How do you teach the settle command?
Arnoldo Reilly
2025-08-17 22:17:55
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: 15
Step one Place a mat, blanket or a towel on the floor so the dog has somewhere comfortable to lie down. Allow the dog to go over to the blanket and investigate. Reward the dog whenever they investigate or go near the mat. Reward them by throwing treats on the mat instead of giving them from your hand to help build a strong association that the mat is a good place.
Step two To progress, reward the dog when they have two paws on the mat and gradually build this up to them having all four paws on the mat.
Once the dog is comfortable to stand on the blanket, ask the dog to lie down and then reward them.
Step five Build up some duration for lying on the mat, do this by delaying reward for a couple of seconds initially and then increasing this at your dog’s pace.
Step six Once your dog is comfortable lying on the mat with you next to them, gradually increase the distance between you and the mat, moving one step away and rewarding them for staying on the mat.
Step seven Gradually include distractions and practice in different locations, using your dog’s mat as a cue to settle.
Remember to go at your dog’s pace. If they move away from the mat or break their down position go back a step and lure them back into position.
Hailee Bergstrom
2025-08-10 16:26:05
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: 19
Start with your dog on a leash in quiet room, with a mat or dog bed near you. Have 20-30 of your dog's favorite treats ready. With your dog attached to a leash, sit down on a chair and give your dog enough leash to sit, lay down, stand up and turn around. Stay calm and ignore your dog and wait for them to settle, and eventually they will lie down. When they do, praise and reward them with a treat. Continue to treat them and praise for lying down for a few seconds then release them. Gradually, a few seconds at a time, increase the time that they are laying down before you treat and praise them. After your dog is successfully lying down within 1 minute of you sitting down and ignoring them, you can name the settle cue. Say "settle" as you sit down.
Chelsea Hansen
2025-07-30 15:11:57
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: 19
To begin with you may just need to reward your dog for any behaviour that doesn’t involve staring at you, pulling on the lead, or barking. Sit quietly on a chair with your dog on the lead and a blanket on the floor. Drop tiny bite-size treats to your dog as a reward for settling down on the blanket. Don’t say anything to your dog while doing this. Gradually reward more relaxed behaviours. This will vary between dogs – some will automatically start lying down so you can quickly progress to rewarding your dog only for this behaviour. When your dog is relaxed, start increasing the time they must be settled before you reward them. Gradually build up by a couple of seconds each time over multiple training sessions. Once your dog starts to get the hang of it and is shifting their weight so they’re comfortable and relaxed, you can start practising with them off lead. Try to resist telling your dog what to do during training, the aim is for them to learn for themselves to be calm and to relax.
Adele Buckridge
2025-07-22 10:07:16
Count answers
: 18
To teach your dog to settle, condition your dog to understand "Yes" (a marker) and "Break" (a release command).
Say "Yes" and reward with a treat, similar to clicker training.
For "Break," say the word and toss a treat away from you to signal that the dog can leave the situation.
Select a designated settle spot such as a settle mat, bed, or blanket.
This helps your dog associate a specific area with relaxation.
Encourage your dog to interact with the settle spot by rewarding them each time they approach or show interest in it.
Lure your dog onto the settle spot and reward them.
Begin to introduce the "Place" or "Settle" command.
Allow your dog to naturally sit or lie down, then mark with "Yes" and reward.
After your dog settles on the mat, use the "Break" command and throw a treat away.
This teaches them to wait for the release word before leaving the spot.
Gradually extend the time your dog stays on the settle spot and introduce mild distractions.
Practice in various locations, including outside the home.
Take your dog out to practice settling in different environments, such as parks or cafés.
Celebrate their success and continue reinforcing their training with treats and praise.
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