Even the grumpiest getter-upper has a better start if dog games are part of the morning routine. You have to give your dog breakfast anyway. Why not turn it into a game to start the day?
Torque plays “Tap!”
You don’t have to go anywhere, or prepare anything special. The dog food’s already there. You’re there. Your dog is with you. Wouldn’t a game of “Tap!” make you smile? How about making a dog-training game out of making breakfast? Teach your dog to open a cabinet, just by attaching a rope to the handle. Wouldn’t that be adorable?
Productive morning routine
According to the giant search engine, the trend since the start of the year includes making morning routines more productive. While resolutions have gone by the wayside, now people are getting realistic and looking for good ways to make the most of their days.
It’s not easy to build a new routine – habits are almost as hard to make as they are to break. According to studies we’ve seen, it takes anywhere from 28 to 250 days to form a habit, with most people falling into a range of about 66 days. That’s more than two months!
It’s no wonder resolutions don’t happen. Especially since most aren’t fun. They may be good for you, but let’s face it. If it were something you enjoyed, you wouldn’t have to resolve to do it.
Training games are different
But you do enjoy playing with your dog. You must, or you wouldn’t have a dog. So start small for a new morning routine. When you measure out your dog’s food, set five pieces aside. And ask your dog to do something (time for Kitchen Games!), either one thing five times, or five different things (sit, stand, down, paw, spin). When the five pieces are gone, you can feed your dog as usual.
Or, if you find yourself smiling and having fun, use more of your dog’s meal to keep playing. And that’s how you start to form a new morning routine that’s not only productive, but fun as well.
With Valentine’s Day coming up, everybody and their uncle is getting all gushy and throbby-hearty. Nothing wrong with being reminded to show your love. There’s no such thing as too much. And one of the beings in your life that is the epitome of unconditional love is your dog. Pure, unselfish, love is what dogs bring to our lives. And training is that dog love language.
We’ve been hearing about “love language” for a while now – how people relate to five different types of “love language.” We’re not sure why you have to choose, all are valid. And all five are essential parts of dog training. Our conclusion is that one of the best ways to show your dog that their love is appreciated and returned is to play training games every day.
Five love languages
The five labels for love language are:
Words of affirmation
Acts of service
Gifts
Quality time
Physical touch
Even just listing them, aren’t you going “check,” “check,” “check” in your head while you’re thinking about training games?
Words of affirmation
This one is a “gimme.” Whether you tend to be quiet or enthusiastic in giving feedback to your dog, they know the click, the “good dog!,” the “atta boy (or girl),” is confirmation of their worth and your love. It’s affirmation up the kazoo. There’s not a dog owner in the world who hasn’t looked into their dog’s eyes and cooed “Who’s a good dog? You’re a good dog!” just to see that tail wag, butt wiggle, and paw dance. Check!
Acts of service
Maybe not in the context of training games, but all the things we do for our dogs. Granted, it’s a responsibility we’ve chosen to take, but that doesn’t minimize its value. Feeding, walking, bathing, cleaning up after – all of those things add up to acts of service for our dogs.
Non-dog people may see this and wonder what we get out of the constant demands on our time and attention, not to mention wallets. And if/when one of them mentions something to that effect, we can shake our heads and pity them. Because they have no idea how great it feels to be completely loved and trusted by a dog. They’ve never looked into a dog’s eyes and seen themselves adored. Isn’t that sad?
Gifts
Maybe all of these are pretty obvious. Whether your dog is food- or toy-motivated, every reward could be considered a gift. It can also be considered payment for a job well done. But our gifts to our dogs aren’t limited to the rewards given in training games. We don’t know any dog owner who hasn’t given their dog something “just because.” Because they’re cute. Or because they’re good. And just because we love them.
Quality time
This is the definition of dog training games. Even if you only manage one two-minute session on some days, for those two minutes your entire attention and focus is on your dog. That’s the gift that every dog cherishes above any other – quality time with you. Even if your training games don’t go the way you expect some days, you still managed to let your dog know they’re important, and loved. (See “Top 10 reasons to play dog training games.”)
Physical touch
This is probably the most common way that people connect with their dogs to let them know they’re loved. Every dog owner can relate to what’s happening when you see a dog shove their muzzle into a person’s hand. Or put a paw on an arm or leg. Dogs not only like physical touch, many are determined to claim it as their due. Dogs aren’t called “pets” for nothing. We like petting them, and they like to be petted. Where’s your dog’s favorite spot? Behind the ears? In front of their tail? How about their jaw/throat? Or is it tummy rubs they love most? Every dog owner knows.
It all translates to love
You’re a lucky person when you have a dog. Especially if you’ve taken the steps to give your dog the enriched and fulfilled life that training games bring. There’s no way you need a translator for dog love language. You’re already fluent.
Part of having dogs is all the “husbandry” stuff you have to do – brushing, cleaning, grooming, etc. Lots of dogs don’t particularly care for it – especially if you’re trying to mess with their face. Wouldn’t you, your veterinarian, and your groomer love it if your dog was a willing participant? That’s why we teach the “Gimme your face!” dog training game.
Like all communication between you and your dog, you can call the game whatever you want. A friend of ours uses “Chin!” to get her dog to lie flat with chin on the ground. It was her cue for the obedience “down-stay” exercise. Whatever you can easily remember would be just fine. We like “Gimme Your Face!” because it makes us smile.
Gimme Your Face was a game changer
And it can be incredibly useful. Quite a while ago, we had a Boston Terrier named Daemon. Unfortunately, Daemon developed cataracts in his eyes when he was only about seven years old. At the time, veterinary ophthalmologists would remove the cloudy lens, but did not implant a new one as they do today. Which would have been awful for Daemon – his favorite game was fetching his beloved yellow rubber ball.
So we asked our own optometrist if he would consider fitting Daemon for contact lenses. He agreed and our regular veterinarian came with – it was the only legal way the eye doctor could prescribe for a dog.
To get to the point for this tip – Daemon knew “Gimme Your Face!” And that was how we got him to rest his chin on the gizmo doctors use to look into your eyes. That same place you put your chin – Daemon knew to put his! If he hadn’t already known the game, there was no way the doctor could have prescribed contact lenses for Daemon.
Every day after work we would ask “Daemon, want to put your eyes in?” and he would run into the bathroom to have us put his contacts in. And every evening before bed, we would take them out. Over the next several years he only lost a couple of contacts – he loved being able to see.
Variation on “Touch!”
So how do you teach your dog to “Gimme Your Face!”? One of the very first training games dogs should learn is “Touch!” – touching their nose to the palm of your hand. If your dog doesn’t already play this regularly, start here: Training Touch! We like it because it’s a game you can easily play anywhere, especially when your dog is stressed and nervous. Remember that familiar games help dogs regain focus and composure.
To teach “Gimme Your Face!,” begin with the “Touch!” and, while rewarding your dog for the touch, slide your palm underneath the dog’s chin/jaw, cradling it lightly. Say “Good Face!” (or “Chin!” or your own word), reward again, and remove your hand.
Repeat the same sequence a few times, until your dog seems comfortable with it. Some dogs really love getting their chins/throats scratched, and easily learn this new game. Especially if you tickle or scratch them at the jaw.
Next steps
When you think your dog is starting to understand the game, try cupping your palm and saying “Face!” If your dog readily puts their chin in your palm – click and reward! “Good Face!”
The next step is to build some duration into “Gimme Your Face!” It’s easy to do – just keep your dog’s chin in your hand and deliver treats. Short intervals at first, then gradually increasing the time between rewards. If your dog lifts their head, return the treat in your hand to the bowl. Leave your hand in place and wait for your dog to replace their chin in your palm.
As always, some dogs love the game and catch on immediately. Others take a little longer. But it’s worth waiting for and being patient. Imagine how much easier it will be for you to brush your dog’s teeth and clean their ears if they willingly “Gimme your face!”
Puppies don’t come pre-trained. Give your dog time.
Do you give your dog time? Or do you expect your three-month-old puppy to be housebroken in a couple weeks? Leash-trained in a month? Stay out of the trash / laundry / mud instantaneously? It would be interesting if dogs came pre-programmed for all the “right” behavior. But they’re not machines. They’re living, breathing, thinking beings. And dogs need time to learn.
Say you’re out in public and you see a parent and child about two years old. The child is on a crying jag, screaming, kicking, and out of control. And the parent shouts and smacks the child.
You’re shocked! It’s obvious the child is overtired and the situation needs calm, not escalation. You don’t expect a two-year-old to know how to act in public, be perfectly potty-trained, and a pro at self-soothing. But many people expect a months-old puppy to be all of that and more.
Why positive reinforcement dog training “fails”
Positive reinforcement dog training is the best, scientifically proven means of training your dog. It works on people, it works on dogs. It doesn’t work fast, and it’s often misunderstood. Just like a human child is given time to learn at their own pace, without repercussions, dogs need time to learn, absorb, and practice good social behavior.
Lately there’s been a lot of nonsense floating around social media that positive training equals letting a dog do whatever it wants, whenever it wants. Nothing could be further from the truth. Dogs trained with positive reinforcement understand the limits of behavior and abide by them because they know. Not because they fear punishment if they fail.
Complete opposites
The nastiest trend in dog training lately is “balanced” training. From the explanations, it seems like this is a capricious mix of punishment and reward. If the dog does something good, it’s rewarded. If it does something “bad,” it’s corrected. But how is a dog supposed to know which is which? And how is “good” different from “bad”? Can you imagine living life at someone’s whim? Never knowing when something you do is going to end in pain? Dogs deserve better.
Until your dog understands how to be “good,” it’s up to you to limit the dog’s options for “bad.” If your dog steals shoes, keep shoes out of reach. Does your dog dig in your backyard? Go with him and keep him on leash. If your two-year-old child is fascinated by trucks, you stop him from running into the street. You don’t wait until he’s in traffic to act. You teach him not to do it. And pain isn’t part of the lesson. When one strategy in the 2-Minute method isn’t working the way we expect it to, we move to another: our “Plan B” – never a painful lesson.
Frustrating for the dog
One of our students has a bright, exuberant Miniature Poodle who she wants to compete with. One of his persistent problems in Hope’s competition Obedience class has been with the recall exercise. Instead of running straight to his Mom, at least half the time he runs over to Hope and starts jumping on her “Hi, I’m here!” “Hi!” “Hello!” “It’s me!”
Since Hope never encourages him, rarely looks at him, pets him, or talks to him, she didn’t understand why he does it. Until last week. His mom brought him into the building on leash, and he immediately spotted a new person. The dog ran over to this person while his mom said “He’s going to jump on you.” Since classes are at a dog daycare facility, it didn’t bother the person. Hope, witnessing this, told the dog’s mom she shouldn’t allow it. And was firmly told to mind her own business.
This dog will never understand why it’s okay to jump on a random man in the lobby and not the judge in the Obedience trial. His mother could easily turn this around – the dog is smart and eager to learn.
Keys to dog training
Dogs are easy to train if you abide by the key rules:
Be consistent. The rules are always in effect. Either it’s never okay to jump on people, or it’s always okay. Dogs know black and white. Shades of gray are alien.
Learning takes time. Be patient. You’ll know when your dog starts to think about their choices. Be on the lookout for those moments of decision – when your dog thinks before acting. That little hesitation before choosing the right thing is a triumph. Celebrate all the little wins.
Until your dog knows, control access. Remember there are three ways of dealing with dog behavior. Ignore the things you don’t care about. Manage the things your dog doesn’t know yet. Train the things you want your dog to know.
How true-to-life is your dog training routine? Is your dog up to real world dog training? What happens when you’re in the middle of a 2-Minute training game and someone in the house starts banging pots in the kitchen? Or somebody opens the door, either leaving or coming home? Does your dog stick with the game and play with you? Or do they run off to see what the fuss is about?
It’s hard to focus on what you’re doing when somebody elsewhere may be more interesting. Dogs are really curious beings – they always want to be in the middle of the action. How do you get your dog to stick with what you’re doing, rather than run off to explore that odd sound in the other room?
Being with Fran was rewarding
The best answer is to set up the situation and teach your dog there’s nothing more interesting than playing training games with you. The harshest test we ever dealt with was many years ago in a puppy class. Our instructor stopped at a fast-food restaurant on the way to class. He threw fresh, yummy-smelling french fries all over the floor. And our job was to walk our puppies from one end of the room to the other – without the dogs grabbing a single morsel. We’re delighted to report that all the puppies succeeded. And, when that trial-by-fire was over, he allowed us to share a couple of fries with our good dogs.
Are you more interesting than a french fry?
If you’re not sure, it’s time to fill your dog training games with fun, energy, and really high-level rewards. If you use a bunch of different treats your dog loves, have a fresh batch of this “trail mix” handy. If your dog’s favorite reward is playing tug, stick a great tug toy in your pocket, ready to whip out at any moment. Randomize rewards so your dog never knows when the next one is coming.
Dogs love schedules and patterns and it’s easy to fall into habits in dog training. To pull an example from obedience competition – in the “Recall” exercise, when called, the dog runs to you from across the room and sits directly in front. When told or signaled, the dog then “Finishes” the exercise by going to heel position at your left side. There are two different ways for the dog to get there. He can either go to your right and circle behind you to get to heel. Or he can swing into position toward your left side.
The Finish always follows the Recall. Every single time. Which means that dogs, being smart, understand what’s coming next. And they “save you the trouble” and go right into heel position instead of stopping in front. Which, depending on the judge, can mean failing the exercise. So how do you fix it?
Randomize it! If dogs don’t know what’s coming next – they pay attention to what’s actually going on. Sometimes ask for the circle finish. Other times the swing. Still others, tell your dog to wait and go around them!
Embrace the chaos
Randomizing all the factors in dog training games ensures your dog can ignore distractions, focus on you and your game, and disregard outside influences. Ask your family to make weird, random noises from various rooms. And if, after a quick glance, your dog stays with your game, reward heavily – an instant game of tug, and series of high-value treats, a quick belly-rub/wrestling match.
Just like playing games in different locations cements the learning with your dog, working through various distractions will help them focus when you need them to. If your dog is incredibly distracted when the doorbell rings, get a doorbell app on your phone and play different rings during 2-Minute dog training game sessions. If it’s somebody talking on the phone that your dog can’t resist, ask someone to sit to the side during your game and talk into the phone (whether or not there’s someone on the other end).
Set your dog up with different scenarios you can practice in a controlled manner. If your dog is constantly underfoot when someone’s trying to prepare food in the kitchen, have a mat or bed in there and practice “place!” Create real world dog training dilemmas and help your dog deal with them.
No training bubble for you!
Your dog lives in the real world. Set her up for success by creating real-life situations and getting her to concentrate despite the distractions. It’s tempting to stay in an isolated environment where your dog is always perfect. But it’s like the first-time parents of a newborn infant insisting that everyone be quiet because the baby’s sleeping. Baby has to learn to sleep through all kinds of real world noise. And doggo has to learn to focus in the real world, too.
“Drop It!” is one of the top three commands every dog should know. It can, potentially, save your dog’s life. We know – we have personal experience. The “Drop It!” dog training game is an important one to teach your pup early.
One day we had our dogs out in our own fully-fenced yard. Hope looks over to see her French Bulldog Dax chewing on something. Not good. Hope went over and told her to “Drop it!” Luckily, she did. It was a three-inch long stick of rat poison. Unfortunately, the sticks are about five inches long to start with.
It was a scary time, but getting the majority of the poison away from her, and a quick trip to the vet saved her life.
How did the poison get into our yard, you ask? It turns out that someone in the neighborhood used them in their own yard. The wildlife in the neighborhood – squirrels, birds, raccoons, opossums, skunks, etc.- didn’t know that only rats are supposed to eat them. They thought they’d discovered a bountiful feast and carried them all over the area. As far as we know, Dax was the only dog that found one. But we were cleaning up other animals for weeks.
Was it legal for our neighbor to do this? No, it wasn’t. Did we sue them to recover veterinary costs? Yes, we did. And won. However, no dollar amount would matter if our dog hadn’t recovered.
Teaching “Drop It!”
The first phase of “Drop It!” is relatively easy. It’s just trading toys with your dog. Start with a toy they like, but aren’t crazy about. You can either use two identical toys, or toys that have the same relatively low value. Play tug with your dog for a few seconds with one of the toys. Then hold the toy still while the dog is still holding it, and say “Drop It!” while you start moving the second toy with your other hand. The moment your dog releases the first toy to grab the other one, say “Good ‘Drop it!’” And play with the second toy – same procedure. That does it for the first “Drop It!” lesson.
Tango plays the “Drop It!” game with his toys – dropping them in the bin.
Dogs will be wary of letting go if they think that’s the end of the fun. As long as the game continues, the dog should be okay with swapping one fun thing for another. When it’s time to end the game entirely, rather than swapping, don’t ask for the “Drop it!” Instead, use something like “That’s all!” and offer an incredibly yummy treat.
Yes, we’re bribing the dog to do what we want. We’re okay with that. Until the dog understands the command, and will reliably do it, we use whatever positive means necessary to get the result we want. Taking away something valuable may cause dogs to guard it. And resource guarding can become a big problem.
Next step in “Drop it!”
To progress the “Drop It!” game, use a variety of different toys and/or treats, gradually introducing items your dog finds very valuable. It’s one thing to get a ball-loving dog to drop a rope toy. It’s another to get them to actually drop the ball.
If your dog is crazy about a certain toy, or kind of toy, be sure to have multiples of that identical item to teach drop it. Even the most well-trained dog may be reluctant to drop a cherished item. It may take a while to work up to the most valuable resources.
Go at your dog’s pace. If they don’t believe that the “other” item is as good as the one they have, they may not willingly obey the “Drop it!” Some dogs, like our own Booker, are more interested in the interaction with their people. The item doesn’t matter as much as the game.
Torque, on the other hand, prizes the ball above anything else. To him, having the toy is more important than the game. “Drop It!” is a persistent struggle for him, and when his better nature wins, he’s rewarded with even more time with his beloved ball. And if you’ve played the “Carry It” game with your dog, the “Drop It!” dog training game is the next logical, and important, step.
Know your dog
Knowing your dog’s personality and reward hierarchy is key. Stay with the less-valuable items as long as you need to build your dog’s trust in the game. Don’t make “Drop It!” the end of fun – reward with more time and use a different cue to end the game. You may even find that using a timer is beneficial. Your dog will learn that the “beep” of the timer signals the end of that game. Keep in mind that dogs love routine. If you always end the game when you hear the beep, your dog will know it’s time to go do something else.
Once your dog learns “Pick it up!” the next step is to hold it and take it someplace. It’s time for the “Carry it!” game.
For this game, use the same variety of objects you used for “Pick It Up!” If there’s a particular item you’d really like your dog to learn to carry, like a small whiteboard or tote bag, play the “Pick It Up!” game with that object so they’ll be ready to hold and carry it.
Imagine the social media posts you can create if your dog holds a whiteboard! Or how people will react when your dog carries their own stuff. Or even better – helps bring in the shopping!
Fun and maybe useful dog games
Booker loves the “Carry it!” dog training game.
Having your dog carry stuff for you has practical limits – they’re often not allowed places their skills could be put to use. But it is a fun and impressive behavior – from “go get me a soda!” to “put your toys away.” Fetching and carrying are things long associated with dogs. But most people don’t realize it can go far beyond a tennis ball or dog toys.
It doesn’t matter how old your dog is, what breed it is, or whether you’re an experienced dog person or not. All dogs can learn whatever you choose to teach them. Once dogs are familiar with 2-Minute Dog Training Games, they’re eager to try new stuff, happy to play, and enthusiastic about learning.
The start of “Carry it!”
If you’re using a clicker (and we hope you are) it’s easy to introduce your dog to the concept of keeping hold of an object. Play the “Pick it up!” game and, rather than an instant click, delay it. At first, just a tiny moment. If your dog is like most, as soon as they hear the click they’ll drop the object. We want to prolong the hold. So when your dog picks up the object, let them know they’re good – “Yes! Good dog!” but don’t click right away. Count to two, then click. If the dog immediately drops the object when they hear the click, say “good drop!”
The next step is to actually move while holding the object. Once your dog is holding it for a couple of beats, take a step back, encouraging your dog to come with you. If they drop the object rather than moving with it, stop and stare at the thing. “What were you doing?” or “You forgot something!” Wait until the dog picks it up and this time, just lean back. Your dog may not be ready for a whole step.
Add on gradually
As always, your dog will let you know when it’s time to add – both more time for the hold and more distance for the carry. When your dog is getting it “right” about 75 percent of the time, ask for more. Another step. A longer hold.
If your dog doesn’t like holding stuff, one game to turn that around is to tug on it. Just like pulling on your dog’s leash causes them to resist and pull more, tugging on something your dog is holding in their mouth will usually cause them to clamp it harder. That resistance is a trait you can take advantage of with both “hold” and “drop” behaviors.
You probably noticed that the “Drop it!” behavior is part of both holding and carrying. If your dog is a “it’s mine and you can’t have it” kind of dog, you’ll want to play “Drop it!” games separately. Next time we’ll go over the games for teaching “Drop it!”
There is no “one size fits all” to dog training. Your first attempt at training a new behavior may work, but dog training needs a “Plan B.”
One of the nifty things about dog training is that you can see it working. You can see the dog thinking, trying to solve the puzzle. And they love the process of problem-solving. Dogs trained with games are always happy to try. But what if the dog can’t do it? It’s time to present the question in a different way.
Dog Training Plan A
Cagney, the exuberant black lab mix pup
We were visiting with family this past week and got to meet their 10-month-old Black Lab mix puppy. Cagney is a really nice puppy. He gets along with their 14-year-old Pom mix, their small children, and is a happy, friendly pup. Who jumps to say hi. And to steal stuff off the counters.
When we came in, Cagney greeted us by jumping up. He’s a tall boy – his front paws were easily able to rest on our shoulders. An exuberant, but rude, greeting
And, like almost every puppy owner out there, our cousin reached for Cagney’s collar, pulled him away, and said “No jumping.” Needless to say, as soon as she released the collar, he was jumping again.
When asked, our cousin gave us the go-ahead to try something else. So we started the tried-and-true method of turning our backs on Cagney. He loved the game. He just followed us around in circles to jump some more. Apparently, there’s a lot of spinning in circles with little kids around. Cagney had fun, but it didn’t work as a “stop jumping” game.
Shifting to a new plan
Dogs always follow the path that’s most rewarding for them. Cagney’s goal was to get our attention. And, from his perspective, he succeeded. His jumping has always gotten him attention – either from the person he was jumping on, or from his people getting hold of him. Either way, his goal was met.
We had to shift his thinking. Another way of stopping a dog’s attention-grabbing behavior is just to leave the vicinity. Walking away from the dog takes away the game and usually stops it cold. But Cagney is, once again, accustomed to the behavior of small children, who constantly run around. That method wouldn’t work with him.
The response to Cagney’s jumping is to stop everything. Movement, conversation, looking, grabbing, everything. We folded our arms and stared at the ceiling. Cagney didn’t understand at first, pawing at our arms, and jumping. This is where the hardest part of dog training comes in. We just stood there, silently. In just a few moments, Cagney’s puzzlement (or frustration), caused him to just sit. And he was immediately praised, rewarded, petted, and fussed over. He attempted to jump. Arms folded, eyes on the ceiling. He sat again. Praise, pets, and treats.
Not a doggy genius
And just like that, with only a couple of repetitions, Cagney got the idea. There were a couple of times over the next few hours that he forgot himself and jumped. But he learned just that fast – when he wanted our attention, he came over and sat. The “be patient and ignore” method also works with nuisance barking as a Plan A or a Plan B.
Is the jumping problem “solved?” No, not yet. It will take a while before the 10 months of jumping is overridden by the new sitting behavior. If our cousin doesn’t keep it up, it won’t last at all. And until it’s a habit to greet people by sitting, our cousin will have to get all visitors to “fold and stare.” And reward heavily every time he successfully sits instead of jumping.
Dogs learn by the timing and placement of rewards. When Cagney makes the right decision to sit, praise has to be almost instantaneous for him to make the connection. Puppies especially have a very short attention span, and if there’s a lag between behavior and praise, the link may not take.
Planning ahead
The reason we have a variety of games to play for almost every dog behavior is so we can adapt to the dogs we meet. What works for one dog, may not work for another. Just like people, they have different learning styles, different experiences, and different knowledge sets.
If the game you’re playing with your dog isn’t getting results, think about what’s going on, how the dog is reacting, and what you can do to change it. Just like when you’re talking with someone who isn’t understanding what you’re saying, find a different way to express it. There are lots of ways to do almost anything. The right one is the one that works.
Lots of dog-training games start with the dog picking something up. For many dogs, getting them to ignore something on the floor is harder to do than grabbing it. If your dog’s in this group, now you have a way of putting their natural curiosity to work. We touched on the “Pick it up!” dog training game in relation to Obedience dumbbell work.
Since dogs don’t have hands, their way of checking something out is first to sniff, then to taste. Exploring their world is generally a good thing – as long as you’re there to pull the not-so-good things out of their mouths. We know one puppy who took four different trips to the emergency veterinarian because: Socks!
Torque loves the “Pick it up!” dog training game.
Assuming that your dog’s a picker-upper kind of dog, getting them to do it for the Pick It Up! game is simple. Assemble a bunch of different “stuff” from around the house. Try to vary the shapes and materials. Include plastic, wood, metal, fabric – whatever you can find. For obvious reasons, don’t use anything that can’t be easily cleaned. We use various kitchen utensils and items destined for recycling. The kitchen stuff can go in the dishwasher, and the recycling will still be recycled if/when it gets broken. A recent 2-Minute Trainer “Spotlight” video featured Torque putting his cans in separate containers.
How to Play “Pick It Up!”
Have your treats and clicker ready. Start by placing one object, say a wooden spoon, on the floor. When your dog looks at it, click and reward. Clicker-trained dogs know when they hear that sound that they’re on the right track. Reward close to the spoon so the dog knows the spoon is important in this game. Dogs learn by association. When your dog sees that you’re interested in the spoon, that you reward for interaction with it, he/she will quickly learn to be interested in it, too. So if your dog isn’t interested in looking at the spoon, much less picking it up, just be patient and stare at the spoon. Lean over to emphasize your focus on that spoon.
Chances are your dog will look at the spoon just to see what you find so fascinating. You may even get a semi-frustrated “Lady, are you crazy?” look from them. That’s okay. If you stay where you are and just wait, your dog will look at the spoon. Click and reward!
Dogs repeat what’s rewarded. What gets rewarded, gets repeated. When your dog’s looked at the spoon and been rewarded three times, it’s time for you to ask for more. Your two minutes are probably spent by now, so save it for the next time you play.
Be patient
Next time you play “Pick It Up!” your dog’s probably going to run straight for that spoon and stare at it. But it’s time for the next step, which is getting the dog to touch it with their mouth. Many dogs will paw at something, rather than pick it up. It’s time for you to be patient. Stare at the spoon. If you’re soft-hearted when it comes to your dog (and who isn’t?), give a click and treat for that initial look. Then wait patiently and encourage your dog to do something else. Lean over and stare at the spoon.
Resist the temptation to click and treat if your dog uses their paws. That’s not what we’re looking for with this game, and you may wind up confusing your dog if you reward pawing. If they try it, just be encouraging, but make it clear that’s not the behavior you want. “That’s okay, dog, but not what we want. Can you try something else?”
Some dogs get frustrated and try to disengage or get a little wild. If your dog disengages, have them on leash to play. At least they’ll stay in the vicinity. Keep staring at the spoon – your dog will come back and try again, as long as you’re patient and encouraging. If your dog tends to lose focus and start messing around, play a game they know, like “Touch!” to get their head back in the game.
Hardest part of dog training
You’ve heard us say, many times, that the hardest thing in dog training is doing nothing. This is one of those hard times. And if the timer goes off after your 2 Minutes, and your dog hasn’t touched the spoon with their mouth, that’s okay. You’ll try again another time, starting again from the look.
You want your dog to be successful. But this initial stage is where your dog does the most learning. If you “help” by handing your dog the spoon, or pointing at it and saying “get it, get it!” you’re not letting your dog learn. You’re depriving them of the chance to solve the puzzle. And the joy of figuring it out themselves.
Sooner or later, your dog will touch the spoon with his/her mouth. Click and reward! Three times. Then ask for more. The next step is to pick it up. Success! Call it something – “Good Pick Up!” “That’s Pick Up!” or whatever you want to call the game. Use something that’s easy for you to remember.
What next?
When your dog is successfully picking up the initial object, he/she may drop it as soon as they hear the click. That’s okay. That’s what this game is about. Adding on more behaviors such as holding it, carrying it, putting it someplace else, are all different games you can play with your dog.
The next step for “Pick it Up!” is to play with other objects. Different shapes, materials, and placements around the room, then around the house. You can even name the objects for your dog. Studies have shown that dogs can understand names of things, if you want to teach it. Again, so that your dog can generalize “Pick Up!” play with other things in different places.
This simple game can turn into whatever behavior you can imagine. It’s the start of that all-star dog behavior of fetching you a soda from the refrigerator. Or something even stronger.
It’s never a bad time to play dog training games. Whether we’re talking about the time of day, the phase of your life, or how old your dog is. Truthfully, your dog is learning from you all the time – how to behave, what you like, what’s acceptable, and absolutely what’s not.
We talked to a person today who’s interested in doing “stuff” with her dog. She has a three-year-old Labrador Retriever and knows he’s smart. He can “do stuff.” And she’s reached a point where she knows he’s not living up to his potential. He can do more. And she wants to give him that chance.
How much training
It surprises first-time dog owners that dogs are intelligent beings who thrive on challenges. The before-dog fantasy may have included cuddles on the couch, or everywhere companions. But it probably didn’t incorporate the laughs, frustrations, and surprises in store.
When people adopt dogs from rescues or shelters, they tend to be all gung-ho on training class right away. They don’t realize it takes weeks before the dog adjusts to the new environment. At first, it’s more important to let the dog decompress and start to relax. For these dogs, 2-Minute sessions may be ideal. Just a little bit at a time, and always fun.
Getting a puppy is a bit different. Puppies aren’t “blank slates,” but they don’t have the baggage that rescue dogs carry. Puppies are ready to absorb and learn from day one. But they don’t have the attention span or stamina. Or, for that matter, the retention. For these dogs, the short, fast, fun games are perfect.
When to get “serious”
Like the woman we spoke to, there comes a time that you look at your dog and realize how much more they’re capable of. The long walks and “fetch” sessions are routine and getting a bit boring. Maybe that’s when you start investigating what more there is for you and your dog.
All of the dog sports exist for fun. Some you and your dog can play in the comfort of your own home, like “Trick Dog.” Others need wide open spaces and knowledgeable instruction to keep you and your dog safe, like agility. When you start to look around, you’ll find a myriad of possibilities for every dog/handler team.
