Place Command

Adding the leash drop distraction/proofing to your training game... Dogs absolutely know when you do and when you don't have the leash in your hand, and will often make very different choices based on that information. One of the little proofing exercises I like to add when training Place is the leash drop before the dog is completely anchored (stationary) on Place and while the handler is still in motion and moving away from the dog/mat
This exercise gives you some good insight as to how solid the dog is with no leash being held, as well as handler motion prior to the dog becoming stationary, and just general progress in the face of increasing distractions/challenges.
The timing of when the leash is dropped and when the marker is applied are crucial to ensuring you both help the dog succeed and prevent handler-created failure. Of course as the dog improves you can explore different timing with the leash drop as well as removing the marker altogether -but that's for further down the road. This was our very first training session.
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