Teaching your dog to move into specific positions and locations next to you is an essential skill for most service dogs. Here’s a streamlined guide to the most effective approaches to teach both the physical position and the location relative to the handler.
Teaching a Specific Physical Position
Using a variety of techniques helps clarify exactly what you want from your dog and builds a strong foundation:
- Capturing: Notice when your dog naturally offers the desired position (like a sit, down or stand), then mark and reward it. Setting up situations with platforms—sized to fit your dog—can make it easier for them to find and maintain the correct position. For example, a long platform helps with a stand or sphinx down, while a square one is great for sits.
- Targeting: Teach your dog to touch a hand or stick target with their nose. Use this to guide them into the position you want, then fade the target after you add a verbal cue.
- Luring: Use food to guide your dog into position, but do so sparingly—no more than three times in a row. Quickly transition from using the lure to a hand signal, and always reward after your dog achieves the position. Be cautious: overusing luring can make some dogs wary or reliant on the food, so it’s best introduced after they’re comfortable with capturing and shaping.
- Shaping: Reward small steps toward the final position, like a series of photos showing progress from start to finish. Shaping encourages your dog to think and helps them remember the behavior long-term.
- Social Learning: If you have a second dog who already knows the position, let them demonstrate while your learning dog observes. This can be fun and motivating for both dogs.
Teaching Position Location Near the Handler
Once your dog understands the position, it’s time to teach them where to be in relation to you—beside, behind, in front or even between your legs. Pay attention to the direction he is facing too:
- Start by capturing the position where it’s easiest for you to reward your dog. Use platforms or barriers to help your dog understand where to be. Jackpot him when he’s in the desired position. Jackpot simply means feeding him 10 treats one at a time while he’s in the “sweet spot”.
- Gradually change your position away from the sweet spot and wait for your dog to move into the “sweet spot”. Your movements may have to be very small at first, literally moving 12 cm or 3 inches to one side or forward, for example.
- Gradually change your dog’s position, rewarding them for finding the correct spot. This method, called back chaining, starts with the dog in the final position and slowly increases the distance or complexity. Use treat placement to encourage your dog to move out of the “sweet spot”, always marking and rewarding when he moves back into the “sweet spot”.
Tip: Consistency and patience are key. Practice in short, fun sessions, and always reward your dog for their efforts.
If you want to dive deeper into teaching positions or specific tasks, check out the Foundation Skills and see how it applies specifically for blocking in the Anxiety Tasks self-study classes offered by the Service Dog Training Institute.
With these techniques, you’ll set your service dog up for a lifetime of success!
