One very important command that should have no room for error is the “Down” command. There are basically three types of dogs that will exaggerate during down training. The following types must be handled with kid gloves: 1) Over-submissive Pets; 2) The panicky dogs and 3) Pets that are domineering and hostile.

This article will teach you how to handle the very-submissive type and the right way to train your dog the “Down” exercise.

The Very Submissive Pet

This type of pet is overly stimulated by the owner's presence. Even his owner’s touch will cause nervousness. When ever the owner tries to influence his dog, he will actually prostrate himself, maybe on his back – he will completely misinterpret the objective. Instead of doing a down with a concentration on the food, the dog will focus on the owner. Basically, the dog is defensive rather than clear in his drive. The dog is motivated by nervousness to show submission to his owner.

Making your dog hungry is very effective, by increasing his focus and energy when he's in drive. This type of dog is easy to inhibit, the owner felt that his pet's behaviors were a suitable response to his confrontational method to dog training …but the dog only learned to surrender his drive and become overly nervous, instead of learning were to channel his drive. So, when a dog rolls on his back, the owner must counteract this reflex by running and telling him to jump up and make contact.

The running exercise will unwind his nerve; as he begins to roll over - the owner, who is the object of the dog's maneuvering, is out of sight. What you are doing here is converting his nervous drive into clear or calm drive. If your pet desires to focus on you, he will do it by being pure in his drive exercise by simply running after and plunging into you. After making contact with the owner, the dog should be rewarded with food.

When your pet is capable of staying focused on his food and remains resilient to a shock, he will then be shocked for this nervous display of submission. The shock will change the nervousness into being ready for a drive behavior. When your pet finally becomes relaxed about staying, make certain that the shock is lead by the pure drive activity of running after you.

Now your dog will begin to choose drive over nervousness. He will work to avoid the shock by self-inhibiting his nervousness. He will learn that being in the relaxed position of lying down and focused on his owner, the food will ultimately cause the joy and pure drive activity of running after you. Don’t forget, you are actually disengaging yourself from the nervousness and that will make life more relaxed for your dog.