Things you will need for this drill
Treats
Clicker
Place for dog to settle on(cot, bed, kennel, etc…)
A companion
Dog desensitization sounds
Things that are very distracting to your dog
A phrase to signal to your dog to go to the place to settle(Mine is “Go to bed so I will be using that through this guide)
This is the most useful drill I have run with all of my service dogs. It helps dogs work on their desire to run after things or startle. This drill can be started as soon as your dog is reliably doing your command for lying down.
First, start this drill in an indoor environment you and your dog are comfortable in. Set up the place your dog will settle in. I will refer to this place as “bed” but do what works for you. Honestly, you can use a blanket or towel. Command your dog to lie down on the bed several times. Walk them away then walk them back and have them lie down again. Keep this up until they are doing this reliably. Then start switching the command from “down” to “go to bed.” Run this several times guide them to the bed and make them lie down now with the command “Go to bed.” Try to keep this session under ten minutes. It’s not bad to stop before you see any progress. Make sure to give your dog time to decompress after training to make it a positive experience.
(This is the point I find it best to start playing desensitization sounds during any training. Try to make these ones your dog has already been exposed to during mealtimes or play time.)
Once you come back to this drill make sure the bed is in the same place it was before. Keep it in this location until your dog does the next section very reliably. Start telling your dog to go to bed without guiding them. Start this VERY close to the bed. Instead of leading them let them figure it out themselves. Don’t be afraid for them to take a while between the command and doing what you want. Give them around thirty seconds to start moving toward what you want them to do before trying the command again. Reward heavily when they do what is asked. You can follow them and verbally encourage them when they move toward what you want, sort of like telling them they’re getting hotter. Don’t use the clicker until they have actually done what you want though.
Keep this up, getting further and further from the bed. This will most likely span multiple training sessions.
Next, you will start working on them staying on the bed. You can start with a stay command. You can use the stay command as much as you want but it’s best to filter it out as your dog gets better at staying. I like the stay to be assumed. Take a few steps away from the bed, return quickly and reward the dog heavily if they stay. This is where being in tune with your dog is important. When you see your dog considering running to you quickly return and try to get there before they get up, reward them while they are still in a down stay, and reinforce that being on the bed is good, and staying on the bed is good.
This is the part where you should start moving the bed around.
Make sure to make variety in the directions you go away from them. Try walking around them, being behind them will most likely be a little difficult for them. Focus on this. Try stepping over them. Take all of this slowly. If your dog is meant to respond to falls make sure to put some of this in and reward them for breaking stay and coming to you.
The more advanced version of this is stepping out of your dog's eye line. When you do this start by slowly moving slightly out of their view but still visible. Once you are able to fully leave eyesight only do it for a few seconds. Try to make these seconds last longer and longer. Intersperse this between regular distances where you stay in sight. All of this drill is very gradual. If you or your dog are stressed stop and do something fun.
The third part of this drill is ACTUALLY focusing on impulse control. This is also the part a human companion is ideal. You stand next to the dog with treats to keep their focus. Have your companion start making noises and dropping things/moving things. My favorite is someone knocking at the door or ringing the doorbell. Whatever sounds your dog likes. Reward them heavily for keeping focus on you or if they correct themself when they lose focus. Don’t be afraid to call their name if they need a reminder of what they need to be looking at. If you have a command for making them focus on you feel free to use that but try to filter it out and let them do it by themself.
Gradually make these sounds and actions more and more intense. Bring in things your dog is easily distracted by. My biggest thing is throwing a ball near Grimm. He loves playing ball so this was something I introduced very late into the drill and honestly, he still struggles with it. Use whatever can be a distraction for your dog out in public or anything that you foresee yourself interacting with regularly to try and shake them. Reward heavily for remaining still and calm. If they break stay simply tell them to return to their bed. Try taking this task outside into a yard or park with a long lead. You can even run it out in public places. I will have my companions hold Grimm’s leash and just start walking away from him or have companions cause disturbances past his eye line.
I try to do this drill in a large variety of places/circumstances and I try to do it every day when your dog is still in training. Once you consider them fully trained I still work on it once every other week at least.
I genuinely think this is the best drill I do and it has made all of my dogs more prepared for so many things. You won’t realize how much it can help until you start doing it regularly.
Take however much time you need to master this drill. It is not a bad thing to keep finding new things that can shake your dog, it just means you have another thing to work on together thus strengthening your bond.
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