Dale is beginning Level 2 behaviors with Lily and we are using Go to Mat to introduce Dale to shaping. Since we do this training outdoors in a public location, the unexpected is always possible.
Go to Mat is a wonderful behavior. And particularly useful for future service dog work. It is the perfect "shapable" behavior.
It works in tandem with Crate, which is also introduced in Level 2. It teaches Lily to work at a distance.
It teaches duration. And it teaches Zen. Often it is the service dogs job to rest quietly for long periods of time.
This is a short clip of what was a 5 minute GTM
In fact, resting quietly for long periods of time handling unexpected distractions is a large part of the service dogs job.
But where Go to Mat presents an interesting challenge is in teaching the dog to Go to Mat in a very small space.
I began anticipating Lily's first airplane flight well in advance of her actual readiness to make the trip. Once she was adept at going to and staying on mats of many different kinds, I began teaching Lily to Go to Mat in containers of different sizes.
Lily is a 72 pound dog. When riding various modes of public transportation (buses, trains, trolleys, taxis, even electric carts) she frequently has to fit herself into small, uncomfortable places.
We began in smaller and smaller locations in the house
and then in baskets of different sizes.
Then Lily graduated to my car.....on the floor in front of the passenger seat. On the floor behind the passenger seat. Then I joined her in the car....IN the passenger seat with Lily between my feet. On the backseat with Lily between my feet. Then I joined her in the car in the front and back seats with a good book on my iTouch e-reader, building duration.
Using chairs and x-pens, we simulated "bus rides" in the dining room.
We spent HOURS at Balboa Park riding on the free, open-air red bus that routinely runs throughout the park. First standing at the back, just getting used to the motion and the bounce (terrible shocks on those buses). Then offering Downs. Then staying down. And, getting on and getting off, walking up and down the aisle learning to ignore the cootchie-coos of the tourists and the unexpected behavior of toddlers.
All that BEFORE Go to Mat under the seat and riding.
All the bus drivers knew Lily and soon began giving the "We have a service dog in training with us this morning...." speech as part of their tourist spiel.
We used Go to Mat on the ferry, the trolley, Amtrak and at the movie. (Imagine training Go to Mat in the dark, with the movie sounds and smells.) I did take a real mat to the movies to place on an often sticky floor. And played Ignoring Falling Popcorn Zen.
Well, you can see where I am going with this and all the Go to Mat in Small Places Zen that we practiced before THE FLIGHT. After all, you always have the option of getting OFF the bus, the trolley, the train if things aren't going well.
To this day, though, I will always carry in my mind the picture of Lily curled smaller than even I thought possible at my feet under the seat in front of me on an oversold SW Airlines flight.
The best reward for all this preparation and training?
As we moved to depart the aircraft, the woman seated in the aisle seat said, "Oh! I didn't know there was a DOG with you!"
It all starts here.
