CHIN REST TASK PRACTICE

Training card from my Facebook Training Levels Group

A CHIN REST is a type of body targeting - teaching a dog to put some part of their body on something in a specific way.  For the base of this behavior, it is their chin onto the handlers palm.

 WHY?

Chin rests serve a multitude of purposes helpful to handlers, vets & groomers.

• Helpful for creating calmness in overly excited dogs
• Helps nervous/anxious dogs overcome hand shyness
• Gives a dog a positive option to do when overstimulated by play or drive
• Helps reduce mouthing behavior in puppies
• Creates a foundation for cooperative care / positive vetting associations
• Forms the basis of some pressure therapy tasks for service dogs

While working the TRAINING LEVELS system, I added bonus skills categories for my group to train including TASKING and PUBLIC ACCESS skills.  This is one of the skills from the tasking category.  At it's base - we are just looking for a calm chin rest in the handlers palm for 10 seconds. Then there are additional extra credit options as you progress.

Luna is just starting to learn it and we practiced a bit while waiting at the vet.  She even offers it a few times on her own.