The groom table is the center of your dog’s experience with grooming. The ideal dog will stay still on the table while being worked on. They can sit when the back end is not being groomed, but should stand up readily when asked to.
Big dogs should jump on the table ideally, small or elderly older dogs should allow themselves to be picked up to be placed on the table.
Although this is ideal, most untrained dogs fall somewhere around the middle in terms of how well they handle the table. Some big dogs refuse to get up on the table themselves, requiring multiple people to lift them. If a dog is obese or a giant breed, getting them on the table may be impossible.
Some dogs thrash or roll while on the table, risking eye, neck and back injuries. Some dogs simply don’t seem to be aware that the table has edges, and constantly wander off the edge. This is particularly dangerous for small dogs, since their necks are more vulnerable and prone to trachea collapse.
Platform training is the first stage in tackling these common problems. Most importantly, it teaches dogs that tables have edges, and helps big dogs learn how to get on and off a table.
We spoke about good platforms in our article about equipment, but I’d just like to note that any platform you use for little dogs should be low enough to the ground that they can get on and off themselves. While it’s easy to place a little dog on a kitchen counter, you don’t want them learning about edges by falling on their face.
How to teach a dog to get on a platform
You will need a large, sturdy object your dog can safely stand on. Small dogs may be able to use a step stool, while larger dogs may need a large wood crate or a proper table designed for the purpose.
If your dog is reluctant to get on, making it easier may help. A lower platform, or a platform larger than the dog, may make them feel more comfortable with getting on. Although we will address wobbling in the next article, right now the platform should be as stable as possible.
Step one: Let the dog investigate the platform
Before you start training, let the dog sniff the platform. Click and treat any and all interactions your pet has with the platform. Most dogs will at least look at the platform, and probably sniff it too. These are all reward worthy.
Although it may seem like nothing to you, smell is one of a dog’s most powerful tools in investigating the world. Letting them sniff the equipment is a great way to help them feel more comfortable while training.
Step two: Lure the dog on the platform
How much your dog is willing to get on will vary. Some dogs will jump right on the platform, while others are more hesitant. When platform training our chihuahuas, Tank jumped on right away, but Sandy was only willing to put two paws on at first.
What ever your pet is willing to do will be your starting point. Even if they’re only willing to approach or lean over the platform, you’ll work forward from there.
If your dog is willing to put one paw on the platform, click and reward that. Use a treat to lure your dog as close to on the platform as they are comfortable with. When they won’t go any further, give them the treat. Keep luring in this way until your dog is confidently putting their foot on the platform each time to cash in on their reward.
Once they are more confident, try pushing with your luring to get two paws. If they won’t do it, keep practicing with one paw, but try again for two paws at the next session.
When your dog will do two paws, ask your pet for two paws each time until they are confident offering two paws, and then try to get three or more paws. Keep going in this way until your dog will put all four paws on the platform at once.
There will likely come a point when your dog won’t immediately get off the platform after getting on. This is a great sign that the dog is comfortable with platforms now, but it doesn’t make training very easy. To resolve this, you can lure the dog off the platform by tossing a treat for them away from the platform, or simply guiding them off with a treat.
Step three: Name the command
Once your dog is confidently getting up and down from the platform with the help of a lure, it’s time to name the command. Because “Up” is taken by Two Paws Up for us, we use “Table” as if they’re getting on a pause table for agility.
Start pairing the word you want to use with the lure. Say, “Table” as the dog is getting on, and then reward. When you lure the dog off of the platform, say “Off.” Repeat this for an entire session. For the next session, warm up by luring your dog and repeating the word, then try using your command word or signal, but not luring.
Your dog will likely get right on. If they do, reward! If they do not, do not reward. Try again. If they fail a second time, repeat the lesson as normal pairing the command word with luring.
The next session, try fading the lure. Use your fingers to guide the dog on with no treat, while using the command word. If they will do that, reward them as soon as they’re on the platform. Switch between luring with a treat and luring with no treat, using the command word every time.
The next time, make the motion with your fingers smaller. Finally, try again with just the command word or hand signal. When your dog can get on and off the platform with the word or signal alone, the command is learned. It’s fine to stop here, since the core purpose is to give the dog practice standing on a platform, and learning to get on and off. We’ll talk about proofing in the next step though, as all dogs can benefit from proofing.
Step Four: Proofing
Once your dog will get on the platform and get off on a command, we can say they’ve learned the platform cue. Sometimes, however, a dog will be able to do a command in one context, but not in another. Proofing makes it more likely your dog will be able to do the command in other situations. (Such as at the groom shop.)
Once your dog is reliably getting on the platform with the command alone (rewarded afterward) proofing is the final step. Proofing involves adding time, distance and distraction one by one to the behavior.
Ask your dog to get on the platform, and delay just a second before treating. If your dog gets off the platform in that split second, do not reward. Go back to the easier step of asking them to get on and then rewarding for 2-3 reps, and then try again.
Keep switching between the asking them to get on and rewarding them right away, and pausing for a split second, until they can wait that split second. When they can, reward them lavishly.
When they are reliable about that split second, ask for a full second. Repeat with the same technique of trying something more challenging, and then going back to easier things, and then the challenging thing again.
Finally, remember how we asked for an “Off” to indicate getting off the platform, as well as the “Table” for getting on? The off comes in handy here. This functions as a ‘Break’ command. The break command lets the dog know they can stop performing a behavior.
Many dogs frequently break sit, down and other obedience behaviors early because they have no idea how long they have to hold the command. By teaching them a formal “You’re done” command, it makes them more likely to wait because they know a release is coming.
Gradually build time, making the time shorter if your dog fails (gets off the platform before you say “off”) until your dog can reliably stay on the platform 5-6 seconds. (This is all your groomer will need to clip your dog’s grooming lead onto the grooming arm.)
Once your pup can stay on this long, try taking a step back. Most dogs will immediately break command when you move, so don’t be too surprised if they do so. Don’t reward if they break command, and instead ask them to hop on and try again.
If the dog fails again, try making a smaller movement–perhaps just shift your weight off your foot, or only sliding your foot back an inch. Practice where your dog can be successful most of the time, until you can take a step back.
Other things to practice:
Taking a step sideways
Briefly turning your back to the dog
Clapping your hands while the dog is on the table
Jogging in place near the dog
It’s not necessary to build very much distance from your dog, as a groomer should never take more than a step away from the table. The other practice suggestions allow the dog to handle distractions, so if something unexpected happens they have a better chance of not flying off the table.
If you’d like an example of what training may look like, we invite you to take this quiz to see which level to start your dog at, as well as 3 different practice sheets depending on their level of comfort with working on the platform.
These homework sheets are meant to give you a general idea. Feel free to modify it to suit your dog. The platinum level cannot be reached in the quiz, and is an optional ‘proofing’ sheet for those who want to strengthen the behavior.
Similar Posts:
- How To Fade The Lure
- Two Paws Up: A Handy Skill For Your Pet
- Introducing the Wobble Board
- What is Luring in Dog Training?
- Teaching the “Break” Command
Sounds like a really helpful guide! It’s great to see how important it is to get your dog comfortable on the platform.