Place training help

[Sam.P]

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Hi I have had help with my 3 1/2 year shichi before who is now well trained. I live with my parents and my dad who has now got a puppy wich is a chihuahua poodle Cross which I am helping train. I am trying to do place training but am not sure what I am doing wrong ? My dog Florence goes onto the mat and will lay on it as soon as I get it out and even before i say the word place she has also forgot my word release and won't leave as she knows she gets treats on the matt. I feel she could do with more training for commands. I am also trying to train my dad's puppy to the same matt but seem to be confusing both dogs ? Should I train them separately or to their own matts , I would like them to share a matt if possible and there is plenty of space on it. Sorry for the long question.

 

[Hemlock]

Always train separately and onto separate mats. It is very stressful for many dogs to be expected to share a small space. Tell us what you are trying to achieve by your mat training, and we will be able to help more.
How old is the puppy? It might be too young yet for this kind of training.

 

[Sam.P]

Hi thanks, my dad's puppy is nearly 9 month, I am hoping to place train both dogs to a matt so I can give them their own space to go when we are out at cafes, pubs, on walks, in beer gardens etc with the weather we have not done this since last year so Florence's training has slipped a little. I am hoping this will help reduce reactivity and barking if they have there own space from what I have read.

 

[Hemlock]

It's a good plan to have them settled on their own mat in public places, so well done for thinking about it! But it is IMO too early to expect them to share one mat, and I do think that pup is on the young side as 9 months is a tricky age for mental as well as physical development. However, if you can train them completely separately, pup might be okay with the concept of getting on his/her own mat. So one way of doing this would be lure into a place using a treat (not yet on a mat) then lure onto a towel or blanket, treat and immediately call off again, then extend the duration by a few seconds until you are up to a minute or so. Then put the towel on the mat, then in due course do away with the towel and use the mat. If pup is restless on mat then don't ask for any more than on the mat, reward, then straight off again. Anything we train a dog has to fit with the dog 'asking' "What's in it for ME?" so rewards are important, and a food reward plus then telling the dog to get straight off the mat is another.