Place
A Grand Place to Be
Place
There are of course times when it is just not practical to have a puppy attached at the hip. This when when having a safe place comes into practice. When you are looking for your pupper to settle quietly while you work/cook teach ‘place’ it could be a crate mat/bed or simply a towel that you bring out when you want some quiet time. To teach 'place' we are going to build value, this place is going to be an awesome place for your puppy, great things happen when your pup is in this place, your puppy will be excited to get in/on this place. For crate training see here- Crate Training
If you are using a mat/raised bed/or towel, start by simply rewarding your dog for going on their place. Make it easy for them by standing directly in front of the mat. If they are reluctant at first to step on, you can use a tiny piece of tasty food throw it onto their place. Click as soon as your dog steps on their place and reward. As you need to do many repetitions reset by throwing another piece of food away and ask them to search. You want to repeat this many times until your pup antisipates you wanting them to be on the place and goes there first. When they have got the hang of this, wait until they offer another behaviour on the mat. This will usually be a sit, jackpot the sit (give several rewards) before sending them off to search. The next sit should be quicker, reward and release. When they are continuously sitting on the mat, wait again for a new behaviour, you are looking for a down. When they down, jackpot again, continuously before releasing. Getting a down this time should be easier, keep giving high rewards for down. Next you can build on duration.
As with all these step by step guides, do each step five times, if your puppy is sucessful all five times go to the next step. If you puppy gets one or two right, make it easier, if they get three or four right, stay on the same level. Work gradually and make sure the learning is fully consolidated before pushing on to the next step, this will prevent frustration and confusion for you both.
Step One
So step one is to make it easy for your pup, throw a treat onto the mat and click when they go on there. Reset by throwing a treat and asking for a search or giving a release cue of 'free'.
Step Two
Step two is adding a verbal cue. Stand close and in front of the mat, when your puppy approaches the mat use a verbal word- place/mat/bed, when they step on the mat click and then reward. Reset by asking for a search/free.
Step Three
Step three- wait for a new behaviour. Now your puppy is entering the mat on cue, we are going to wait for a new behaviour, hopefully a sit or a down. If you are offered barking turn your back and go back to step 2. If you get a sit – jackpot your dog, click and give a few treats in a row. Reset by asking for a search/free.
Step Four
Step four – Now your pup is going to the mat on cue, and sitting down. We up the criteria again by waiting for a down. When you get a down, click and jackpot your dog, several treats in a row. Reset by asking for a search/free.
Now you have taught your puppy that we want them to lie down in their place, added value to their place, and so we can start working on getting them excited about getting there quickly and proofing a down stay. As we are changing the distance and therefore the rules of the game, we will lessen the criteria. We will go back to rewarding just for entering the mat but wait a second or two just incase they give a sit or down.
Step Five
Step five – Move a couple of steps away from the mat, when your pup goes on, wait a second or two click and reward. If your puppy sits or downs jackpot your dog. Reset by asking for a search/free.
Step Six
Step six – Move further away with your dog, place them in a sit and then race them over to the mat. Click and reward for being on, jackpot for a fast sit, mega jackpot for a down. Reset by asking for a search/free.
Step Seven
Step seven – Add duration. Have your puppy in a down position on the mat, Use a flat hand in a stop signal to indicate they should wait, hold for 5 seconds before click and reward. Reset by asking for a search/free.
Step Eight
Step Eight – Add distance. Take a few steps away while your puppy remains on the mat, return quickly, click and reward. Reset by asking for a search/free.
Step Nine
Step Nine – Check your verbal cue. Take your puppy a few steps away from the mat, use your verbal cue to check they understand they are to go there.
Step Ten
Step Ten – Try adapting to a new cue. Place the mat near a doorway, at the same time you use your verbal cue have your hand on the door handle. Repeat a few times and then try without the verbal just your hand on the door handle.
Some of these same techniques are used in crate training, if your puppy is accustomed to their mat now you can use it in their crate.