Go Place, Settle

This is the new command we are trying teach precious Dax. Remember this post? Well we are in this place again.

On Friday, Dax went outside to play with Saddie and Reese, the neighbors labs. On Saturday, I noticed he was limping again, and it was much worse on Sunday. However, this time, it wasn't his right front leg, it was his back right leg. So we took him to the vet on Tuesday and were given the bad news...another strained ACL. Unfortunately, we believe that this might be a genetic problem since Dax is such a large lab.

Ou vet, Dr. England whom we just adore, said that torn and sprained ACL's in labs are becomming more prominant that Hip Displasia. So, we have a 6-8 week recovery time - strict instructions that he is either in his kennel, or on a leash! Well I feel like a horrible mom when I'm at home and my "baby" is locked in his kennel. So last night had me thinking about an article I read just a week or so ago about the command "Go Place, Settle".

The article from our AKC magazine talks about dogs having a special place in a main room, or even a portalbe "place" that can go with them (the "place" being a blanket, a bed or pillow). This command is perect when you have a big family gathering and want your pup to be a part of it, but not in it...or when company comes over and you don't want him jumping all over them!

Well Dax already has a blanket, so we are designating that his "place". So "go place" obviously teached the dog to know their "place" and to go to it when commanded. The second part of the command is to "settle". The article said that the "stay" command teaches dog to "not move a muscle", but when commanded to "settle" the dog can be trained to lay down, and relax.

All of this to say that since I can't stand for Dax to be locked in his kennel when we are home, we are teacking him the "Go place, Settle" command so that he can still be in the living room or around the house with us, but still rest his leg.