17/05/2025
🧘♀️ Want a dog who chills on cue?
You don’t need to beg, plead, or lure them.
You just need a mat, some patience, and a little bit of ✨shaping✨.
Here’s how I teach the settle on a mat behaviour using free shaping (no luring, no pressure, just choice-based learning):
Step 1: Toss the mat down and wait
With your dog on leash, bring them to the mat. The moment they step on the mat, quietly reward them by dropping a treat on the mat. Quietly reward ALL interactions with the mat.
Step 2: Reward what you like, then raise criteria
Keep rewarding for stepping on the mat until that’s boringly easy. Then pause. Wait. See if your dog offers something new—like a sit or a down. BOOM. Jackpot.
Step 3: Keep building
Over time, reward longer downs, calm body language, even chin rests if they offer it. You're teaching your dog that relaxing gets paid.
Step 4: Add a cue (optional)
Once your dog is consistently choosing to lie down on the mat, you can name it—“place,” “settle,” “go chill,” whatever you like. Alternatively, you can simply let your dog choose when they want to relax (once they learn that relaxing feels good, you'll notice them choosing it on their own more and more).
🛋️ And here's the best part: this isn't just a cute trick. It's a game-changer for:
✅ Teaching house manners (no more pacing or following you around)
✅ Helping reactive dogs learn to relax in public or around triggers
✅ Laying the foundation for a restaurant patio-ready pup 🥂🐾
This is one of those skills that pays off for life—and it all starts with letting your dog think and choose calm behaviours.
Want to learn more about shaping, teaching calmness, or reactivity work? That’s exactly what we dive into in Ideal Canine’s training programs.
📩 DM me or check out www.idealcanine.ca to learn more.
