How it works.
Set it up, let them find it, and give them time. Here is every part of the mechanism and what to expect.
The tray
The treat tray slides into the back of the board. It loads face up and stays face up, so it cannot invert or spill in either the flat or the 30 degree position. Four scent holes carry the smell up through the filing surface, so they can smell the treats but cannot reach them. It is not a lid and it does not hinge open, it slides.
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Treat tray partially slid out of the back of the board, tray motion visible.
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COTA-001 board on folding feet at the 30 degree position, side profile.
Two positions
Flat on the floor is the easiest place to start. Once they are confident, prop the board on its folding feet to the 30 degree position, which some dogs find more natural to dig into. Neither position is required, use whichever they take to.
The grit progression
The board ships with 120 grit fitted and an 80 grit spare. Start on whichever sheet is installed. If it feels too aggressive for them, the spare gives you a softer starting point. The full progression, including when to move to a finer grit, is in thegrit guide.
Most dogs work it out in a session or two. Some need a week.
Neither is wrong. They are learning a new behavior on their own terms, and that takes whatever it takes.