07/20/2026
Distractions donāt mean training stopsātheyāre part of the training.
Bootsie is practicing holding a down on place while working through multiple distractions, including toys, food, and even a moving broom. The goal isnāt to eliminate distractionsāitās to teach dogs that they can acknowledge whatās happening around them without feeling the need to get up and investigate every little thing.
Place is so much more than lying on a bed. Itās about building patience, impulse control, and the ability to settle even when exciting things are happening nearby. Those skills carry over into everyday life, whether itās guests walking through the door, kids playing, dinner being cooked, or something dropping on the floor.
Dogs donāt automatically know how to ignore distractionsāit takes practice. The more they rehearse making calm, thoughtful choices, the easier those choices become in everyday life. š¾