You love your dog and want her to be safe and happy. Naturally, you train your dog to behave when outside and when guests come to visit. You believe you have a well-trained canine, but you might still be missing out on one of the most important parts of training. You need to make sure your dog has a spot, a place that they go to when you command.
This is essentially an advanced stay command. However, it lets them know that they need to go to a specific spot and stay there until you tell them differently. This provides some great benefits for you and your dog.
Dogs love getting outside, and some dogs will take any opportunity they can find for fresh air, even if they’ve just been on a walk. Whenever the door opens, they zip through it like they are on a mad dash for freedom. This is dangerous because they could go too far and get lost or hit by a car. Training your dog to have a spot, and to go to that spot before you open the door, will reduce this risk.
When your dog is in their spot, they will know to relax and not bark. If you have vocal dogs and that like to jump toward the door when the doorbell rings and when guests come over, you’ll be thankful when your dog learns to go to their spot.
What should you use for your dog’s “spot”? Ideally, you will have a place that they won’t mind going to. It can be something soft and comfortable, such as their dog bed. Others might use place boards. Teach them that this is the place to go when you tell them to head to their spot. Keep in mind that it’s best to have just one spot for your dog, so she doesn’t get confused.
While teaching sit and fetch commands tends to be easy, when you get into more advanced commands, it can be hard. You may not know the best way to train your dog, and that’s okay. You can always work with professional trainers who can help your dog to learn their spot, and who can provide other types of training. Get in touch with the professionals when you need a little extra help.
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