One of the most frequent mistakes I see people making is giving a ‘down’ command, when what they really mean is something else. I’m sure you’ve seen it too…  during check out at veterinary clinics, counter surfing at home, unwelcome jumping up on people, or furniture, etc. And the owner tells the dog “down”, “get down”, “no, down” or some similar variation of this.

Sure, to humans, it may seem all the same. The intention in their mind was “please get your feet off of my guest”, “not on the sofa”, “don’t put your paws on the counter” etc. Basically it is a ‘don’t do that’ reaction. But in the dog’s mind it likely holds an entirely different meaning. Most dogs who know, or know to an extent, what a ‘down’ command refers to think of it as a behavior that requires laying  with all four legs on the ground. So, every time the owner asked the dog not to engage in a behavior similar to those mentioned above, they actually asked them to do something which is entirely different from what the owner had in their mind. (And in almost all instances, the dog never actually proceeds to lay down.)

Always remember what the dog perceives. If the behavior is ‘you and/or your paws off’ of this that or the other, then you need to use a separate word, such as ‘off’. In addition, it is simply more effective then “no” as the dog is often already achieving the behavior to some extent. Thus, it is better to guide the dog to what you do want from them rather then just a general correction.

Less confusion for the dog, less frustration for the owner, and the ‘down’ command will remain more clear.