“A distinguishing feature of good Service Dogs is that they're inconspicuous – or at least as inconspicuous as a dog can be in a place where dogs aren't usually allowed. ANY Service Dog is an ambassador for every other Service Dog, and by extension, for every disabled person and their rights. The less obtrusive our dogs are, therefore, the better, and tucking away under a table or chair rather than lying sprawled in an aisle goes a long way toward making Service Dogs welcome in public places.”
EASY BEGINNINGS
Tucking in under a chair means a) turning so the butt is centered in front of the opening, and b) backing into the opening. You have several behaviors that can be combined to get the dog tucking in - first, your Left Side and your Right Side position, second, your Back Up, and third, Crate.
Work up all of these behaviors, then start changing each of them slightly.
Stand in front of an open crate, and slightly to the right of it, facing away from it. Cue HEEL to get our dog into Left Side position and, as she arrives in position, step backward and cue her to BACK. She should back into the crate. If she's not going to, follow the next five paragraphs to further explain the behavior.
Stand with the dog in front of you, facing you, your legs apart, with your left side against a wall. Cue HEEL for Left Side position. The dog CAN'T give you Left Side, the wall is in the way, but if you keep cueing HEEL, she HAS to give you something, so she's liable to make the Left Side position motion and end up with her butt between your feet facing in the same direction you are. If she has trouble figuring this out, it may be easier for her if you try it first with your right side against the wall and cue SIDE for Right Side position.
If she'll give you part of this behavior, at least enough to get her turned around facing away from you, you can cue her BACK, and she'll back up between your legs. If she won't turn that far, you can start from a SitStay, stand behind her, and click her backwards as you did when teaching Stand.
It doesn't take much, usually, for a dog to realize that you're aiming her to back up between your legs. If she's nervous about getting stepped on, this is a good opportunity to teach her to relax. There are a LOT of feet under the average restaurant table!
Once she can move into position left or right and then back up between your legs, try standing in front of the open crate and get her to back through your legs and into the crate.
Next, sit down on a chair with straight legs, with your left side against a wall. Put your feet on the outside of their respective chair legs, and cue the dog to swing into Left Side position and then back in under the chair. Click when she's tucked well under.
The dog can also back under the chair NEXT to yours – a bit more sophisticated if there's room. Put another chair beside and to the right of the first one. Sit in the second one with your legs together blocking the entrance to the second chair. Cue Left Side position and BACK until the dog starts to the right.
ADDING A CUE
This behavior may be achieved by simply repeating your side cue several times when you're seated. As the dog continues to try to give you the Heel or Side, her butt will slide under the chair.
BEFORE MOVING ON
One more useful behavior that springs from this work is for the dog to back under your legs (not under the chair) from the side – and, of course, to lie down there.”
Excerpt From: Ailsby, Sue. “Training Levels: Steps to Service.”
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Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4a
Step 4b
Step 5
Using the behavior in real life: http://import3steps.blogspot.com/2010/07/sit-level-6-bmo-in-real-life_25.html