The “lie down” training plan is working, it took about four days and is not nearly done.

But we had a breakthrough today, she is beginning to lie down without the coercion of the leash, which is the best way to go. She grasps the idea and is willing to submit to it. I need to work on my own clarity – too many words – and also my patience.

She will need to lie down and stay for at least three minutes and longer to qualify as a certified therapy dog. We’re a couple of months away from an attention span like that.

But for a 13-week old puppy, she is doing remarkably well. Mornings are a good time to train, she is fresh and alert. Before breakfast is even better, she is even more focused on food.

But the groundwork is being laid. I’m beginning to back off the use of treats – she likes approval as well, and after today, I’ll stop using the leash as an aide. I don’t want her to become dependent on that as a signal.

The video is useful to me, I see a number of things that I am doing wrong and can correct them. I learn best when I can see my own mistakes.

I’m very happy with the results though, we are getting there. I wanted to share the evolution of this training. “Lie Down” is an essential command, it establishes my authority, it helps her to submit to my commands, it calms her and is essential in terms of control.

A good “lie down” can even save a dog’s like in traffic or danger. I’ll keep working on it and sharing it, but I was very happy today. She’s a great dog to train.