Training "Go to Place" with a German Shepherd Service Dog Puppy: The Trainer's Cut! (shaping)

[@DoggyU]

😉Let me know if you liked this longer-form content by liking the video and commenting below! 👉🏽 Sign Up For the Newsletter to Get Notified When I Release the "Stay" series: www.doggyu.com/ 🎉 JOIN the DOGGY•U Community! (100+ Exclusive Training Videos!) patreon.com/doggyu

[@louisi9239]

Even though this one didn’t do as well in terms of views this is by far the most helpful video I’ve seen on dog training! Thank you!

[@DoggyU]

Thanks so much for this comment Louisi! It's hard when you put out "good training" and it doesn't do well LOL so I appreciate you! Unfortunately, good training just isn't flashy!

[@laraboeth4162]

This was PERFECT! So clear, love the way you showed the gradual process by sessions and you built upon each one.

[@DoggyU]

Thanks so much Lara! This comment made my day! These longer videos aren't typically very popular but I feel like they're the most helpful LOL! Happy Training!

[@ChiefDancingToad]

Huge fan of the raw, uncut training!

[@DoggyU]

So glad you enjoyed the longer, uncut footage! This one didn't seem to go over as well as my shorter tutorials but I'll try to sprinkle more in. Otherwise, check out the Patreon page which has a ton of uncut training videos at Patreon.com/DoggyU

[@traceyallen8286]

Seeing the uncut footage is brilliant. Just signed up for your newsletter. Can't wait for the next long format video. Thanks.

[@DoggyU]

So glad you enjoyed the longer, uncut footage! This one didn't seem to go over as well as my shorter tutorials but I'll try to sprinkle more in. Otherwise, check out the Patreon page which has a ton of uncut training videos at Patreon.com/DoggyU Thanks for taking the time to leave a nice comment!

[@aidenmead679]

@@DoggyU The short videos lured me in as I prep for puppies coming to me. They were great starters to slowly settle my thoughts into the training without being overwhelming, but seeing the longer video is very helpful to see the full sessions - great to reinforce what the short format videos teach by showing it in entirety. Thank you for these helpful videos!

[@DoggyU]

@@aidenmead679 I'm so glad they're helpful! Good luck with your new pup!

[@KellyLS716]

I love this kind of longer-form content, it's super helpful to see you demonstrate and discuss all the details. I'd love more videos like this.

[@DoggyU]

So glad you enjoyed it! I'll be peppering it in, and I also have a lot of full-length training videos over on Patreon at Patreon.com/doggyu. You can check out the videos I offer here on the master-list: tinyurl.com/doggyu-community

[@valeriefuquanOreo]

I LOVE the full videos they are so helpful! You are amazing at teaching us to train our dogs Keep it up! You rock

[@DoggyU]

Thanks Valerie! So glad you enjoy the long-form vids! Happy Training!

[@helensabo3166]

Seeing the full session and hearing you talk through your thought process is so helpful! I will definitely remember the technique of tossing the cookie away from the mat because my one year old standard poodle sometimes decides he'd rather chew on his cot or mat (or hump it) than practice Go to Place and when that happens the cot or mat turns into a tug toy which is not ideal.

[@DoggyU]

Totally!! Another option is to use something that's less inviting. I use the KLIMBs but you can even use something like a landing on your stairs, or a deck or ottoman. All can serve the same function without the temptation! :)

[@earth2wendy]

Yes, I liked seeing the long form, uncut version very much!

[@jesseenglish7155]

I would like to teach my SD how to find specific people. Ex “Find Dad” and she brings me to my partner. If you could do a video on that I would be very grateful

[@JesusWitness-EXJW]

I'm using a yoga mat but I definitely want to get a raised bed. Unfortunately I really dont have room for it. For outside can use the mat on some pallets I made a little ramp and place for outside which is better because inside he always cheats and on longer place hes halfway off mat at times

[@edwardwilliams188]

Thank you so much for these videos, you make it look so easy, im gonna become a patreon member next week when i get paid.

[@DoggyU]

You're welcome! I try to break it down into repeatable steps

[@MarleneSAyres]

Definitely liked this format.

[@DoggyU]

Thanks Marlene!

[@kimsnyder4505]

Loved this! It was so clear! Thank you!!

[@DoggyU]

I'm so glad!

[@kavitadeva]

Hi Laura, I am so excited to watch this video. It's such an important piece for my dog and now I can learn it the right way. I hope Not having a raised mat works as well. Go to place is so important at Dr. Offices or actually anywhere. I can't watch it now however when I am free I'll be all over it. And YES Longer videos are better. For me at least. The problem with owner training is I am rapidly declining and don't have the ability or energy to train as often and be on top of my game. Thanks for everything Laura!!🐾🐕‍🦺

[@kavitadeva]

This is part2 of original comment. I started about 1 year ago teaching "go to mat" I never said go to "Place" as Place means to hop in my RV. I never had the room to get an elevated platform and it seemed unnecessary as eventually I bring the mat to the Dr. Or Hospital or whatever. Must I use an elevated Place? I did up to the last session and was so sick and it felt done for today. I LOVE these breakdown into bite size pieces. Thank you Laura🐕‍🦺

[@DoggyU]

Having an elevated platform definitely helps the dog understand the behavior and criteria more quickly (because the rules and boundaries are more clear with an elevated space), but you don't necessarily have to have one. Sometimes I will use something like a landing on a set of stairs, or an ottoman, or similar as an alternative to start which helps with clearly defining when they are on or off the "place" position. But you can definitely use a mat - just expect it will take a bit more time to train. This is a good one too because you can definitely train it from a seated position! Happy Training!

[@kavitadeva]

@@DoggyU Laura, thanks for explaining things step by step with Clarity. Before I respond I want to let you know I got on your website yesterday to leave you a message. There was no place to do that. The only Places I found to leave any kind of message was to put my email address for the newsletter which I did and the other place was for business inquiries only. I looked up where it said contact and there was nothing. so the reason I went on there is I wanted to find out If there was a way I could pay you to help me like you're doing now with these comments and I am replying because it takes your time and I just feel better if I could find a way to pay you When I need a little help . If you tell me that there is a way to leave a message on your website I am going to take a hammer and crack my head open. because, I am not that dumb and I just can't believe if you tell me there's a simple way to leave you a message I couldn't figure that out. You know how upset I am already That I can't be a Patreon and I need all the help I can get because I'm just declining in my health and it's getting very scary so all the help I can get to train my dog better is worth me paying you You are so right. I started training "go to mat" awhile ago. And it was messy because a leg might be off the mat, but I did not know what to do. I can get a raised platform and do it right outside the motorhome. It will fit inside but not allow for much movement off it. Can I start all over, use this video as my trainer and get a raised platform? Last question what is the end goal? For me I used to carry a piece of a thin yoga mat and Wherever I went I brought it, and would put it on the floor and say "go to mat" Maybe that's wrong but it gave my last SD a better Stay.

[@DoggyU]

@@kavitadeva Hi Kavita, You're right in that there is no way to leave a message. Between responding to youtube comments, and my Patreon folks, I really can't handle any more emails and requests. Because I am not taking any new clients for training, I do not have a way to contact me outside of my social media accounts. So unfortunately, I'm not able to take you on as a client. I'm working hard on getting my service dog courses developed and I need to focus all of my attention on that. Working with a raised cot outside of the motorhome is great idea. I like this kind because it's very light and can be easily leaned up against a wall. This one is also meant to be indoor/outdoor: amzn.to/3XdCYIi And yes, if your goal is to eventually have them lay on a yoga mat or similar, put that mat on top of the cot and then over time just get rid of the cot and keep the yoga mat. You can definitely start over using this method. Happy Training!

[@kavitadeva]

@@DoggyU I get it. So Excited for you and the new course you are building. I know it will be awesome. Isn't it much better to get my SD to just tell him stay in an office, or do you like that I bring a small mat as this is easier for him to know where to stay? Thanks Laura. I'll be watching for all you do.

[@ginag5687]

I love these real-time lessons, Laura!! Awesome! They show me realisticly what I can expect during my dog’s sessions. Thank you so much!

[@DoggyU]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Gina! These videos tend not to be "youtube friendly" because they aren't flashy or short, but I have a ton of uncut sessions over on Patreon. I'll try to continue to sprinkle them in here as well though :)

[@k9trainergsd]

Awesome video! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your knowledge.

[@DoggyU]

Thank you for taking the time to comment! Especially on this one, as my uncut training videos don’t typically have a ton a views. Appreciate the engagement! ☺️

[@CharliesJourney]

@DoggyU I am training my own assistance dog (UK), can you please do a vlog on 'pick up'? There are other vlogs available on KZbin with millions of views on this training, but I am finding it hard to do with different items (and if she is too excited....its quite hard to get her to place it in my hand hahaha). Your vlogs are really helpful! Thank you

[@DoggyU]

Hey Charlie! Formal retrieving really requires more than just what I could put on youtube. I'll be working on a course for it. For now, Donna Hill's service dog institute has a good course on it. Here's a quick video that might help with a little exercise I use to build duration and delivery to hand: kzbin.infoNNzZAo007To?feature=share

[@CharlisDailyDiary]

Yes to uncut!

[@Lo-nk7jl]

I would love more uncut videos

[@DoggyU]

Definitely check out my Patreon (Patreon.com/doggyu) for lots of uncut videos. I'm also hoping to produce more when I get my new puppy in a few months!

[@Lo-nk7jl]

@@DoggyU really want to, but I don’t think my parents will let me knowing that I cannot get a psychiatric service dog for where I am living so I don’t even think they will let me pay, but I really wish I could and maybe love your channel love your dogs thank you for making this channel.

[@lesliestaven4450]

Great video, and appreciate the honest (uncut) video!

[@DoggyU]

Thanks Leslie! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@livi2792]

This was fantastic. Thanks

[@DoggyU]

So glad you enjoyed it Livi! Thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@rachelminneapolis]

Ahhh, so much of this is counter intuitive but it makes so much more sense

[@jettadin]

If you don't have access to those kinds of mats, what other objects can you use to train? Would a towel or blanket be good options? (Also, I love the training videos, they're so interesting, and I definitely appreciate the uncut training videos!)

[@Richard_Pinner]

This is what is missing from ALL other sources. Thank you. What changes would you make for a 'Place' that is already in use and loved IE a day bed?

[@DoggyU]

Glad the video was helpful! I'd still probably train it on a mat of some sort, to make the concept portable for out of home use, but you could definitely use whatever you already have. A day bed would be hard to move, so I'd probably start with something smaller and then generalize to the day bed.

[@AlexisKnight-s7w]

The Mat sessions, do you do them all in one day or do you spread them out for each day?

[@DoggyU]

So, in this video I did it all in one day because I only had the puppy for the day, but generally, it's best to do 1-2 sessions a day for just a few minutes over multiple days.

[@AlexisKnight-s7w]

@@DoggyU Got ya, thank you. I am actually going to try this method with my dog and spread the sessions between 2 days. Lets say my dog did not master session 2 for example, would I need to continue session 1 and 2 until mastery before moving on to the next sessions?

[@DoggyU]

@@AlexisKnight-s7w Yes, you don't move on until the puppy is doing well with the skill. Just a note - i've done this protocol literally hundreds of times. It's very normal for this to take wayyyy more than 2 days for most people. I wouldn't have the goal to get it mastered in a certain amount of time. Instead, just put a couple 2-3 minute sessions into your day every day and let the puppy lead the training. There's no rush.

[@willdwyer4097]

What are you using for reward treats?

[@DoggyU]

Hey Will! Here's my general treating concoction/philosophy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGm2gqGlZragatk

[@kayeb7809]

I have a question. If you fly with your service dog does the dog get a carry-on bag that does not count as yours?

[@DoggyU]

Unless you purchase a separate seat for your dog, then they definitely do not get a carry on bag. And because they go at your feet, there is usually very little room for your personal item unless your dog is pretty small.

[@shepherds.pie.youtube]

Can I ask you a question, trainer to trainer? I have a client who is visually impaired. I know you're used to training dogs for people like this and I know you mostly (perhaps only...?) use rewards. I'm balanced but I heavily lean on reinforcement-based methods and you have WAY more experience with this than me. My question is: The dog is a Kelpie X Pug, which doesn't sound very strong but for these people who lack confidence walking down the street, she only needs to pull a small amount before it's dangerous. I've taught the dog a heel with Neg Reinf, and proofed it using heaps of direction changes and distractions, piling on Pos Reinf for good work. She KNOWS where heel position is. My client also has a really good heel indoors and most of the way down the street. The moment she smells something more interesting than the treats, though, she's back to pulling. Now. We can't make her rewards any more rewarding. I'm already using her favourite treats. I can't do any sort of play like I normally would to increase motivation because my clients aren't physically able. The dog knows (with me) that in order to get to do what she wants (sniff, meet the other dog) she has to do what I want first (heel). But she also knows when she's with my client that all she has to do is forge ahead and she will get it. So if my client physically can't control her reinforcement, and we don't have anything more important to her than the wide world, what do I do? This is a genuine question. I only want to help these people - - they are good people!!

[@DoggyU]

Hey Shepherds Pie! So in places where it's a safety issue I will often introduce a headcollar. It typically takes me 1-2 weeks to create a positive association with the headcollar before trying any work on it. But that will give your clients with limited mobility or vision limitations a mechanical advantage if the dog does decide to pull towards something or dive towards something on the ground. But they do take a bit of time to condition the dog to appropriately.

[@shepherds.pie.youtube]

@@DoggyU okay good, that's where I was going, too. I couldn't think of any other tool to use for them. I don't suppose you have a video on conditioning the head collar? I'm guessing it's something like how you condition a halter in horse training. Teaching them pressure and release, guiding them through the process by setting up the environment to minimise panic reflexes...

[@shepherds.pie.youtube]

@@DoggyU oh, and thank you for taking the time to reply!!! ♥️♥️

[@DoggyU]

@@shepherds.pie.youtube No video - I spend a lot of time with just getting them excited to put it one using shaping (check out my harness loading for sensitive dogs video for ideas on that) and then I start super slowly with clipping it on etc. I also teach them to move away from pressure and into a treat in a collar first ( I have a video of that on Patreon) so that pressure is a cue to move forward for a reward.

[@shepherds.pie.youtube]

@@DoggyU Got it. Thanks!

[@TeddiPratt]

How many cookies are you giving her on the mat?

[@DoggyU]

Between 50 and 1,000,000 👍🏻 Every time I mark, they get a treat :)

[@TeddiPratt]

@@DoggyU I meant at a time in the down

[@DoggyU]

@@TeddiPratt ohhh! LOL! Got it - people always say "how many cookies are you giving", as in, "you're giving too many". When she's laying on the mat it's typically the click, then feed, feed, feed, release. Sometimes a few more, sometimes a few less. But the goal is to start solidifying that down means "maintain position" and not just down and get up again. Does that makes sense? Then I slowly increase the space between each cookie.

[@TeddiPratt]

@@DoggyU that makes sense. Thank you!

[@DoggyU]

@@TeddiPratt You're welcome!

[@kerrimauer6269]

I love your videos--your energy and the clear steps you share as you are simultaneously training are inspiring. Seeing all the steps, clarifying that this is over several sessions and showing us each part is so helpful! I'm signing up for the newsletter and really appreciate your extended videos! Thanks for all you do! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y16zgHyioqakgJY

[@Lo-nk7jl]

I have a question now. Not related to the training, but are all German Shepherd tales long really like touching the ground?

[@DoggyU]

Definitely not - i feel like hers is super long in this video compared to body size, but she evened out as she grew.

[@Lo-nk7jl]

@@DoggyU my dog it’s a German Shepherd and her like tales almost touching the ground. It’s crazy.