Episode #121 Station Work

Station work, or as you may have heard it called, mat work, go to bed or place, is basically asking your dog to park themselves in a designated area and remain there until released. Learn more about what this is, why we teach it and how in today's episode.

Transcript

Hi everyone! How are you today? I hope you’re doing great. Do you just love having a dog? This weekend my daughter Kate mentioned how Baxter, our family labradoodle, seems almost human-like. He is fun, goofy, and tries to have conversations with you. He can’t speak English but you can see in his mind he’s trying to tell you something. I love that my kids adore our dog. I love that they can come home from school and play with him, pet him, or just talk to him about anything and everything with no judgment. Dogs are amazing. Every home needs one. 

We took Baxter on quite the hike this weekend - he had a blast up until he got a small cut in his paw pad. Just a few tips for all of you who like to adventure outdoors with your dog -  bring a small first aid kit with a cleansing wipe, bandage and a carrier in case you need to carry your dog down the trail! Baxter is 50 lbs so holding him in my arms is not that comfortable. If you are in need of an emergency sling, check out Fido Pro for some great outdoor equipment. 

I am curious what you and your dog have been up to? Tag us on social media so I can follow along on your journey! 

Today I want to talk about station work. This has many uses and I find myself incorporating it into training daily. 

Station work, or as you may have heard it called, mat work or the cues “go to bed” or “place”, is basically asking your dog to park themselves in a designated area and remain there until released. Sometimes I cue it, another sound cues it, or my dog chooses it on their own as well. I use it when I am eating a meal, writing emails, visiting with guests or need my dog to focus on something good rather than the bird out the window. Times my dog goes automatically to their mat are when my doorbell rings as well as knocking on the door. Whenever I head to my kitchen, my dogs go to their mats right away too. Other times my dog goes to his mat on his own such as when they are seeking a nap or even when they want my attention. Baxter has a Blue9 klimb platform he uses when he wants to tell me something.  

Why do we teach it? While I recognize dogs bark and that is part of who they are, I prefer to have a way for my dogs to signal they need me without barking. I also prefer when the doorbell rings or someone knocks on the door for my dogs to go to their spots and have a specific job to do. I actually like that my dogs bark once or twice when these sounds first occur as often I do not hear the doorbell or knock. However, I also LOVE that my dogs then go hop on their spots and chill while I attend to whomever is visiting. We all have our preferences right? In addition, at mealtimes, I love that my dog waits patiently on their bed instead of begging in my lap or at my feet. They know that going to their bed is the best way to be rewarded in the kitchen and over time, this becomes the place they relax while we enjoy our meal. 

Sounds amazing right? I know you are now possibly asking, “How do you teach it?” How do I get my dogs to do that? Good news my friends! It is pretty simple to teach and any age dog can learn this behavior. 

Start by choosing a good spot. Something that is larger than your dog’s current size, easily identifiable to your dog, is less fun (think no fluff) and can be moved around. A few options I find work well are an outdoor rubber backed rug, Blue9 Klimb with leg posts removed (best for small puppies), an elevated dog bed like the Coolaroo, or a simple dog bed - again, not the fluffy ones! Puppies love to play with them and have a hard time focusing on the task at hand. 

You’ll need some yummy food rewards cut the size of a pencil eraser. Also, it really helps if your dog already knows a basic stay and a release cue such as “OKAY.” If they do not, start there. In our BASIC TRAINING module we teach you all of that and more. In our INTERMEDIATE module we teach station work, or as we call it, “Go to bed.” 

Once you’re ready to teach your dog, set the mat in the middle of a quiet room. Lure them onto the mat into a down position, mark yes and pay them a reward. Pay another reward one second later and then two seconds later, then three on up to five. Then say your release cue and pay them for getting off. 

From there teach it the same way you would a down stay. Start by working on adding time or duration. In a separate session, work on being able to walk away from them while they remain on place. After that, try adding in some distractions and make sure they realize oh, I need to remain on this mat even if my favorite toy rolls by. Start simple and make it super easy for your dog to win! We want your dog to love this game! Make it fun for them and help them see the value in doing it. 

Definitely do not start with the doorbell and an actual guest at your home or a fancy dinner. Begin practicing with just the mat, then add you touching the door, then turning the knob, then opening and closing the door, then having a pretend conversation with someone, then a family member comes to visit! Finally a guest arrives. See how I structured that to help my dog be successful? 

How long will it take? I have no idea. It depends on how often you practice, how successful you are at helping your dog see the fun and worth in it and your dog’s personality. Don’t worry though - we are happy to help coach you through the process via our LIVE HELP or one-on-one video training sessions. These are included in our program at no extra charge. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need some assistance! 

When can you see you using station work with your dog? Another instance I mentioned earlier is when Baxter wants to tell me something. I have a blue9 Klimb in my office downstairs. If he needs me, he will go sit on it and look at me. Often I am typing on my computer or reading a book. When I notice him sitting there, I go ask, “Hey buddy, what’s up? What do you want?” I usually offer him a chew or a puzzle toy and off he goes, happily onto a new activity. This started by me simply noticing him doing it, and responding. Whatever gets rewarded often gets repeated and I chose to keep this behavior! I like it much better than him barking at me, scratching at my door to get something or jumping on me for attention. He chose this, I kind of liked it so I rewarded it! And now we have a system. I bet you can think of a few things like that between you and your dog. Is there something they do, you reward it so they keep doing it? This could be something you like and want to keep or maybe it is something you’d rather get rid of! That happens too! With any behavior, if you like it, reward it. If you want to change it, show your dog what to do and reward that instead. 

Alright my friends, that’s it for today. I’ll be gone for a few weeks enjoying sunshine, sand and pina coladas with my family but I’ll be back soon enough for more tips and training tricks! Please give your dogs a huge high five from me and happy training!