How calm your dog on a blanket

In this video, Lassie's dog trainer Lina Lundin shows you how you can teach your dog blanket training. This exercise is a great tool when you take your dog to places where you don't want them to run around, but instead want them to lie down and take it easy for a while. The goal is for the dog to associate the blanket with peace and quiet, a place where it rests.

Practice the blanket training in three steps:

1. Firstly, you need to get the dog interested in going to the blanket. To do this, stand on the other side of the blanket and call your dog. As soon as it puts a paw on the blanket, reward the dog generously. As soon as your dog understands that it is the blanket they need to go to for treats, you can move on to the next step.

2. Now wait until the dog goes to the blanket on its own. Once the dog has gone to the blanket, give it a treat. Give the reward low down to see if you can get the dog to lie down on the blanket.

3. Now it's time to add a cue and give the dog something tasty to chew on when it lies down on the blanket. Choose the signal you want to use, for example, "go to bed". Say the signal and wait for the dog to go and lie down on the blanket. When the dog lies down, give praise and a good bone for it to chew on.

What do I do if the dog leaves the blanket?

If your dog leaves the blanket, take it back to the blanket slowly and gently. To teach your dog to stay on the blanket, it is a good idea to give a signal for the dog to leave the blanket early in the training. You can say "free" or the dog's name or similar and throw a treat off the blanket. Watch videos to understand how to use this signal.