Long Down Training for Trials

What Is the Long Down in Trials

The long down is a formal exercise where your dog lies calmly on a defined spot for a set time while you step away, often out of sight, with serious distractions in play. In many sports, another dog is working nearby, a judge and steward are moving, and the environment feels charged. Long down training is about teaching your dog to stay neutral and accountable no matter what happens around them. At Smart Dog Training, we build this with the Smart Method so the behaviour is reliable anywhere.

Success in trial long downs is not an accident. It is the outcome of careful long down training, layered from foundation to full trial picture. That is why our Smart Master Dog Trainers, or SMDTs, start by building clarity, then layer duration, distance, and distraction in a precise order. The result is a calm, confident dog that understands how to hold position without handler tension.

The Smart Method for Long Down Training

Smart Dog Training uses a structured, progressive system designed for real life and the ring. Long down training in our programmes follows five pillars that make the exercise truly dependable under pressure.

Clarity Markers and Positions

Clarity starts with the language your dog hears and the position they hold. We teach a clean down cue, a stay marker that confirms the job, and a release marker that ends it. Long down training must never leave grey areas. The dog learns there is a difference between the command to lie down, the marker that confirms they are correct, and the release that frees them to move.

We coach the exact body picture we want. Elbows down, hips settled, chin calm, hips can be tucked or relaxed based on your sport needs. A clear start picture and a clear end picture let your dog switch off and focus on the job rather than guessing. Clarity reduces fidgeting, creeping, and anticipations.

Pressure and Release Applied Fairly

Pressure and release is part of the Smart Method and sits at the heart of long down training. We give fair guidance when the dog breaks criteria, and we remove pressure the moment they return to position. This builds accountability without conflict. The dog learns that calm stillness turns off all pressure and earns rewards, and that breaking the down simply resets the exercise. This simple rule builds responsibility and trust.

Motivation and Reward Schedules

Motivation keeps the long down positive. We use a mix of food and toy rewards that match the dog’s drive level. Early long down training pays calm behaviour often. As we progress, rewards become less frequent but more meaningful. We also teach the dog to love neutral engagement, like quiet praise or a gentle ear stroke when you return. The long down becomes a job your dog understands and values.

Foundations Before You Start

Before you look at a trial picture, set the foundations so your dog can win.

• Position skills. Teach a clean down from a stand and a sit. Mark and reinforce still elbows and quiet hips.
• Markers. Install a clear stay marker and a clear release that never appears early.
• Place training. A mat or board gives a defined station that supports long down training. We fade it later.
• Handler calm. Your breathing, posture, and pace should be unhurried. Your energy sets the tone.
• Reward mechanics. Rewards arrive only when the dog is in position. If they pop up, calmly reset and try again.

Step by Step Long Down Training Plan

This progression shows how Smart Dog Training layers long down training from your living room to a pressure filled ring. Move forward only when the dog meets criteria for several sessions in a row.

Phase 1 Build Duration at Home

Start in a quiet room. Guide your dog into a down on a mat. Mark the stay as the elbows touch, then feed several small rewards between the front paws. Reinforce that calm chin and steady hips. Build to 60 seconds over short, tidy reps. If the dog breaks, calmly reset with no emotion. Long down training begins with many small wins and no grey areas.

• Criteria. Zero movement of front paws. Still elbows. Quiet eyes.
• Handler picture. Stand beside the dog at first. Breathe. Count in your head to keep a steady rhythm.
• Releases. Step back to the dog, pause, then release. Do not release from a distance yet.

Phase 2 Add Distance and Out of Sight

Now add one small step at a time. Take a half step away, return, pause, reward in position. Build to one metre, then three. Work to the door, then step through for one second, return and pay. Long down training fails when we leap too fast. Keep changes small. If the dog creeps, you came back too slowly or went too far. Shorten the step, return more quickly, and reward in position.

• Criteria. Zero forward crawl. If the dog inches, calmly place them back to the start point and try a shorter rep.
• Handler out of sight. Start with a curtain edge or door frame. One second, then two, then five. Keep the time random to avoid patterning.

Phase 3 Distraction and Neutrality

Distraction proofing is where long down training becomes ring ready. Begin with low noise and slow motion. Walk past with soft footfalls. Drop a lead on the floor. Sit on a chair and stand again. Slowly layer sound and motion until your dog stays neutral without a stare or tension.

• Motion. Walk around the dog. Step over the leash. Practise a heel pattern five metres away with your dog holding position.
• Noises. Keys, claps, a dropped book on carpet. Later, work with sharper sounds if your sport includes them.
• People and dogs. A helper walking, then light jogging, then a dog heeling at distance. Keep the first reps easy and predictable.

Neutrality means your dog does not fixate on the distraction, does not load with excitement, and does not shut down. In Smart Dog Training we shape neutrality by rewarding soft eyes, loose breathing, and still paws.

Phase 4 Generalise Surfaces and Locations

Trials happen on grass, turf, dirt, and sometimes slick floors. Long down training must include different textures and temperatures. Train on short grass, longer grass, rubber, wood, and mats. Practise near ring gates, by fences, and around cones. Move sessions to new parks, car parks, and training halls. Each new place starts easy then builds.

• Surface checklist. Grass, turf, rubber, wood, mat, dry dirt.
• Environmental pressure. Whistles, speaker systems, applause, footsteps behind your dog, and distant barks.

Phase 5 Build the Trial Picture

Now stitch it all together. Set the exact start routine you will use on trial day. Approach the spot with the same pace, stand still, cue the down, mark the stay, step away, and breathe. Have a helper play judge and steward. Another dog can work on the field. Long down training at this stage mirrors the test as closely as possible so there are no surprises.

• Duration. Match or exceed your sport requirement in practice.
• Distance. If the rule requires out of sight, train out of sight with similar sight lines.
• Return. Walk back calmly, stand for a beat, then release or heel away as your rules require.

Ready to turn your dog’s behaviour around? Book a Free Assessment and connect with a certified Smart Master Dog Trainer - available across the UK.

Proofing and Progress Criteria

Proofing makes long down training bulletproof. It is not random chaos. It is planned, fair, and measurable.

• One change at a time. Increase only one of the three Ds at once. Duration, distance, or distraction. Never stack big jumps.
• Rep quality. End on a clean success. If the last rep was shaky, finish with an easier win.
• Ratio of success. Aim for at least four clean reps for every tough rep. Confidence fuels reliability.
• Cold trials. Run full mock trials with no warm up. Your dog must perform the long down without heavy priming.
• Handler silence. Practise with no extra cues, no repeated markers, and no soothing speech. Trial conditions are quiet.

Criteria should be written down. Track minutes held, distance away, type of distraction, and the surface used. If a criterion slips, step back one notch. Long down training that respects criteria moves forward faster than training that chases big leaps.

Common Problems and Fixes

Even strong teams hit snags. Here is how Smart Dog Training addresses the most common issues in long down training.

• Creeping. If paws slide forward, you went too far or too long. Reset to a shorter time or distance. Reward between the paws to anchor the front end.
• Rolling hips or popping up. Reinforce still elbows and a quiet chin. If the dog rolls to a hip too soon, set a short interval and pay that flat chest often before you allow a relaxed hip.
• Fixation on distractions. Teach neutral orientation. Reward calm eyes that look away from the trigger. Increase distance from the trigger and build back in.
• Vocalising. Barking or whining signals conflict. Lower the challenge, reduce your energy, and reward quiet breaths. Do not reward the moment after a whine. Wait for silence, then mark and pay.
• Handler nerves. Your dog reads your breath and posture. Practise a calm routine. Count to five before you step away. Smile quietly when you return.

Pressure and release can help here too. If the dog breaks, guide them back without emotion. Hold the line on criteria, then reward generously for stillness. Used fairly, this grows responsibility without conflict.

Working with a Smart Master Dog Trainer

Long down training is simple in theory but nuanced in the ring. A Smart Master Dog Trainer can spot tiny tells in your dog and refine your timing and handling. In Smart Dog Training, every SMDT follows the same Smart Method so your coaching is consistent and results focused. Whether you are aiming for your first obedience trial or sharpening a championship level performance, you will benefit from expert eyes on your routine and pressure testing that mirrors the real thing.

Our programmes blend in home coaching, structured group work, and tailored behaviour plans for dogs with high drive or anxiety. Long down training becomes a calm, confident behaviour that transfers to daily life as well as the ring.

FAQs

How long should I train the long down each day

Short sessions are best. Three to five sets of one to three minutes each will outpace one long marathon. Long down training is about quality and clarity, not fatigue.

When do I remove the mat or place board

Fade the station once your dog offers a stable down with still elbows for at least two minutes in a quiet room. Re add it if criteria slip in new places.

Should I reward during the hold or only at the end

Both. Early long down training pays in position several times. Later, rewards become less frequent, with more value placed on the end of the exercise. Always pay in position, not after a break.

What if my dog breaks when I go out of sight

Shorten the time out of sight and return sooner to pay. Build in one second steps and keep a high success rate. Long down training fails when jumps are too big.

Can I use a correction if my dog keeps creeping

We use fair pressure and release. Guide the dog back to the exact start point, remove pressure when they settle, and pay calm stillness. The goal is accountability without conflict.

How do I simulate trial pressure

Recreate the full picture. A helper as judge, a steward walking patterns, another dog working, ambient noise, and a set routine. Long down training should match or exceed show day demands before you enter.

Ready to prepare for your next event with a proven system and support across the UK

Your dog deserves training that truly works. With certified Smart Master Dog Trainers (SMDTs) nationwide, you'll get proven results backed by the UK's most trusted dog training network. Find a Trainer Near You

Conclusion

The long down is a test of clarity, responsibility, and neutrality. With the Smart Method, long down training becomes a step by step journey that builds a calm, confident dog who understands exactly how to win. Start with a clean picture, layer difficulty one change at a time, and keep your criteria consistent. If you want expert coaching and a structured plan that mirrors the ring, our team is ready to help you deliver on trial day. Strong long down training pays off in competition and in daily life, giving you a steady dog who can relax anywhere.