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| 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.
