Have you heard of Platform Training? … If not, you are missing out on a very effective training tool!
So what is a Platform?
A platform is traditionally a raised surface that the dog is trained to stand/sit/down on, something a dog can hop onto easily. There are lots of different types of platforms varying in shapes and sizes, depending on what you need for your training. i.e. a small round one for front feet pivoting / a large rectangle for standing or heel work etc.
Animal trainers have been using platforms to train for years – dolphins, circus animals, horses and even birds and animals in zoos. Originally platforms were used to 'station' an animal during a break in training, but in dog training, the platform is used whilst the dog is on it.
Think of ‘platform’ more as a behaviour than an object, personally I do have one particular object I use as a platform but I do like to generalise this behaviour as it can be so useful. It is beneficial to use lots of different objects as platforms as if you stick to the same object all the time it becomes restrictive – i.e. you have to have that platform wherever you are training.
You can use lots of objects for platforms – stools, chairs, exercise balls, an old table with some carpet on top, plastic boxes, crates, basically if our dog can hop on it and stay on there, you can use it. In fact, the more objects you can generalize this behaviour to, the better your dog will take to different platforms. Remember to only use an object that is suitable for your dog’s size and is not too high so it’s comfortable for them to hop onto.
Making a Platform
When making your own platform you need to consider:
Why and when to use platform training?
Once taught, a platform is a very solid behaviour, there’s no grey area as the platform is raised, the dog is either on it, or not - Simple really!
Using a platform also allows you to see - at a glance/out of the corner of your eye - or hear if your dog gets off the platform/breaks position, which can be valuable if you are training multiple dogs.
Platforms can be used to teach your dog to be in a certain position, or go in a certain direction.
Using a platform is also a quick and effective way to teach heel work and send aways.
Platforms are suitable for any age dog as long as it’s appropriate for it’s ability
Using a platform during a demo/performance is ideal as it ‘quiets’ the dog, which is a prerequisite for focus.
When training you need to have your dog’s attention, it is easier to get your dog’s attention when they are still Still paws = engaged brain. So being on a platform benefits both you and the dog, making training more focused. .
So what is a Platform?
A platform is traditionally a raised surface that the dog is trained to stand/sit/down on, something a dog can hop onto easily. There are lots of different types of platforms varying in shapes and sizes, depending on what you need for your training. i.e. a small round one for front feet pivoting / a large rectangle for standing or heel work etc.
Animal trainers have been using platforms to train for years – dolphins, circus animals, horses and even birds and animals in zoos. Originally platforms were used to 'station' an animal during a break in training, but in dog training, the platform is used whilst the dog is on it.
Think of ‘platform’ more as a behaviour than an object, personally I do have one particular object I use as a platform but I do like to generalise this behaviour as it can be so useful. It is beneficial to use lots of different objects as platforms as if you stick to the same object all the time it becomes restrictive – i.e. you have to have that platform wherever you are training.
You can use lots of objects for platforms – stools, chairs, exercise balls, an old table with some carpet on top, plastic boxes, crates, basically if our dog can hop on it and stay on there, you can use it. In fact, the more objects you can generalize this behaviour to, the better your dog will take to different platforms. Remember to only use an object that is suitable for your dog’s size and is not too high so it’s comfortable for them to hop onto.
Making a Platform
When making your own platform you need to consider:
- It must be sturdy – with no risk of it moving/slipping as that will affect your dog’s confidence to use it
- The appropriate size – for what you are training and also for the size of the dog, I prefer to use a small/medium platform, just big enough for my dog to stand/sit/down comfortably as that confines my dogs to some degree limiting their choice of movement
- The appropriate height – not too high so they can hop on easily but not too low so they will be tempted to jump off
- With a non-slip top – either rubber or carpet etc.
Why and when to use platform training?
Once taught, a platform is a very solid behaviour, there’s no grey area as the platform is raised, the dog is either on it, or not - Simple really!
Using a platform also allows you to see - at a glance/out of the corner of your eye - or hear if your dog gets off the platform/breaks position, which can be valuable if you are training multiple dogs.
Platforms can be used to teach your dog to be in a certain position, or go in a certain direction.
Using a platform is also a quick and effective way to teach heel work and send aways.
Platforms are suitable for any age dog as long as it’s appropriate for it’s ability
Using a platform during a demo/performance is ideal as it ‘quiets’ the dog, which is a prerequisite for focus.
When training you need to have your dog’s attention, it is easier to get your dog’s attention when they are still Still paws = engaged brain. So being on a platform benefits both you and the dog, making training more focused. .
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What is a platform used for?
Essentially a platform is a “go to” place that the dog seeks out and performs a behaviour on. Platform training has a huge variety of uses, it is very versatile and can be used to train an assortment of behaviours, such as;
- Training multiple dogs – will prevent pushing, shoving and barging for attention
- Training show dogs - to stand/stack for the judges
- Training and improving obedience skills – you can utilize the platform in training “wait’ and “Stay”, by controlling your dog’s movement/energy and giving your dog a place to stay it encourages enthusiastic obedience
- Training and improving send ways – the dog has the platform to go away to
- Training and improving confidence - dogs love to stand on platforms as it makes them taller, which helps increase their confidence
- Training and building a better distance “Stay”
- Training and improving heel positions - close, heel, front and behind
- Training precise body positions - as in musical freestyle etc.
- Teaching the dog to work at a distance
- Training and improving performing tricks/behaviours at a distance
- Teaching a reliable "down at a distance"
- Teaches the dog a default location (or "home base")
- Teaches a dog to go to a mark - useful in animal acting
- Teaching reactive/barky dogs to stay calm
- Training a steadfast “stay” even when your back is turned and you are walking around, your dog is more likely to remain in the stay on a platform, than on the ground
- Training and improving duration in tricks/behaviours
- Training directional signals – sending your dog left/right
- Training dogs better manners when you have visitors – staying on the platform stops the dog jumping up etc. when visitors come
- Teaching a dog to be focused
- Teaching ‘low impact’ behaviours – great for rehabilitation/recovery from injury etc.
- Training and improving your dog to work both on sides of you - to work anywhere around your body
- Training and improving known trick/behaviours - allows for precision and fine tuning
There are many more great uses for platforms, not only as a trick but in helping dogs be more confident in new situations, building confidence with nervous dogs and improving your training/working relationship. It's a trick anyone can teach and gain great benefits from.
Platform Training Benefits
Correct platform training will create a big change in your dog’s ability to wait quietly and focus - Still paws = engaged brain – you will find your dog willing to stay quietly on the platform, they will increase their attention span as they learn to focus on you and wait for the next cue. By taking away your dog’s options for movement they will become more relaxed. Dogs tend to have difficulty just being still, if they have a reason for not moving it helps them stay still until released. You can use platforms to give your dog a reason to be still and their mind will engage. Platform training helps your dog control their energy by giving your dog a place to stay.
Using the platform is better than using a crate (for example while you work with another dog) as your dog is actually doing something they have learned, and they are not being excluded or prevented from participating in a training session.
Platforms give you the opportunity to develop tricks/behaviours with specific body movement and/or placement. You can refine your dog’s existing tricks/behaviours by using a platform as they add precision and consistency by guiding your dog onto a platform and into the correct position. Your dog is more likely to stay on a platform and perform a behaviour at a distance as they have a place to ‘be’, for example it will prevent a dog ‘creeping’ forward in a distance stay.
The platform can also have the benefit of being used as a reinforcement, as the trick/behaviour they do on the platform becomes the reward. For example, if you are doing a demo your dog should be either working with you, or on the platform, not wandering/sniffing etc. Having this rule, the ‘work’ becomes a reward (as sitting on the platform is boring, especially if your dog is watching you work with another dog). You can use the platform as motivation, if your dog becomes distracted when working, by sending them to the platform for a while it will motivate them to want to work, they get two choices: work or sit on your platform – the result being you will have an enthusiastic dog to work with!
How to teach Platform
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to teach your dog is that a platform has value. If you dog values the platform they will want to willingly spend time on it. You do this by using a high rate of reinforcement while your dog is on the platform (more on that later).
There are a few ways to teach your dog to hop on and stay on a platform, you can shape it (rewarding small steps towards the end behaviour), you could free shape it (wait for your dog to offer the behaviour), or you can use directed learning with luring and reward for position on platform.
Whichever training technique you use there are 4 important steps to platform training;
- hop on
- stay put
- perform behaviour
- hop off (on release cue)
Platform Training Goal: To send your dog to any platform independently (off lead) and your dog to stand/sit/down etc. quietly on the platform until released.
Free Shaping – while this is a very effective way of teaching platform it can take a little longer. It is particularly good way to train if your dog is used to freely offering behaviours. In free shaping a platform you basically wait for your dog to offer the behaviour then reward their efforts towards the end goal of being on the platform.
Shaping – with shaping you can break the behaviour down into even smaller steps, rewarding each step closer towards the behaviour you want … one paw on the platform – both front paws on the platform – 4 paws on the platform etc. Unlike ‘free shaping’ you can give some hints/direction towards the end goal of being on the platform.
Luring – luring allows you to manipulate specific movements and reward small increments. As with shaping you can reward each step closer towards the behaviour you want … one paw on the platform – both front paws on the platform – 4 paws on the platform etc. I am a big fan of luring for body movement but it’s important you fade the food lure asap.
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A few training tips about platforms
Working with multiple dogs on platforms
Be consistent by setting up the dogs on the platforms every time at the beginning of a training session, if you are working on doing trick displays/demos then I would recommend you set the dogs on the platforms in the same order and same positions every time (so the same dog is always on the right/left), that way they will know when their turn is to work.
To begin with train each dog the basics of platform work individually, so at least you can be sure they know staying on their platform is what’s required. To start with do some easy hand-touch training while both dogs are on their platforms, one dog at time. Call one dog off their platform to do some touch exercises, send them back to the platform, reward on the platform, and call your next dog. They will learn that they will get their turn.
If you are working with one dog, and your other dog jumps off their platform without being released, your priority must be to get that dog back onto their platform.
If you have any questions on Platform Training, don’t hesitate to ask, I’m more than happy to help if I can.
I will be doing a Platform training tutorial video and I will forward the link to the video via email.
- Add high value to the pedestal - by giving a high rate of reinforcement when your dog is on it
- Teach a verbal and visual cue – visual cues are important for working at a distance
- Send your dog forward to the platform, don’t train toward you if you want a reliable send-away
- Run your dog to the platform to add a sense of urgency – you will end up with a very quick response to cue
- Teach a release cue for hop off the platform, such as “hop off” or “free” – your dog should only hop off the platform when cued, if they dismount before the release cue, send them back up
- Aswell as a release word, you can teach a release touch i.e. on back of neck/head/shoulder
- Don’t forget to add distance, duration, distractions, it will make your platform tricks more solid
- Use different surfaces so that your dog will happily stay on a platform whatever the feel
- Teaching your dog a "Stay" on the platform will make for a very reliable stay
- Get a reliable hop on platform and stay before introducing other tricks/ behaviours
Working with multiple dogs on platforms
Be consistent by setting up the dogs on the platforms every time at the beginning of a training session, if you are working on doing trick displays/demos then I would recommend you set the dogs on the platforms in the same order and same positions every time (so the same dog is always on the right/left), that way they will know when their turn is to work.
To begin with train each dog the basics of platform work individually, so at least you can be sure they know staying on their platform is what’s required. To start with do some easy hand-touch training while both dogs are on their platforms, one dog at time. Call one dog off their platform to do some touch exercises, send them back to the platform, reward on the platform, and call your next dog. They will learn that they will get their turn.
If you are working with one dog, and your other dog jumps off their platform without being released, your priority must be to get that dog back onto their platform.
If you have any questions on Platform Training, don’t hesitate to ask, I’m more than happy to help if I can.
I will be doing a Platform training tutorial video and I will forward the link to the video via email.
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