Month: September 2024

3-Step Pattern Walking is the dog training game that fixes people’s number one complaint about their dogs – pulling on leash.

The longer your dog has been practicing pulling, the more ingrained the habit. And, honestly, most dogs like pulling – even if it makes them choke. The logic of it is simple. With a tight leash, the dog doesn’t have to pay attention to you. They know exactly where you are. Which frees up your dog to check out everything in the environment.

Changing the rules

Since habit is powerful, you’re not going to try to change it. Instead, 3-Step Pattern Walking gives you and your dog a new way of walking. Rather than breaking a habit, it’s a new way of going for walks.

We’re not going to lie. How long it takes to work, or whether it works at all, is entirely on you.You can’t skip ahead or move forward before your dog’s ready. But if changing the behavior matters to you, and you work the process, it works like a charm.

First step

Choose a three-word phrase you can easily remember. Most people use 1-2-3, or A-B-C. The most creative one has been “Coffee, Tea, Wine.”

Don’t make it specific to this dog, or use your dog’s name. Once you see how well this works, you’ll use it for every dog you have in your lifetime. Keep it simple and easy to say.

Once you’ve decided on your three word phrase, Get a bunch of high-value treats and your dog. Take five treats. Say only the third word in your sequence and give your dog a treat. Don’t ask your dog to do anything. They don’t have to sit, or look at you, or do anything. They’re getting a treat when they hear the word.

What you’re doing is making that third word the most valuable word in the world to your dog. EVERY SINGLE TIME they hear that word, they get a treat. No exceptions. And, at this point, no demands on their behavior.

Next Steps

Take another five treats and say the second and third words in your phrase. On the third word, give the dog a treat. 

Most people can predict what’s coming next. Say the entire three-word phrase and give your dog a treat on the third word. It does help if you make that third word more exciting. Your dog has now gotten 15 treats when they hear your third word. That word is starting to sound pretty amazing to your dog.

That’s it for the first session. You’re just introducing the phrase and its value to your dog. 

Do it again

The next session, do exactly the same thing. Your third word is starting to become a jackpot for your dog. If your dog’s head isn’t whipping around to look at you when you say that third word, stay here. Get better treats. We want your dog to perk up and be excited to hear that third word.

If your dog starts to drool at the second word, it’s time to move ahead. Dogs learn by the timing and placement of rewards. So it’s time to teach them where they’ll get that third-word reward. Hold the treat at the side of your leg. You’ll do the same thing, five treats each for word three, words two-three, and one-two-three. But the difference is the dog must come to the side of your leg to get the treat. 

Time to move

When your dog understands when (word three) and where (by your leg) they get rewarded, it’s time to put the pattern in motion. At first, one step for each word in the phrase. Keep your hands at your waist, just bringing the treat hand (the one closest to the dog) down on the third word. Don’t keep the treat in front of your dog’s nose. We’re rewarding, not luring.

When your dog reliably comes to the reward zone, or stays by your side as you walk and repeat the phrase, you can move on. Speed it up, take it out on walks. 

Don’t expect your dog to pay attention to the game for more than a few minutes at a time. If you’re walking in your neighborhood, with lots of distractions, use it only for two or three repetitions. Before you start, get your dog’s attention with “Touch!” Don’t just start yelling your dog’s 3-word phrase when they’re yanking you down the street. Stop, get some focus, then start.

Practice makes a new habit

We’re overlying a new habit on your dog’s previous behavior with this foundation game of 3-Step Pattern Walking. It takes time to form a new habit, so be patient and consistent. The result is worth it. Making every outing with your dog a nice walk in the park.

“Touch!” is the dog training game we use most often. It’s a fast, fun game. No special equipment, nothing but your hands, some treats, and your dog. The more you play it, the more useful “Touch!” becomes. Make it your dog’s favorite game – you’ll be happy you did.

We’ve seen “Touch!” played a few different ways, with varying results. The version we use really emphasizes the mechanics of the game. It makes a difference when you want to sustain the game longer than a single touch. 

It’s one thing to grab your dog’s attention momentarily when there’s a bicycle flying down the walking path next to you. It’s another when you need to keep your dog’s mind occupied while sitting in the veterinarian’s waiting room with a cat in a carrier across the aisle. Our version of “Touch!” is useful in either case.

Timing is everything

Basically, “Touch!” is just holding out your hand and your dog touches it with their nose. Sounds easy, and it is. The tricky part, if there is one, is keeping the dog doing it. It’s the last place you want your dog displaying “one and done” syndrome.

Remember that dogs learn by the timing and placement of rewards. That translates to being very conscious of what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. You don’t have to worry that you’ll break your dog, or ruin the game irretrievably. Getting it “wrong” just means you might confuse your dog and it may take an extra 2-Minute session or two for them to get it. Relax and have fun.

Focus on procedure

To play “Touch!”, hold your hand, palm out, in front of your leg at the level of your dog’s nose. It doesn’t matter which hand, or which leg. You’ll be manipulating the treats with the other hand, so it’s probably smart to offer the palm of your non-dominant hand to your dog. 

Hold your palm-out hand right there. Don’t ever move it in this game. Pretend it’s surgically attached to your leg and does not move. Again – the open palm facing your dog does not move during the game. Ever.

In case the emphasis and repetition don’t clue you in, this is the part of the game that almost everyone screws up when they’re learning how to play. That open palm is waggling all over the place, bopping into the dog’s face, curling around a treat, shifting to keep it in the dog’s sight. Again – the open hand that your dog needs to touch Does Not Move. 

When your dog interacts with the palm in any way (looks at it, sniffs it, licks it, touches it with their nose), use the other hand to bring a treat to the palm and give it to your dog. You can say “Good Touch!” if the dog did it. Otherwise, just stay quiet. Do Not Move The Open Hand. Just leave it there. Wait for your dog. Be patient.

Note: if your dog paws at your hand, don’t reward it. We’re being specific that the dog’s nose has to “Touch!” If this game looks a little like “Gimme Your Paw” to your dog, that’s understandable. When you play “Gimme Your Paw,” use a cupped hand, rather than a flat, open palm so your dog will understand the difference. You can start, like Hope did with Simon, seated cross-legged on the floor and your arm resting on your knee

Sustaining the “Touch!” behavior

As long as your open hand remains in place, your dog should keep touching it. Reward every single touch. Because the rate of reward is high for this game, dogs tend to learn it quickly and love playing it. Don’t be stingy with the treats. We want this game to have high interest and value for your dog so you can rely on their response when you need it. 

There really isn’t any next step. You put your palm out, your dog touches it, deliver a reward with the other hand, using the open palm as a target for the treat. Give the dog the treat – don’t drop it in your open palm (which would require moving that hand, which you shouldn’t do). You deliver it to the dog near the open palm. It can look and feel a little awkward, but it’s the way to explain the game to the dog. Remember dogs learn by the timing and placement of rewards. This is the placement part. It matters.

Play often, wherever

Because this is a go-to game in all kinds of stressful situations, be sure to play it often. Play it in every room, outside, in the car, at the pet store – wherever you and your dog go together. To keep your dog’s interest and love of the game at the highest level, don’t even try to slack off on the rewards. If every single “Touch!” gets rewarded, your dog will, reliably, “Touch!” when you ask them to.

If you keep the “Touch!” game valuable to your dog, they’ll respond when you need them to. Like when you let them out in the yard late at night for last walks and see the skunk ambling across. If your dog dashes over to “Touch!” you may not have to make a midnight run to the store for tomato juice.

Fundamental Dog Training Games 
1st of 7 in the series

The first, most foundational game your dog should learn is the Dog Name Game. It’s just like it sounds – your dog needs to know his/her name.

A friend of ours totally solved the issue. Realizing she and her husband invariably called their dogs “buddy” instead of their names, she named her new puppy Buddy. It works. He knows his name and responds without fail.

New cast of characters

A dog training student of ours recently adopted an adult dog from a shelter. The dog knew absolutely nothing when they got him, including the name the shelter gave him. Most rescues and shelters we know assign new names to dogs they take in. If the dog’s original name is known, they will try to use a variant that the dog may recognize. Most times, it means little, if anything, to the dog. 

That has to change. Whatever your dog’s age or where you got them from, the first thing they need to know is their name. When you say your dog’s name, their head should whip around toward you and their expression should be “What fun are we going to have now?”

Choose a good one

You can call your dog whatever you want. It’s probably the only circumstance where your opinion is the only one that matters. If you plan to compete in dog sports, it’s a good idea to choose something short, easy to say, and distinct. There’s a good reason that “Bella” and “Max” were the most popular dog names last year. They both fit the bill.

Over time, your dog will acquire all kinds of nicknames, from riffs on their actual name to sobriquets like “Knucklehead.” As long as you and your dog both know and like it, it’s fine. 

Change can be good

What if your dog arrived with a name you don’t like? Change it! If everything in the dog’s life is new, why not their name? It’s just as easy to play the dog name game with a new name as an old. You’ll be adding value to the name you choose.

If it’s a puppy, they’ll probably respond to anything anybody says, as long as they use an exciting voice. There is a special intonation people use for babies of all species. Try it out, looking at a picture of a cute puppy. Listen to yourself and keep that voice in mind when you play the Name Game.

How to play

The Name Game takes a little preparation. Buy a bunch of lidded small containers if you don’t already have them. Make a treat “trail mix,” with all kinds of dry treats your dog likes. You can mix kibble, cereal, freeze-dried meat, jerky, etc. We’ve talked about great dog training treats before, but the idea of the mix is that your dog never knows what’s coming next. There’s always the excitement of anticipation.

Fill the containers and distribute them around the house – one in every room. That includes the bathroom if your dog is in the habit of following you there, too. You’re not alone – most dogs do.

Now you’re ready to play the Name Game. 

Just that easy

All you do is say your dog’s name and, when they look at you, give them a treat. That’s it. They don’t have to do anything else. If you’re playing the Name Game, don’t ask them to sit before they get the treat. This isn’t about “Sit!” All they have to do is look at you.

Your dog will learn rapidly that responding to their name is always rewarded. Try not to say it when you don’t have a treat ready. Or if you’re annoyed. Use the happy-puppy tone. 

Remember when your mother used your whole name? And the tone she used for it? Don’t do that to your dog. If your dog has done something naughty, try not to use their name. It’s the one word you absolutely don’t want to poison by associating it with something unpleasant.

Always happy to hear it

Preserve your dog’s name for happiness. It has to be a trust word. Whenever you say it, good things happen. 

It doesn’t take long for dogs to learn their names playing this game. For all those saying “My dog doesn’t pay attention!” this is the game that turns that around. You can absolutely get and keep your dog’s focus, if you make it worthwhile.