Goal:

  • Have puppy put their back feet on a low, stable target

What you need:

  1. Non-slippery floor

  2. One low, stable platform

  3. Cookies

  4. Your puppy

What to do:

  1. Put the platform between you and the puppy, with enough room for puppy to stand with back feet on the platform

  2. Put a cookie on the floor or in a bowl, away from the platform for the puppy to eat

  3. When puppy comes back towards you and puts their front feet on the platform, mark + treat

  4. Before puppy gets off the platform, lure puppy forward so their front feet step off the platform

  5. Mark + treat any back foot on the platform

  6. Toss a cookie away from the platform

  7. Repeat steps 3-6

What the progression may look like:

  1. Mark + treat any back foot on the platform, no matter how briefly

    • I mark + treat even if the puppy accidentally steps on the platform

  2. Mark + treat both back feet on the platform

    • I usually jackpot and have a party when the first few times puppy does this