Introducing wobble board

Goal:

• Have puppy step onto an object that moves under their feet

What you need:

1. One large wobble board

   • Something large enough for puppy to stand on with all four feet

   • Or a large object that moves when puppy moves on it

2. A few objects to stabilize the wobble board

   • Balance pads/discs

   • Towels, cushions, dog beds

3. Non-slippery floor

4. Cookies

5. Your puppy

What to do:

1. Put a few objects under the wobble board so the wobble board moves only a little bit at

2. Lure/cue puppy to come towards you

3. Mark + treat any attempt to come near the wobble board

4. Mark + treat any attempt to interact with the wobble board

   • E.g., sniffing, touching, pawing

5. Mark + treat any foot touching the wobble board

6. Mark + treat any foot ON the wobble board

7. Continue to treat generously as puppy moves on the wobble board

8. Lure/cue puppy to step off the wobble board

What the progression may look like:

1. Puppy comes towards wobble board

2. Puppy sniffs the wobble board

3. Puppy touches the wobble board with one foot

4. Puppy steps onto the wobble board with their front feet

5. Puppy steps onto the wobble board with all four feet

6. Puppy moves on the wobble board

How many reps? How often?

• Learning phase: 3-5 reps/session, 1x/week

• Maintenance phase: 5-10 reps/session, 1x/week

Notes:

• I prefer to use wobble boards that are large enough for puppies to stand on for stability.

• I do not recommend the small wobble boards (e.g., the ones for humans to stand on) or the so-called “tippers” because they are too small and it is difficult to predict the movements. Oftentimes, these small wobble boards move too fast and may cause injuries as puppies are not prepared for the intensity and speed of the movement

• In the beginning, I will add objects under the wobble board so the board only moves a little bit

• I can also place a large plank on top of a brick/paver as a makeshift wobble board