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Go-to-Mat: A Life Skill Every Dog Should Have

by Sarah Owings, KPA-CTP

When go-to-mat is being taught, the goal behavior is that the dog will run to his mat and lie down on cue from any direction, regardless of the handler’s position.

In clicker training, a dog offers a behavior, and the trainer reinforces it. Although a dog that is new to clicker training may take a little longer to get to the final behavior, I prefer to use clicker training rather than luring (placing food on the mat first to lure the dog to it) to train go-to-mat because clicker training teaches the dog how to think independently. In my experience, once a dog learns to respond to this method of operant conditioning, his ability to quickly learn new behaviors (such as basic and advanced obedience exercises, agility contacts, tricks) grows exponentially over time. Also, breaking go-to-mat training into small approximations (e.g., looking at the mat, stepping toward the mat, sniffing the mat, putting all four feet on the mat) and systematically reinforcing each one teaches a dog, click by click, that voluntarily moving toward the mat is just as rewarding as lying on the mat. This process—often referred...

Here are some ideas by DAWN ARMSTRONG (Special to the Tribune) to keep your pet healthy while you cope with serious budget cuts.

1. Cut food costs

Ernie Ward, DVM, president of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention says “Most pet food label feeding guides are based on the caloric needs of un-neutered/un-spayed, active adult animals. A spayed or neutered pet's metabolic needs are 25 to 30 percent lower than that.

“Look for a high-quality brand name, and buy it in bulk at a discount store,” suggests Dr. Hammer past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “You'll slash costs by a third. Don't go too cheap, generic and local brands may not have the same level of nutritional research.”

Mixing pet food with pet safe people food such as lean meat, fish, and vegetables can reduce the amount of store bought required to maintain health. Learn what ingredients are key for your pet's age and lifestyle. Talk with your veterinarian before making a change. Then make any change slowly.

2. Treat without treats

Portion out a day's food ration and use bits of that for treating. Maintain weight and nutrition needs while simply feeding in a different way....

Here are some ideas to keep your pet healthy while you cope with serious budget cuts by DAWN ARMSTRONG.

1. Cut food costs

Ernie Ward, DVM, president of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention says “Most pet food label feeding guides are based on the caloric needs of un-neutered/un-spayed, active adult animals. A spayed or neutered pet's metabolic needs are 25 to 30 percent lower than that.

“Look for a high-quality brand name, and buy it in bulk at a discount store,” suggests Dr. Hammer past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “You'll slash costs by a third. Don't go too cheap, generic and local brands may not have the same level of nutritional research.”

Mixing pet food with pet safe people food such as lean meat, fish, and vegetables can reduce the amount of store bought required to maintain health. Learn what ingredients are key for your pet's age and lifestyle. Talk with your veterinarian before making a change. Then make any change slowly.

2. Treat without treats

Portion out a day's food ration and use bits of that for treating. Maintain weight and nutrition needs while simply feeding in a different way. Consider crunchy carrots and apple...