Teaching the Go-To

Put a mat or raised bed on the floor. Lure your dog onto it with a treat. The instant all four paws land, mark and reward — on the mat, never off it. Then toss a treat past the edge so they step off, and lure them back. Repeat.

When your dog is reliably walking to the mat without a lure, add the word "place" just as they start moving. The cue now means something. Next, build distance: send them from two feet, then five, then across the room.