What does it mean?
The puppy is to lay under a table, bench, desk or other appropriate piece of furniture. You should position the puppy so his tail and body are not sticking out in the aisle. Restaurants can be dark and we do not want to create a safety hazard by having a dog trip a patron or server.
What it does not mean?
Your puppy is lying out in the aisle with only his head and shoulders under the table or bench.
How to teach:
The easiest way to teach this is to use a bench that is open all of the way around. If you have a helper, have them stand on one side of the bench with the puppy. Position yourself on the other side of the bench. Have your helper toss the puppy’s leash to you under the bench and encourage the puppy to come to you. Once the puppy is under the bench, ask the puppy for a down.
Note: It is often helpful to approach the bench on the diagonal rather than having the puppy face the bench at a right angle.