01/16/2024
STATION WORK: Go to your “Place” or “Mat:”
“Place” (or “mat” or “bed”) is one of my favorite cues to teach. It has so many applications and is useful in countless real-life scenarios, such as preventing door-dashing, allowing you to eat (or work or rest) in peace, feeling comfortable that your guests can enter your home without being “mugged” by your dog, and helping your over-excited pup calm down. Its more advanced applications include having your pup relax while out in public at dog-friendly restaurants and bars, at the vet’s office, and while traveling.
I want to be upfront now that this a complex behavior chain that takes time, dedication, and practice to get right. By “chain” I mean it is several behaviors rolled into one cue— we want your dog to go to the mat, sit, lie down, settle, and stay there, no matter what other exciting things are happening in the environment. But we must work towards this final goal by reinforcing small successes along the way. We call this “splitting,” as in rewarding for increments of compliance along the way and not asking for behavior which is above your dog’s current skill set. If your dog has trouble staying on the mat longer than a few seconds, don’t worry! Just reinforce (treat) as soon as you see them about to get up, and stay at that level. Split, don’t lump!
Beginning Steps:
If you want to be able to use this skill in any room and out in public, I suggest you use a portable bed or yoga mat that you can easily move and carry. You will also need a handful of yummy, yummy treats for reinforcement.
Decide on the word you want to use. “Place" is frequently used, but "bed" or "mat" work fine if they already have a “place.”
Start off by standing close to the bed or mat that will serve as your dog's station. Use a treat to lure the dog onto the spot. As soon as all four feet are on the mat, praise your dog or click the clicker and give a treat. Repeat this several times. Most dogs will go to the bed or mat after a few short training sessions.
Additional behaviors we want as part of this behavior sequence:
Most dogs are familiar with the “sit” cue, and you want to use it here. We want to have the mat indicate a relaxed state of mind, so if you have to verbally or physically cue your dog to sit, do this immediately after they step on the mat. “Down” can be a little more difficult, and you may have to practice this separately. “Settle” comes after “down,” when all the weight is on one hip, which can be lured, and then “stay” is the final behavior, which is the most difficult part.
Pro Trainer Tips:
Don’t leave the mat lying out when you’re not training this cue. Otherwise, it becomes something to just stand on and walk over— like an area rug, bathmat, or welcome mat— just another part of the environment. We need it to be special, the way we look at a hammock—a “zen” place!
There is no such thing as “too many treats” while your dog is acquiring this skill. You can fade them out later, but in the beginning, you want their mat to be the most awesome free lunch in town— they just lay on it, and treats come pouring from the sky! If you train this right, you’ll see that after a little while, when you pull out the mat, your pup just goes over and lays down on it.
