give hand signal as backup |
| 3 | Release | She gets up | - |
The Test:
- 50% of reps: Verbal only, wait to see if she does it
- 50% of reps: Verbal + immediate hand signal (to keep reinforcing the pairing)
Reps: 10-15 per session, 2 sessions per day.
Phase 5B: Increase Verbal-Only Success Rate (Days 24-27)
As She Gets Better:
- Gradually increase percentage of verbal-only trials
- Day 24: 60% verbal only
- Day 25: 70% verbal only
- Day 26: 80% verbal only
- Day 27: 90% verbal only
If She Doesn’t Respond to Verbal:
- Wait 3 seconds
- Give hand signal as backup
- Don’t punish or get frustrated - just mark and reward the down
- Try again next rep
Reps: 10-15 per session, 2 sessions per day.
Success Metric:
By end of Phase 5, she responds to “down” (verbal only) 8-9 out of 10 times, with no hand signal needed.
PHASE 6: ADD DURATION (Weeks 5-8)
Goal:
She holds the down position for extended periods (2 seconds → 60+ seconds).
When to Start:
Only begin Phase 6 after she’s responding reliably to verbal “down” cue (Phase 5 complete).
Duration Progression:
This follows the “Adding Duration to Any Behavior” protocol. Here’s the condensed version for down specifically:
| Week | Duration Goal | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Week 5 | 2-10 seconds | Time only, you’re right next to her |
| Week 6 | 10-30 seconds | Extended time, reduce treat frequency |
| Week 7 | 30-60 seconds | Add mild distractions (your movement) |
| Week 8 | 60+ seconds | Time is solid, ready for distance/bigger distractions |
Week 5: Time Only (2-10 Seconds)
Protocol:
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cue “down” | She downs | - |
| 2 | WAIT 2 seconds | She holds down | “GOOD” (calm marker) |
| 3 | Feed treat between her paws | She stays down | - |
| 4 | WAIT 2 more seconds | She holds | “GOOD” + treat |
| 5 | Release (“break”) | She gets up | - |
Progression:
- Days 1-2: 2-4 seconds
- Days 3-4: 4-6 seconds
- Days 5-7: 6-10 seconds
Key: Use calm “GOOD” not excited “YES” during duration work.
Week 6: Extended Time (10-30 Seconds)
Protocol:
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cue “down” | She downs | - |
| 2 | WAIT 5 seconds | She holds | “GOOD” (verbal only, no treat) |
| 3 | Feed treat | She stays | - |
| 4 | WAIT 5 seconds | She holds | “GOOD” + treat |
| 5 | WAIT 5 seconds | She holds | “GOOD” + treat |
| 6 | Release | She gets up | - |
Progression:
- Days 1-2: 10-15 seconds
- Days 3-4: 15-20 seconds
- Days 5-7: 25-30 seconds
Key: Reduce treat frequency (every 5-7 seconds instead of every 2-3).
Week 7: Mild Distractions (30-60 Seconds)
Add these distractions while she holds the down:
- You shift your weight
- You take 1-2 small steps side to side
- You wave your arms or gesture
- You look around, scratch your head
Protocol:
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cue “down” | She downs | - |
| 2 | Add distraction (shift weight) | She holds despite distraction | “GOOD” + treat immediately |
| 3 | WAIT 5 seconds, neutral | She holds | “GOOD” |
| 4 | Add distraction (take small step) | She holds | “GOOD” + treat |
| 5 | WAIT 5 seconds | She holds | “GOOD” + treat |
| 6 | Release | She gets up | - |
Key: Always reward immediately after she holds through a distraction.
Week 8: Solid Duration (60+ Seconds)
By end of Week 8, she should be able to:
- Hold a down for 60+ seconds
- With you standing right next to her
- With mild distractions (your movement)
- With 3-4 treat deliveries during the duration
Success Metric: She holds down for 60 seconds with mild distractions, 8/10 times.
PHASE 7: ADD DISTANCE & BIGGER DISTRACTIONS (Weeks 9-12+)
Goal:
She holds the down while you move away OR while bigger distractions occur (not both at once initially).
When to Start:
Only after duration is solid at 60+ seconds (Phase 6 complete).
Two Paths: Distance OR Distractions
Path A: Adding Distance
| Week | Distance Goal | Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Week 9 | 1-2 steps away | Cue down → take 1 step back → wait 5 sec → treat → release |
| Week 10 | 3-5 steps away | Cue down → take 3 steps back → wait 10 sec → return and treat → release |
| Week 11 | 10 steps away | Cue down → walk 10 steps → wait 15 sec → return and jackpot → release |
| Week 12+ | Out of sight | Cue down → step around corner → wait 20 sec → return and jackpot → release |
Key: Always return to her to give treats (or toss them to her, but returning builds confidence).
Path B: Adding Bigger Distractions
| Week | Distraction Level | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Week 9 | Moderate | You walk fully around her, clap hands, drop objects |
| Week 10 | High | Another person walks by, doorbell rings, toy on ground nearby |
| Week 11 | Very High | Another dog visible at distance, food on ground, kids playing nearby |
| Week 12+ | Real-world | Practice in public (parks, cafes, busy sidewalks) |
Key: Always jackpot when she holds through a big distraction.
Combining Distance + Distractions (Week 13+)
Once both are solid separately, you can combine them:
- Cue “down”
- Walk 5 steps away
- Have someone walk past (distraction)
- She holds
- Return and jackpot
- Release
Success Metric:
By end of Phase 7, she holds down for 60+ seconds with you 10+ steps away or out of sight, OR with high-level distractions present, 8/10 times.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Problem: She Won’t Lie Down with the Lure
Solutions:
- Make sure lure goes ALL THE WAY to the ground
- Pull it slightly back toward her chest/under her
- Try when she’s already sitting (easier to down from sit)
- Use higher value treats
- Practice on a soft surface (carpet, grass) - some dogs don’t like hard floors
- Be patient - it can take 30+ seconds the first few times
Problem: She Stands Up and Walks Around the Lure
Solutions:
- Lure more slowly
- Start with her in a sit
- Practice with her back to a wall (can’t back up or walk around)
- Make sure treat is on the ground, not hovering above it
Problem: She Gets Stuck in Phase 3 (Won’t Down with Empty Hand)
Solutions:
- Go back to Phase 2 for 1-2 more days (build more reps with full lure)
- Make sure your empty-hand motion is EXACTLY the same as your lure motion
- Start with treat in your hand, do 3 reps, then switch to empty hand for 1 rep, then back to treat for 3 reps (intermittent)
- Be patient - this is the hardest phase
Problem: She Only Responds to Hand Signal, Ignores Verbal Cue
Solutions:
- Make sure you’re saying “down” BEFORE the hand signal (not at the same time)
- Increase the delay between verbal and hand signal (up to 2-3 seconds)
- Do more reps in Phase 4 before moving to Phase 5
- When testing verbal only, wait a full 3 seconds before giving hand signal backup
Problem: She Does a “Hover Down” (Elbows Almost Down But Not Quite)
Solutions:
- Don’t mark or reward hover downs - only mark full downs
- If she hovers, wait 2-3 seconds to see if she commits
- If she doesn’t commit, stand up and reset (no reward)
- Make sure you’re feeding treats BETWEEN her front paws (not above her head)
- Be consistent - if you reward hover downs, she’ll think that’s acceptable
Problem: She Breaks Position During Duration Work
Solutions:
- You’re progressing too fast - go back to shorter durations
- Feed treats MORE often (every 3-5 seconds instead of 7-10)
- Make sure you’re using “GOOD” not “YES”
- Check that you’re feeding treats between her paws (keeps her in position)
- Remove distractions and just work on time first
Problem: She’s Anxious/Stressed During Down Work
Signs of stress:
- Yawning, lip licking, whale eye
- Panting excessively
- Trying to leave position repeatedly
- Whining
Solutions:
- Shorten duration significantly
- Increase treat frequency
- Practice in a place she’s very comfortable
- Make sure down itself is solid before adding duration
- Build confidence with easier exercises first
INTEGRATION INTO DAILY ROUTINE
Where to Practice “Down” Daily:
| Context | When | Phase/Focus | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonus Training Session | Afternoon (3:45pm) | Current phase you’re in | 10-15 |
| Courtyard Session | 3pm (end of session) | Quick maintenance | 3-5 |
| Before Meals | Breakfast & dinner | Test/maintenance | 2 |
| Meal Prep | While preparing her food | Duration practice (Phase 6+) | 1 long hold |
| Settle Time | Evening neutral time | Duration practice (Phase 6+) | 1-2 long holds |
| Random Throughout Day | Whenever | Generalization | 3-5 |
Total daily reps: 20-30+ (plenty to progress through phases)
WEEKLY PROGRESSION TRACKING
Weeks 1-2 (Phases 1-2): Learning the Behavior
- Week 1: She follows lure into down 8/10 times, drops within 3-5 seconds
- Week 2: She downs quickly on lure 9/10 times, within 2-3 seconds
Weeks 3-4 (Phases 3-4): Fading Lure & Adding Verbal
- Week 3: She downs with empty hand motion 8/10 times
- Week 4: She anticipates verbal cue, starts downing before hand signal 5/10 times
Week 5 (Phase 5): Verbal Cue Only
- She responds to “down” (verbal only) 8-9/10 times, no hand signal needed
Weeks 6-9 (Phase 6): Adding Duration
- Week 6: Holds down 2-10 seconds
- Week 7: Holds down 10-30 seconds
- Week 8: Holds down 30-60 seconds with mild distractions
- Week 9: Holds down 60+ seconds reliably
Weeks 10-12+ (Phase 7): Distance & Distractions
- Week 10: Holds down with you 3-5 steps away
- Week 11: Holds down with you 10 steps away OR moderate distractions
- Week 12+: Holds down out of sight OR high distractions OR combines both
SUCCESS METRICS: “DOWN” IS SOLID WHEN:
✅ She drops into down within 2 seconds of hearing “down” (verbal only)
✅ No hand signal needed (though you can still use it as backup)
✅ Works from any starting position (sitting, standing, walking)
✅ Works in different locations (apartment, courtyard, parents’ house, public)
✅ She holds the down for 60+ seconds
✅ She holds while you’re 10+ steps away or out of sight
✅ She holds through moderate to high distractions
✅ She’s calm and relaxed during down work (not stressed)
✅ You feel confident cueing it anywhere
FINAL NOTES
Timeline: 6-10 weeks is typical for a rock-solid down with duration and distraction-proofing. Don’t rush it.
Most Important Phases:
- Phase 3 (fading the lure) - where most people get stuck
- Phase 6 (duration) - builds the real-world utility of the behavior
Common Mistake: Moving to duration work (Phase 6) before the verbal cue is solid (Phase 5). Make sure she’s responding to “down” reliably before you add duration.
Celebrate Progress: Every phase completion is a win. Going from lure-dependent to verbal-only to 60-second hold is HUGE progress.
This Is a Foundation Skill: Once down is solid, you can use it everywhere - settling at home, calming in public, foundation for place work, distance work, and more.
LET’S BUILD THAT DOWN! 🐾
Next up: Full Integrated Timeline showing how Down, Break, and Cycle games all fit together week by week.