Enjoy your dog more by teaching them to relax on a mat

Is your dog or puppy underfoot in the kitchen? Annoying you when you are trying to sweep? The first step is to meet their needs for physical and mental exercise (see our post on turning mealtime into puzzle time).

Teaching your dog to enjoy hanging out on a mat or dog bed is the next step.

This puppy used to steal napkins from laps while the family was eating. Now he hangs out quietly during cooking and dining times.

See how Lilly's mat practice helped her learn to leave the broom alone while I sweep. At first I tried without a mat and she had a very hard time relaxing. I introduced the mat at about 1:45 in this video:

If you'd like to teach your puppy or dog to love relaxing on a mat, here are the initial steps.

Next, you would build duration, distance and resistance to distractions.

Of course, we're happy to help you get through any training snags through private or group coaching sessions. We have lots more in our toolbox to help you develop enjoyable life with your puppy or dog. See our Services page for descriptions of the options.