episode 9: how do i train my dog to settle on a mat?

Jimmy contemplated just pretending he wasn't there during this episode...
A weird conversation about A Bug's Life takes place - Jimmy and Anna can't agree about a part of the bloopers in the movie. 

This is our first specific how-to episode!! 
The first topic will be: *Settling to a Mat*

Anna's first step - start with a towel or mat on the ground and capture any interaction with the towel or mat

• click or mark with a "yes" for the dog stepping on the mat, sitting on the mat, or laying down on the mat

Katie recommends starting with capturing a down behavior around the house to make sure your dog is comfortable laying down and has been rewarded for that heavily. 

Some dogs are reluctant to lay down, which is when you want to reward for laying down in other contexts - laying on a bed, laying on the couch, laying on the carpet, etc. 

Why use a novel item to start training this behavior? Why can't I use my dog's normal bed? 

• we want the dog to learn that the settle to a mat will be specific to a certain item (towel, bath mat, blanket, etc)
• this makes it clear that when this item is on the ground, the dog lays on it 
• with a normal dog bed, they can lay on this anytime they want; with a novel item it becomes clearer for the dog - the item goes on the ground, I lay down on it

When do you start to add the cue to this behavior? 

• you can use a hand signal or a verbal cue to this
• you want to be able to bet $50 that when the dog gets up to eat the tossed treat he will come right back and lay down on the mat 
• out of 10 times, the dog comes back to the mat 8-9 times, it would then be time to add the cue 
• you will want to say the cue or give the hand signal as the dog's paw hits the mat for the first few sessions; progress to adding the cue as they turn around and walk toward the mat, then maybe as you are turned in a different direction to help them generalize 
  • after they've made the decision but before they've completed the behavior 
• you're making the association with the cue and the behavior first, wait to test the cue until you've done several sessions of helping the dog associate the cue with the behavior 

To test the cue, do this slowly by turning your body away from the mat first, then slowly take steps away from the mat and give the cue

• make the approximations slow and as small as possible - don't go from one step away to 10 steps away
• also work on generalizing the mat behavior to different rooms around the house 

Uses of a mat behavior: 

1. breweries
2. family member's homes
3. dinner time
4. cooking in the kitchen
5. watching a movie
6. guests come over

Send us pictures of your dogs on their mats!