[header] How to teach a dog to lie down [title] Have a yummy treat ready. [step] Figure out what kinds of treats your dog likes and have them with you when training. Hold the treat in front of the dog so that he can smell it, but not eat it yet. 
Bring the treat back a bit so he knows he has to do something in order to get it from you. [substeps] If you have already used a clicker with training, you can use the clicker instead of a treat for positive reinforcement, particularly if your dog has weight issues or is not hungry because he just ate.