Go to bed / crate
A safe place your dog goes to on cue when you need him there.
"Go to bed" is one of the cues that adds the most quality of life. Doorbell rings: bed. You're eating: bed. A guest who's afraid of dogs arrives: bed. Not a punishment: his refuge.
What you get
- Manages guests, meals and remote work
- Refuge during storms or fireworks
- Resting spot in hotels and travel
Most useful tool for homes with frequent guests or small children.
Before you start
- · Accepts a bed or open crate
Materials
- · Comfortable bed or crate
- · Long bone or stuffed kong
- · Treats
Step by step
- 1
Load the spot as a good zone
Toss treats onto the bed. He enters, eats, leaves. Repeat until he goes on his own.
- 2
Add the word
When he goes by himself, say "bed" or "place" right before tossing the treat. Build the association.
- 3
Ask the word from distance
With no treat in hand, say "bed". If he goes: huge reward on the bed. If he doesn't, walk him over and reward anyway.
- 4
Add duration
Have him go and stay. Start with 10 seconds, then 30, 1 minute, 5. Reward while lying down.
- 5
Generalize to real situations
Send him to bed when the doorbell rings, when meals start, when guests arrive. Each success = big reward.
Common mistakes
- Using the bed as punishment
- Never rewarding when he goes on his own
If something isn't working
He goes but doesn't stay
→ Combine with stay at short durations. Reinforce every 5-10 seconds initially.
Pro tips
- A frozen stuffed kong on the bed is the ultimate trick for 30 minutes of peace when guests arrive.
Deep dive
Teaching a dog to go to his spot (bed, mat or crate) is the foundation of household management. Combined with stay, it solves most cohabitation problems with guests, small children and meal times.
Other exercises in this level
Loose-leash walking
Possibly the most frustrating exercise of all. Also the one that improves your daily life the most.
Teach your dog to heel
The difference between not pulling and formal obedience.
Teach "leave it"
What separates a trained dog from a four-legged vacuum cleaner.
Teach drop it
When it's already in his mouth, what matters is that he lets go without a fight.
Teach shake / give paw
Everyone's favourite party trick.
Wait at the door
The most cost-effective rule: 10 seconds before every walk.