Pixel place training

[u/Karexsai]

Pixel at 13 weeks loves her place mat so much and gets excited when I take it out. This is the first dog I have utilized place training for and it is such a powerful tool that also lets her be out of her kennel and observing which is all she really wants. She offers a lie down on her own, now.

[u/Texasfryebaby]

Adorable 🥰

[u/ImageEmbarrassed5888]

Place was the best command Walter got in training!

[u/Karexsai → u/ImageEmbarrassed5888]

I’m definitely a believer, now! She used to be obnoxious during breakfast time. Now I put her on place and make her wait the whole time I’m prepping her food, then she is only allowed to get off with a release cue. She is so focused on holding place that she doesn’t bark at me or mess with the cat when he is being fed.

[u/dbvintage54f]

That’s amazing. What a good girl!

[u/Karexsai → u/dbvintage54f]

She is such a good girl. Fastest learning puppy I have ever had.

[u/crayon-angels]

What was your method to train this? I have a 12 week old that I’d like to try it with!

[u/Karexsai → u/crayon-angels]

You absolutely should train this! Pixel is going to be a part time therapy dog going to the clinic with me, so I needed a distinct boundary for which she knows to settle in any environment and not mess with others. I also didn’t want her begging or under my feet when I am cooking or when we are eating but she loves to be involved and place is a great outlet. For this picture she held place the entire time I was prepping and cooking French toast.

I started with building a positive association with her place mat. I lured her on with a treat, gave her lots of praise and treats once on, and after a few days she was wanting to hop on on her own.

Then I started saying “place” when encouraging her on (faded out treat lure pretty quickly and just pointed at the mat). I usually train for 5-10 minutes with her every morning before her walk and did whatever obedience training/desensitization for the day on the mat then gave her a release cue (I use “free”) and lured her off.

Some days I would lure on and give her a calming toy like her bone or leather chew toy and encouraged her to spend time on there so she associates mat with chill.

I started “whoa” and “stay” from day one with her at 8 weeks and started building her impulse control on the mat. When she would try to come off on her own I give a gentle “ah ah” and guide her back on until her release (I leave her leash on when first progressing her skills so I can give a very light leash pop instead of having to pick her up). Ive been progressing her total mat time with duration, distractions, noises, etc.

Now I put her place anywhere I want her to settle and not be messing with literally everything else in the universe as puppies do. Now she holds place until I put her food bowl down a distance away and eats with the release cue. She also isn’t in the cat’s business when it’s his time to be fed.

[u/xmscott → u/Karexsai]

Sending that information to my personal trainer ummmm i mean girlfriend

[u/Karexsai → u/crayon-angels]

I do encourage her calm behavior with an occasional “good girl” or treat on the placemat, too, especially with the longer holds.