Goal:

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

What you need:

  1. Non-slippery floor

  2. One large, low, stable target

  3. Cookies

  4. Your puppy

What to do:

  1. Put the platform between you and the puppy

  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 any front foot on the platform, mark + treat

  4. Toss a cookie away from the platform

  5. Repeat steps 3-4

What the progression may look like:

  1. Mark + treat any interest in the platform, such as:

    • Coming close to the platform

    • Looking at the platform

    • Sniffing the platform

  2. Mark + treat any part of the body touching the platform, such as:

    • One paw touching the side of the platform

    • Nose touching the platform

    • Any accidental touching of the platform

  3. Mark + treat any front foot on the platform, no matter how briefly

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

  4. Mark + treat both front feet on the platform

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