Happy National Dog Day from Mary Swinyer CPDT, Alaskan Malamute Comet and Siberian Husky Trick!
The threshold training I did when I first adopted him really paid off! When I walked out of the house, he was laying on the cement slab by the stair gate. When I opened the gate to go downstairs, he hopped up on the cot. He has no interest in leaving here! Obviously I don't leave the gate open unattended, but he has no problem with me going up and down the stairs to put things in recycle bins or bring stuff up to the house.
Trick loves to play the training game! I love that his stand position is on verbal cue alone, I use it often out on walks if there are cars coming from both directions. We can step off to the side of the road and I don't have to worry about his butt getting full of weeds in the summer or mud in the winter!
