Confidence Building and Elevator Prep with Seesaw (Patreon)

In last month's special topics I talked about a dog that was uncomfortable riding elevators, presumably partially because of the weird feeling of the floor dropping out. Here's an exercise you can do to prepare a dog for elevator rides, as well as build general confidence. 

Note that this is a shaped activity and the dog drives the behavior. That feeling of control brings confidence because they know they are in control of the feeling of the item dropping down. Over time you can increase the depth of the drop. 

Note that I have not done this exercise with Whip before, but I have used this plank without the seesaw to build other behaviors (like the stand-stay). You can see that she quickly realizes this is a shaping exercise and makes it look like she's done it before. That is the power of shaping! If your dog is new to shaping, expect to spend a few sessions getting them comfortable with the movement. 

You can also use other tools like the KLIMB with the short legs installed on opposite corners, or other objects like wobble boards, or things you can artificially prop up on one end. Just make sure the surface is dog safe (not slick) and that you do it on safe footing. 

Happy Training!