2 Minute Trainer

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An intro to 2-Minute Dog Training Games

If you’re not having fun training your dog, you’re doing it wrong!

If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong!

21st century dog training means having fun with your dog. If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong! Dog training games are best for training, learning, and enjoying time with your dog.

Everybody, including your dog, learns better when they enjoy it! Fast, fun dog training games are the most effective way to teach your dog anything. From house-breaking to the showiest tricks, games are the way to go.

Your future with the 2 Minute Training Method

We’re Hope and Fran, creators of the 2 Minute Training method. We’ve developed this method so that in short bursts of training your dog will learn what’s expected of him and make good choices. Instead of a rowdy hooligan, he’ll be a joyful part of your family. Instead of having to lock the dog up when company arrives, he’ll be an integral part of the conversation. Your dog will no longer pull your arm out of the socket on walks. He’ll sit nicely for treats.

Sound too good to be true? It’s not!

This miracle won’t happen overnight, but it will happen, and it won’t be a miracle!

You”ll both practice to make it happen, and you’ll have such a good time you’ll want to do more.

Who we are

How do we know? Because we’re training our own dogs this way. Not traditional “most intelligent” dogs. Not Golden Retrievers. Not Border Collies. Not even Papillons or Pomeranians. These are dog breeds that are among the “smartest” and “most trainable.” Nope – Hope has a French Bulldog. Fran has a Brussels Griffon and two Boston Terriers. Not breeds you expect to see in the Obedience ring, and yet they’re advancing nicely in competition.

We also train fun stuff the same way – like “crawl,” “roll over,” and “sit pretty.” Even training the dogs to put their toys away!

Just short chunks of time. Maybe a few times a day. During commercial breaks in the evening. Or just one session before work.

Have fun with your dog!

It’s fun. We look forward to our short training sessions, and we know you will too.

Your house, your dog, your rules

When your parents (or in-laws) come over for the holidays, it may be the first chance you get to practice your grown-up parenting skills. And get a tiny bit of your own back for all those times you heard it as a teenager. “My house, my dog, my rules.” If you’re lucky, you get to practice when you have a dog and not a baby – those discussions are even more fraught.

It came up this week for a training class student of ours. Her mother was coming to visit from overseas. Her mother, who happens to be a fan of a famous dominance-based trainer. And who’s from a culture deeply ingrained with rules, discipline, and pretty much the opposite of reward-based training.

Before Mom arrived, our trainee wanted us to see what was happening with her dog. The pup (seven months old) had been boarded for a few days during Thanksgiving, and had come home with some atypical behaviors.

Not uncommon

Especially for puppies, boarding can be disruptive. The puppy’s schedule is discarded. Depending on the boarding situation, it may be anything from “run with a pack all day,” to stay-in-a-kennel except for yard time. None of the options is inherently bad. There are times when even the most devoted owner just can’t travel with their dog. Boarding is usually a safe option. Ideally, it’s also a comfortable choice and the dog will have some fun with either the staff or other dogs at the facility.

The best way to let your dog absorb the alternative is to practice. Like all things, dogs are adaptable beings if introduced to new things gradually. If your dog goes to a doggy day care that also does boarding, that’s a good place to start. The dog already has a good time during the day. Try to book a single night before a longer stay is necessary. Let the dog see the new routine. And pick them up early the next morning so the dog knows you’re always going to come back.

This dog didn’t get a practice boarding session. After a few days she came home rather insecure and unsettled. She was barking uncharacteristically at people coming into the house. Even at her own family and the family’s familiar baby-sitters.

Back to her comfort zone

So we became the dog’s “cookie people.” That’s a technique straight out of the “Reactive Dog Recipe.” Most reactive dogs are afraid. The objective is to teach them that new people are sources of delicious treats and completely non-threatening. Basically, we walked into the house and threw treats on the floor in front of the dog while we talked to the people. We didn’t look at the pup, we certainly didn’t talk to her. Just calmly had a conversation with her people. In this case, because the dog was just a bit unsettled, not really reactive, and we’re familiar to her, it took less than five minutes for her to calm down.

With Mom arriving two days later, the puppy’s owner now had a plan of action. Leave the pup in her crate until Mom came in, got comfy, and was ready to greet the dog. Remember – your house, your dog, your rules.

Until, of course, Mom came and refused to reward a dog that was barking at her. It looks that way to someone who doesn’t take into account the dog’s emotional state, fear. Barking is actually a low-grade response to fear – our own Tango’s fear-aggression came out in lunging, snarling, and trying to bite. Since Mom wouldn’t get on board, the owners did the treat-tossing. Not ideal, but Mom doesn’t get to decide – not her house, her dog, or her rules.

Familiarity breeds comfort

With this approach, the puppy getting treats every time she saw Mom, the dog was able to relax and accept the new person in just a couple of days. There was no interaction between them until the dog was ready to initiate it. Taken at the puppy’s pace, everything is working out great. They sent us a picture of the puppy relaxing on the couch with Mom today. Everything’s going to be fine. Until Dad arrives tomorrow and we start all over again.

Dog Training Game: Teach Your Pup to Pull

There are some dogs who are naturals at opening doors, drawers, or figuring out any obstacle that stands between them and their goal. If you have a dog that opens doors, drawers, hampers, garbage cans, you probably don’t need this game. The Teach Your Pup to Pull game is for the rest of us, whose dogs sit there and look at you with adorable puppy-dog eyes. And plead with you to open the goodie cabinet.

How it started

Hope had the notion that she’d like to create a little skit with Torque, using his various behaviors to tell a story. The idea came from watching the amazing winners of the AKC’s Virtual Trick Dog Championship. There’s nothing in those videos that’s beyond any of our dogs, it’s just a matter of putting the pieces together.

One of the behaviors needed for the scenario Hope imagined was for Torque to open a drawer to find a clue to the mystery. It seems a simple enough trick – after all, most dogs, including Torque, love to play tug.

It turned out not to be so simple after all. An essential component of “Tug!” Is someone on the other end providing resistance. Pulling a drawer open isn’t the same, from the dog’s point of view. We’d have to teach our pup to pull

How it’s going

The first step was choosing something to attach to the drawer that Torque could pull on. When you see videos of dogs opening stuff, generally speaking there’s a towel, rope, or piece of cloth for them to grab.

That was a no-go for Torque. He would pick up a rope, but not have any idea what to do with it once he was holding it. Part of the issue was the drawer set we were using (pictured). There really isn’t a handle that a dog can grab. The knob is too small to have a large rope around it.

To move on to the meatier parts of the behavior, Hope tied a familiar “put it away” object to the rope, a plastic spatula. Torque knew it from the other game.

The next obstacle was getting him to take the tied-on spatula away from the drawers. He was absolutely convinced that putting it on top of the drawer set was the answer we were looking for. It wasn’t, but we had to find a way to let him know that.

Using familiar game parts

To give him a goal away from the drawers, we used the bin we always use for “Put Your Stuff Away” games. We placed it well away from the drawers, placed the spatula well away from the drawers, and made sure we were facing the bin, rather than the drawers. Dogs pay attention to where you’re headed, so your direction matters.

Torque recognized the setup right away. He grabbed that spatula and headed for the bin. As soon as the drawer was clear of its housing, Hope clicked and rewarded, well short of the bin. That was letting Torque know he’d already done what she wanted.

As Torque becomes more sure of the behavior that’s wanted, we’ll be able to place the bin even farther away and eventually stop using it. The latest modification was to put treats in the drawer as soon as it was opened up. This lets Torque know he’d achieved the objective.

How it’s going

We’re making progress, even though we only play “Pull!” a couple times a month. Torque is starting to understand the word “Pull!”, although he still needs the bin for a target.

This game, like all training games beyond the essentials (come, stay, sit, etc.), is just for fun and a chance to build on the dog’s repertoire. It’s always fun to have something new to play with – whether it’s a new toy or a new training game. Keeping many different skills in the rotation ensures that neither you nor your dog will get tired of playing training games together.

Dog Training Isn’t Always the Answer

We got a rather urgent email from a long-time training student this week. Her dog had bitten a groomer at the doggy day care facility and she was rather frantically trying to deal with her dog’s sudden aggression. We had to tell her that dog training isn’t always the answer.

What’s Really Happening

Of course we called her right away to get the story. In addition to the bite, the dog had also growled and almost-snapped at her husband. The husband, who had adopted the dog from a shelter five months ago, was ready to return the dog immediately. The wife was distraught, upset both by the dog’s behavior and the thought of giving him up.

Neither of the couple is an experienced dog owner, so neither had a good idea of what was going on.

With the information the woman provided, our advice was to carefully consider the option of returning the dog to the shelter. Generally speaking, dogs adopted from shelters need at least three months before they feel comfortable in a new home and start showing their true personalities. If this dog’s nature was actually reactive, it wouldn’t be a good fit with this family. They already have a beautifully-trained Rottweiler and are planning for children in the next few years.

Getting More Complicated

The woman had already contacted the shelter about the bite. They got back to her saying that a dog with a bite history would automatically be euthanized. If they returned the dog, it was a death sentence. The shelter’s only suggestion was an introduction to another trainer to assess the dog. The options seemed to be getting narrower.

At this point, with the information we had, the choices were all bad. So we contacted the owner of the day care where the incident happened. We’re friends with the owner, and trust her opinion as a savvy dog person.

The Story Gets Clearer

It turns out that the dog has always been a happy, playful guy who’s never given them cause for concern. About a month ago, he was sidelined by illness. Kennel cough developed into pneumonia. He hasn’t been feeling great for a while now.

It was his first time back at day care, and the owners opted for a bit of a spa day – bath and nail trim. Like many dogs, this one didn’t much care for the ramp up to the tub, so the groomer was picking him up. When she touched his legs he reacted with the bite.

Talking to the dog’s owner, the incident with her husband also happened when he touched the dog’s leg.

Light Bulb Moment

The day care owner and we immediately recognized that the dog was showing symptoms of pain. Whenever a dog reacts atypically to normal things, the first thought should be “something’s going on there.”

The dog doesn’t need training for this. Dog training isn’t always the answer. He needs to see a veterinarian to figure out what’s happening that’s causing him to react atypically.

We called the owner back with this news. We also advised her to give the vet’s office a “heads up” that the dog would probably need to be muzzled for the examination. All dogs are capable of lashing out when they’re in pain. And all dogs should be muzzle-trained, just in case. Of course training to put the muzzle on your dog should be approached the same way as all other training – in fast, fun, game-based sessions.

She was relieved to hear that her dog probably hadn’t morphed into Cujo overnight. She also asked something that emphasized their inexperience with dogs. “Don’t dogs show signs when they’re in pain?”

No, they don’t. Dogs typically don’t show any signs of weakness or pain until it’s far advanced. Experienced dog owners know to consult medical professionals when their dogs seem “off.” The first, subtle signs of something wrong are clues only the dog’s owner will see. Combining these owners’ inexperience and the dog’s newness in the household, it was easy to miss.

We’re waiting to hear what the veterinarian discovers. But the dog’s future looks better today than it did.

Every Stop Needs a Go

A “Stay!” Is your dog’s stop sign. Whatever position they’re in. Wherever they are. The release word you choose is the dog’s signal to move. Every stop needs a go.

Let’s say you’re driving around the city in fairly heavy traffic. You come to an intersection and the light turns red as you approach. Theoretically, you passed your driver’s license test, so you know you have to stop. And you also know you’re not going anywhere until the light turns green. Until you get your release signal.

Picture what would happen if nobody knew those signals. If every car just went on its merry way whenever the driver felt like it. The traffic wouldn’t be heavy. It would be chaotic.

Dog traffic signals

Teaching your dog the “Stay!” won’t work until you pair it with a release word. If dogs are allowed to self-release from a stay, then “Stay!” means nothing.

You know you want your dog to stay while you’re accepting a delivery and the door’s open. You want them to stay put until the door is safely shut again. But your dog doesn’t know that. They don’t understand “Stay until I close the door.” Dogs can understand “Stay until you hear your release word.” Your “Place” game will help with this, too.

Motion triggers

Most dogs will move when you move. They try to keep you in sight. When our students are teaching their dogs “Stay!” most pair a step and/or arm motion when giving their release word. Dogs are really good at absorbing the whole picture. If you stand stock still while your dog is holding a “Stay!” and move when you release them, that’s what they learn. They stay when you stay, they move when you move.

That’s why you have to disconnect your motion from both the “Stay!” and “Free!” commands. You have to be able to move when your dog is staying. And you must not move when releasing your dog from a “Stay!”

Make it easy for your dog

The best way to confuse your dog is being okay with them getting it wrong. If they move before you release them, they don’t understand either stop or go. Trying to fix something just confuses them even more. If they break the “Stay!” just move to a new position and start again.

Dogs trained with positive reinforcement know there are no horrible consequences for getting stuff wrong. They’re not afraid to try again. And most dogs really want to get it right, so they work with you. Because they also know there’s a celebration jackpot when they get it right. Every stop needs a go. Make it easy for your dog to get that jackpot.

Training Game: Target Training

Target training is one of those dog skills that gets more useful the longer you know it. When your dog will reliably go to a target and touch it, the possibilities are endless. You can bring your dog in close, or send them far away. If you play dog sports, like agility, it can even help your dog understand what bits of the obstacles they must touch.

If your dog already knows “Touch!” you’re a good chunk of the way to target training. Instead of your hand, the target is an object, like the lid of a plastic container, that can be easily moved. That way you can even teach your dog to go away from you. Achieving training at a distance is something many trainers aspire to. Target training your dog will help you get there.

Possibly the most useful part of target training is giving your dog something to do in a stressful situation. Let’s imagine you have to walk through a crowded area with your dog. If your dog will, reliably, stay focused on touching the target, you can sail through without problems. It sure beats having to worry about all the little things that might distract or upset your dog and cause them to react poorly.

Calming their nerves

All of the little focus games we play are meant to make life easier. Teaching your dog how to deal with stress, especially if you have an anxious dog, is important. Giving your dog something familiar, repetitive, and enjoyable to do helps with stress. Target training can also include an element of “find it,” and expands on the possibilities of “Touch!” where you’re always in reach.

The first thing to do is decide on a target object. It can be anything you choose, so think about where and when you might use it. We generally use plastic lids from assorted food products – cottage cheese, butter, sour cream. Ice cream lids work well, too. And provide a reason to buy ice cream.

While you’re choosing, think about the color of the item. It should be highly visible on whatever surface you tend to practice on. We have blue matting on the floor, so the white lids are a bright contrast.

First step

If you’ve been following 2-Minute-Trainer for any time, you’ll recognize the first part of the process. All you have to do is put the target on the floor, stare at it, and wait for your dog to do something. If your dog looks at it, or sniffs it, or licks it, put a treat on the target. Don’t feed the dog from your hand. Put it on the target. We want the dog to understand that good things happen on the target when they interact with it. If your aim is a nose touch, don’t reward the dog for pawing at the target. Likewise, if they pick it up in their mouth, no reward. Be specific about what you want. Reward only when you get it.

If you’re not in a position to reward (you have to go get more treats), be sure to pick up the target so the dog doesn’t have access. If they perform the behavior you want and don’t get rewarded (you weren’t there), the learning flow will be disrupted. The value of touching the target will diminish for every touch that doesn’t get rewarded.

On your merry way

Most dogs pick up on target training almost immediately. When you’re pretty sure that your dog understands the idea, move the target around. Will they follow it? If you hold it up, will they reach to touch it? What about if someone else places it across the room? Will they search for it and play hide and seek?

Target training can prove incredibly powerful. Hope’s French Bulldog girl Dax loved her targets. Their first-ever agility competition was held at an indoor soccer arena. Needless to say, there are all kinds of white circles painted in the turf in the venue. Dax had to go and touch each of them, sure there would be treat. It wasted a little time, but they did qualify and Dax was more relaxed, knowing she had a job to do.

If you are involved in any dog sports, you can use the target to teach your dog correct performance of several different exercises and obstacles. For agility, a target at the end of the dog walk teaches the dog to touch the entire down side. Likewise with the A-Frame. In Obedience, placed at the landing side of the Broad Jump, it teaches the dog to jump straight out before coming to “Front!”

Use it wherever

If you’re using the target as a training tool, teaching your dog where you want him to go, be sure it’s pre-baited with a treat or that someone will be nearby to reward immediately. If dogs don’t get rewarded for doing things right, there’s no reason for them to continue doing it. Once the dog learns the behavior, you can randomize and eventually eliminate the target, if you choose. If/when you do, be sure to maintain the rate of reward. The target was a tool to “explain” the behavior to the dog and your good dog deserves to be rewarded for it.

Watch your body language when dog training

Most people in dog training classes don’t realize how carefully dogs watch your body language. They notice everything. Without realizing it, you could be sending your dog a message you don’t intend.

The one we see most often is in heeling exercises. Ideally, your dog’s shoulder should be about even with your left leg. Your dog’s job is to maintain that position whenever you’re heeling.

Many dogs lag a bit behind their people, especially when performing turns or circles with the dog on the outside of the curve.

It’s perfectly natural. The dog has a longer path than yours when they’re on the outside. But it’s not what you want. Your dog should adjust their pace to maintain proper heel position.

But when the dog starts to lag, the person almost always glances back, over their shoulder, to see where the dog is. Their left shoulder moves back, and the dog notices that and lags even more.

Fix it

The cure for this is easy. Keep your shoulders straight and the dog will hustle to get up into the correct position. But remembering to do that takes some effort. That’s one of the reasons we encourage all our students to take video of their practice. Pay careful attention to the message your posture is communicating.

Another common body language cue also tells the dog “back up.” You can demonstrate this for yourself with any dog – even one who’s never done any obedient thing in their life. Call your dog to you. If they come nice and close in front of you, lean forward, just a little bit. Chances are they’ll back up immediately. That’s how sensitive your dog is to your body language. Even a slight lean is enough to make many dogs move.

Stay woes

Dogs’ responsiveness to our physical cues has caused many problems for people teaching their dogs to stay. At first, while the dog is learning, any motion on your part is enough to ruin your dog’s stay. Dogs have to be actively taught to ignore our motion when asked.

When you start to teach your dog “Stay!,” don’t move. Just the hand rewarding the dog should be your only motion. Any twitch, glance, or lean can cue an untrained dog to move. Introduce motion gradually, after your dog has some inkling of what stay is about. If your dog is in front of you, just lean to one side or the other. When they can “Stay!” through your lean, take a baby step to either side. Then a real step. It really is a step-by-step process to be able to walk around your dog.

Notice your motion

Smart dog owners will be able to take advantage of their dog’s body language perception. We use very subtle cues to let our dogs know their positioning isn’t quite right. If the dog is coming to “Heel!” and stops a bit too far back, a little shoulder twitch tells them to move up. A weight-shift from one side to the other corrects their course on a Recall.

For many of the training games, your first cue to your dog is looking at the object, whether it’s a dog bed for “Place!” or your own hand for “Touch!” Your attention to that thing will draw your dog’s. Another easy experiment: Stare at the ceiling. It won’t take long before your dog is looking up, too!

Dog Training’s Hardest Part

Waiting is dog training’s hardest part.

It’s also the most important part. If you can’t resist temptation and tell your dog what to do, the dog will never figure it out on their own. You’ll spend the dog’s entire life telling them.

That gets old after a while. You start to think to yourself “Why doesn’t my dog know this by now? We’ve been doing it the same way for years!” It’s because you never gave your dog the gift of letting them think it through.

Perfect example

Teaching dogs the “Place!” Game is where we see it most often in our classes. No question, it’s hard to just stand there, staring at a mat. Sometimes the dog doesn’t even look at it during class. The people get discouraged and say “Can’t I just tell him?” “Can I point to it?”

No. No you can’t. Because the whole point of the game is for the dog to figure out that their action triggers the jackpot. When they choose to look at the mat, sniff the mat, step on the mat, sit on the mat, lie down on the mat, the treats rain down.

Once they do figure it out for themselves, your life gets easier. When you need the dog out of the way for any reason, whether it’s the pizza delivery guy at the door, or Grandpa halt-stepping through the room, your dog will understand what to do when you say “Place!”

So just wait. Stare at the darn mat for the whole training session. The dog may not get it today. But at some point, they’ll wonder what’s so fascinating about that thing. They’ll start interacting with it. And once the treats start falling from above, the lesson will be well on its way.

Opposite side of the coin

It’s difficult to wait for the dog to do something. It’s just as hard to exercise patience for them to stop doing something. But you can’t teach a dog “don’t.” You can reward the behavior you want.

Let’s use jumping on people as our example. Most people just grab their dog’s collar and haul them away, apologizing to the jumpee all the while. They’ve stopped the current problem, but done nothing to teach the dog what to do.

Instead, if you have a cooperative jumpee, set up the situation. While the dog is being rude and trying to get in the person’s face, what if everybody ignored the behavior and stared at the ceiling. Then, the instant the dog has all four paws on the ground, the dog gets rewarded and lots of attention. Just a few repetitions and most dogs catch on. If the dog gets even more treats and pets for sitting, they’ll probably choose to sit.

Thinking creatures

Think about it this way. If you think your dog is smart, they probably are. They’re also probably lazy. Which means they’ll happily foist off the chore of thinking if you let them. Thinking requires effort. Why should they do the work when you’re right there to do it for them?

The irony here is that once dogs do learn to think and make good choices, it snowballs. Dogs love solving puzzles, playing training games, and figuring stuff out. That first time you just wait them out will be rewarded many times over through your years together.

Dog training’s hardest part, like many things in life, is worth the payout. You can continue to do things the easy way and always tell your dog what to do. But in the long run, it’s easier on both of you if your dog actually knows what to do.

10 Dog Training Tips

Dogs are smart. They’re learning sponges, eager to absorb whatever you want to teach them. Use these 10 dog training tips and the sky’s the limit for you and your dog!

Everyone, dogs included, learns better and retains more when they’re having fun. Training isn’t a chore, it’s a chance to have fun with your dog.

Dog training isn’t tedious or prolonged. Short, fast, fun training games work. Concentrate on training for a few minutes at a time, ideally no more than five.

Dogs need time to process and absorb what they learn. Just because your dog didn’t get it today, doesn’t mean they won’t be brilliant later or tomorrow.

Vary your posture, place, and the dog’s position. If you do the same thing the same way all the time, that’s the only way the dog will know it. The classic example is “Sit!” Most people face their dogs, hold a treat up, and say “Sit!” If the dog is beside them, they don’t get it.

You don’t get to decide what your dog’s favorite things are. You may not like that your dog hates the expensive treats you got, but you have to accept it. If your dog prefers celery to salmon, use the celery. If they prefer toys to food, use toys as their reward.

Be patient. Whatever behavior you’re trying to modify is probably a habit. Changing a habit is hard and takes lots of determination. See last week’s 2-Minute Tip for more about patience!

Dogs don’t understand “sometimes” or “close enough.” If the dog sits when you ask for a “Down!” and you accept it, your dog will never understand either one. Set clear criteria and stick to them. That’s not being mean, it’s helping the dog understand.

Be honest with your dog. If you’re planning to give them a bath, don’t call them to get a cookie. If you’re leaving the house, don’t sneak out. Dog’s trust is easily broken.

Relax and enjoy. Training your dog is an ongoing and life-long process. You’re not trying to achieve anything except having the biggest, best life with your best friend.

Your dog wants to learn. Giving them the chance to live up to their potential is a gift to them. Dogs like knowing stuff. It helps them understand and cope with our human world.

Whether you’re aiming for relaxing walks around the neighborhood or the highest level of dog sports competition, these 10 dog training tips will come in handy. Nobody has to have a dog. You decided to get a dog for fun and company. They’re great at that. They’re also happier when you teach them the skills they need to be good dogs.

2 dog training traits you must have

2 Dog training traits – Patience and a Sense of Humor

There is a whole list of things we tell our students to bring to the first dog training class session. The two most important? Patience and a sense of humor. These are the two dog training traits you must have for success.

Both are crucial, whether your aim is to keep your dog from jumping on guests to competing at the highest level of dog sports. No matter what you’re trying to teach, your dog is learning the same way.

Getting the message

Let’s say your dog always pulls on leash, so you’ve started the 3-Step Pattern Walking game. Your dog did great with it in class – their head was already whipping around when you said your third word.

So the next time you play the game, you skip the first step and try to put it in motion. You just say your three-word phrase and your dog ignores you entirely. So you start repeating your third word, louder and louder. Until your dog finally turns around and looks at you. As if they’re asking “Are you talking to me?”

You have to possess your soul in patience. If you took a foreign language in school, you weren’t conversational the first week. You had to learn the vocabulary and proper word order to communicate. Look at dog training the same way. Last week we talked about patience being required when training “Off!” You actually need patience whenever you train your dog!

Laugh it up, fuzzball

Dogs trained with positive reinforcement are quick to try new stuff. When they don’t understand something, they try to fit it in a file they already know. A recent example here was Hope teaching Torque to pull open a drawer. She attached a string to the drawer pull, then a familiar object (a plastic spatula) at the other end to “Pull.”

Torque immediately grabbed the spatula and trotted over to the drawer to put it inside. It wasn’t what Hope wanted, but it was clever and adorable. And he was so very happy with himself. You could almost hear him laughing “I got this!”

He didn’t. But that’s okay. It was cute, and funny. His actions told Hope what game Torque thought they were playing and let her know some adjustments were necessary.

Always cute

Whenever you play training games with your dog, make sure your patience and sense of humor are along for the ride. Meet your dog where they are. Give them as long as it takes to understand what you’re teaching. And all the while you’re growing the 2 dog training traits you must have.

Some dogs are whizzes at some games. Those same dogs may take a while to catch on to other games. All dogs can learn whatever training games you want to teach. Enjoy the journey and the fun.

Foundation dog games #7: Off!

“Off!” Is the word you’ll use for everything from jumping on people to counter-surfing. The actual meaning of the word “Off!” for your dog will be “four paws on the floor.” That’s too much of a mouthful for you to spit out automatically when you need it.

It also may require that you do some practicing and retraining yourself. You know dogs can only assign one meaning per word. So if you’re saying “Down!” when your dog is up on something (or someone), stop it. “Down!” means lie down. It can’t mean both.

Clear as mud

Like all behavior modification games, you have to set up the scenario. It’s not impossible to train dogs on the fly, but it’s difficult and unclear. If you’re trying to teach “Off!” when guests are arriving for a party, it’s not going to work. You’ll be distracted, not focused on training your dog. It’s just not the time, so don’t waste your breath and effort. Just put your dog on leash and manage the situation.

Devote some 2-Minute Dog Training sessions to the “Off!” Game prior to that party, if there’s time. It’s pretty easy and most dogs catch on quickly.

How to play

Get some incredibly yummy treats your dog can’t resist. This is the time to pull out the hot dogs, or cheese. Start by pulling out a chair or stool that your dog has to get on hind legs to reach the seat. Pile a bunch of those yummy treats in the middle of the seat, covered with your hand. Make it the hand farther from the dog that’s doing the covering.

If the treats are tempting enough, your dog will jump and put front paws on the seat. Don’t say anything. Don’t do anything. This is where you have to be patient. When your dog can’t get to the treats, they’ll eventually drop down with all four feet on the floor. Say “Good Off!” and give the dog one of the treats from under your hand. Keep one hand covering the treats and use the other hand to reward the dog. It has to be the dog’s decision to get “Off!” the chair. Remember that “Off!” means four paws on the floor.

If you intervene and always tell your dog what to do when they misbehave, you’ll always have to. It takes time and patience to teach your dog to make good decisions. It’s worth it. Actually letting the dog decide to be “good” will last a lifetime. As opposed to saying “Off!” endlessly and hauling on the dog’s collar every time somebody comes over for the rest of the dog’s life.

Set up the game

It won’t take long before your dog knows they’re being “set up” when you pile treats on that chair. Dogs are pretty smart that way. When your dog just sits and looks at you when you put those treats on the chair, it’s time to change the game.

If your dog is tall enough to reach a table or counter, play the game the same way in those places. Or put the treats in a bowl on the chair. Move the chair into a different room. Change the scenario so the dog understands that “Off!” is always “four on the floor.”

Simon doing his version of counter-surfing

If counter-surfing is an issue in your house, set up your “Off!” Game to mimic when that happens. If your dog tries to “help” when you’re at the counter preparing food, set up the scene. Have some treats handy and get out your cutting board, cutlery, etc. Cut up some food. If your dog’s paws get on the counter, stop what you’re doing, cover up the prep area by shielding it with your arms and torso. Don’t say anything. Don’t do anything. Wait for your dog to get “Off!” When they do, reward immediately and use that word: “That’s Off!” “Good Off!” “I like your Off!”

Most people say “Good Boy!” Or “Good Girl!” It’s nice, your dog likes it, but it’s not teaching them the word you want them to know. Try to remember to use the word you’re teaching.

Grow the behavior

If jumping on people is your dog’s issue, you’ll need a volunteer to help you teach this expansion of “Off!” Set up the situation where your dog usually jumps on a person, and re-create it with your volunteer.

You stand by, ready with those yummy treats. When the dog jumps up on the person, have them stop moving, cross their arms at their chest, and stare at the ceiling. Again, don’t either of you say anything, or do anything. Just be still. When the dog gets all four paws on the floor, you and your volunteer can start petting and talking to the dog, remembering to say “Good Off!” This is often sufficient reward – the dog was asking for attention. You can also give a treat for “Off!”

Most dogs will jump right back up on the person as soon as that person moves. Your volunteer should immediately go into statue mode – arms folded, staring at the ceiling. How many times? As many as it takes to convey the message to the dog. Or until that training session’s time is up. How long it takes will vary widely from dog to dog. Some get it right away. Others have to be convinced over time.

Be consistent: “Off!” means four paws on the floor every time

Lots of people like to teach their dog to jump up on them when asked. They’ll pat their chest and say “Up! Up!” That’s perfectly fine. It doesn’t interfere with learning “Off!” because it’s a trained, invited behavior. It may actually help the dog understand the difference.

If “Off!” means four paws on the floor, don’t ask for more than that. Your dog doesn’t have to “Sit!” as part of “Off!” Acknowledge and reward the “Off!” before moving on to other commands. Reward good decisions as your dog makes them. You’ll discover it leads to more and more of those good choices.