Category: dog training made fun

Training Game: teaching your dog to tap

Teaching your dog to “Tap” is another little training game to play anywhere. 

Little games that don’t need anything but you, your dog, and some treats are useful wherever you go. If you’re waiting at the vet’s office the game can help reduce your dog’s stress. If your dog obsesses on the neighbor mowing the lawn, you can get attention back by playing a game. Whenever you need to reclaim your dog’s focus, having a few games to play will make it easy. (“Touch” is another game we talked about a couple of months ago.)

Making sure that every interaction with your dog is positive and fun ensures that your dog will want to engage with you. If he/she can always count on having fun (and treats!), there’s nothing better. Not even the squirrel climbing the tree across the street.

Teaching “tap”

Does your dog use his/her front paws to get your attention? Many dogs do, and you can make use of this habit to lay the foundation for the game. 

For us, Booker is the one who uses his paws the most to get attention. As a matter of fact, it’s really annoying. You’re sitting there on the couch and he comes over next to you and grabs your hand. Which is how television channels change and texts turn into gibberish around here.

Instead of getting annoyed, use the dog’s natural habit to play the game. 

Tapping the shoe

Our vision of the game has the dog “tapping” the toe of a shoe with his paw. To change Booker’s annoying habit into a fun game, we brought a shoe with us when we went to relax on the couch. Teaching your dog to tap may require equally strange props!

With the shoe either next to us or on our lap, we ignored Booker pawing at us until he touched the shoe with his paw. Then he got attention, pets, and treats! That’s really all it takes to get a dog choosing to play a game. It’s fun to watch them figure out what action is triggering the reward.

Do it again!

The hardest part is being patient. Booker “patted” lots of different things until he zeroed in on the shoe. The game stays the same until the dog figures out that tapping the shoe is what gets the cookies! 

Once your dog is successful about three-quarters of the time, it’s time to start asking for more. If the shoe was on your lap, can the dog tap it when it’s next to you? How about if the shoe is on the floor? Across the room? And finally, how about on your foot?

Tap dancing

The goal of the game is for the dog to tap your toes alternately, left and right. Once your dog has the idea of tapping a shoe, the rest should be relatively simple. Remember to keep moving forward, but not so fast that your dog (or you!) get frustrated. If your dog is having some trouble taking the next step, wherever you are, just go back and reinforce where she was successful. Small steps get you there! 

Torque taps Hope's shins. Teaching your dog to tap is fun.

It’s okay to set your own criteria for every game you play with your dog. Torque, Hope’s French Bulldog, likes to “tap” her shins rather than her shoes. It wasn’t worth it to Hope to change his mind – he’s engaged, having fun, alternating his “taps,” and playing with her. Shifting his focus down to her shoes didn’t seem important. Especially when it’s easier to see his cute little face when he taps her shins!

Training is all about your bond with your dog

There are all kinds of reasons to play training games with your dog. There’s a whole list of positives: improve manners, build trust, inspire confidence, etc. But the most important one for most people is that it deepens and strengthens your bond with your dog.

Many people think that because there are multiple people living in a home that the dog is a family pet. Maybe. But if one person is primarily responsible for that dog’s care, their bond is stronger. And if one person is always the one to play training games with that dog, that bond is powerful. If the same person both cares for, and plays training games with that dog – that relationship is unbreakable.

Unbreakable bond with your dog

Fran has trained Tango (Brussels Griffon) to put his toys away, into a bin. Training games strengthen the bond with your dog.

We got an illustration of that this week. Fran’s 2-year-old Boston Terrier Simon is in need of some road work to build his stamina before his agility career takes off. Fran’s taking him for his workout at the time she’d normally play training games with her two other dogs, Tango and Booker.

Tango is a 12-year-old Brussels Griffon. If you don’t know Griffs, know that they’re generally one-person dogs. Tango was extraordinarily so when he was younger. You can read all about it in Fran’s book Tango: Transforming My Hellhound. He tried to bite anybody else. 

He has mellowed through the years. Now Hope can handle him easily, and he generally pays pretty good attention to her. When Fran’s not home, he’s happy to follow Hope around instead.

But he doesn’t “get” playing training games with Hope. That’s reserved for his person. And Tango adores playing his training games. The game today was supposed to be “Put your toys away” which is his favorite in the world. He bounces when he retrieves the toys from the pile, he bounces when he heads over to the toy box to put them away. 

Never heard it before

Tango is adorable when he sits there, stares at you, and has a completely blank look on his face. He never heard “Put your toys away!” before. Unless Fran says it. 

The take-away here is that if you want your dog to be a family dog, everybody needs to play training games with him/her. (We wrote about this a couple of months ago too.) You can all play the same games. Or each person can have a unique training game. But everybody has to play.

If, on the other hand, your objective is that unbreakable bond between one individual and a dog, that person should play training games. Just once a day helps. Several 2-Minute-Training games per day will cement the relationship forever.

Positive reinforcement works

This week we are grateful to the people and government of the great state of Ohio for proving that positive reinforcement works.

It wasn’t an experiment, and it wasn’t dogs that proved it. (Although our dogs prove it every day, through our commitment and philosophy.) People respond to positive reinforcement, consciously. It’s a shining example of the power of this method of training.

Deadly serious

If you watched the news this week you know that the rate of vaccination against COVID 19 has been dropping. Officials, both medical and governmental, around the nation have been scrambling for ways to get more people to overcome vaccine hesitancy and roll up their sleeves.

Getting a vaccine so you’ll be protected against a potentially deadly disease sounds like pretty good motivation. But it wasn’t enough.

Protecting your friends, loved ones, and people who you come into contact with is another good reason. Again, not enough.

Being able to ditch the mask, go places, and do things is an excellent reason to get vaccinated. And it still wasn’t enough.

We’d equate it to giving your dog a pat on the head and saying “Good dog!”

What worked

The State of Ohio got creative. 

The state is sponsoring five $1 million dollar drawings open to adults getting the first dose of vaccine. Sign-ups increased by 28%.

Ohio is also offering a chance at one of five full-ride scholarships to any in-state college or university for teens age 12-18 getting a first dose of the vaccine. Vaccine sign-ups skyrocketed by 94% among 16 and 17 year-olds in the state. (Here’s the Ohio Department of Health’s release about the success of the program.)

This is positive reinforcement. This is how people react to the possibility of a great reward.

Pay your dog

Simon is proof that positive reinforcement works.

Yes, your dog loves you and will “work” for you. A pat on the head and “atta boy!” is nice. If you want enthusiastic, eager attention and active learning, pay your dog. The better the reward, the better the response. You’ll find the statistical proof in Ohio.

Dog manners for greeting visitors

Is your dog a nut job when company comes? Do you wish your dog had better manners for greeting visitors?

It’s been especially tough during the pandemic – not many people were open to visiting. Many dogs either forgot the manners they had, or never had a chance to learn polite greetings. You can turn that around, with some basic training games to teach your dog what to do when the doorbell rings.

Doorbell behavior

It’s always easier to teach something “to” do, rather than “not to” do. If your dog learns that the doorbell, or a knock on the door, is a trigger for a specific behavior, you’re giving them a familiar goal. 

You won’t necessarily be able to stop your dog from giving a startled bark. A doorbell is meant to alert the household that someone has arrived. What a learned behavior will achieve is making the aftermath of the doorbell sound into a familiar routine.

Teach “Place”

Booker in his "place!"

If space and your routine allow it, have a dog bed or mat in view of the door. When you teach your dog “Place” (2-Minute-Trainer.com Book 1) your dog will know that his/her “job” is to run to the bed when the doorbell trigger sounds. It’s really an ideal scenario. Your dog will be able to see what’s going on, you’ll know where your dog is, and whoever is at the door will be able to deliver your pizza without fuss. 

If you’re not in the habit of getting deliveries, set up the scenario with a friend or family member when your dog has mastered “Place,” and will dash to the bed or mat as soon as you say your cue word. It doesn’t have to be “Place.” If a different word comes more naturally to you, by all means use it and teach that word to your dog so that he’ll develop better dog manners for greeting visitors.

Choose a different behavior to “do”

One of the biggest obstacles in teaching dog training is getting people to change from the “don’t” words to the “do” words. It’s natural to tell your dog “Off!” when she’s jumping on your friend. (Never “Down!” – that means lie down. Each word has only one meaning for your dog.) 

But it’s not helpful. It doesn’t give your dog anything to do. “Stop” doesn’t mean anything to dogs. She’s doing lots of stuff – walking, jumping, sniffing, licking, etc. What do you want her to do?

It takes time and conscious thought to change the “stop doing that” into “Sit!” or “Touch!” Giving your dog a task to perform, one that’s familiar and is always rewarded, if more likely to be successful. 

Just like kids

If you’ve ever witnessed, dealt with, or been with squabbling children, it’s a very similar situation. We’re convinced it’s how the vast majority of “road trip games” came into being. Giving them a task, like license plates to look for, is more effective than saying “Stop touching each other!” It separates the children to look out their own windows, and occupies their minds. Do the same for your dog and manners will improve!

Look out for your dog – be an advocate

It looks like the world is starting to open up again. With more events and activities available, it may be time to think about taking your dog to an in-person dog training class. If you do – look out for your dog!

If you’re here, you’re on board with training your dog at home, often, with short, fast, fun, and effective dog training games. It’s a great way to build a strong, consistent, clear relationship. In-person classes are a great adjunct to your at-home sessions – as long as you look out for your dog. We’ve talked before about training classes, and the importance of making sure your dog gets everything out of them.

Respect, but don’t concede

Check out a training class so you can look out for your dog!

Ideally, before you sign up for any dog trainer’s in-person class, you would have the opportunity to observe class and talk to some current and former students. These days, that’s probably not possible. 

Instead, you have to thread the needle between enthusiastic participation and critical judgement. The easiest way to say this: Don’t do anything to your dog that makes you uncomfortable. No matter who tells you.

And don’t hand over your leash to anyone unless you’re comfortable they would treat your dog as you would.

Know better, do better

For many years the accepted and universal method for dog training involved physical punishment. Collar “pops” were the order of the day. We cringe when we remember how we were taught. And we’re embarrassed and ashamed by the pain we inflicted on our wonderful dogs.

What do you do if the instructor asks, or tells, you to use negative reinforcement on your dog?  It could be a choke collar, prong collar, electronic collar, yelling, hitting, any physical or intimidating method. 

Avoid confrontation

The simplest thing to do, and we must admit we’ve used this ourselves, is simply to say “Okay” and then ignore the advice. The instructor may think you’re not very bright, but that’s better than damaging your relationship with your dog.

If the instructor thinks you’re just not “getting it,” he or she may reach for your leash to take your dog and show you how it’s done. Don’t let them. Just say you’re not comfortable with that.

Should the instructor persist, it’s time to let them know why you’re not following their instructions. You are a positive reinforcement trainer and prefer to stick to non-punitive methods. 

Look out for your dog 

You are your dog’s advocate. Stick to your guns and be strong. Both the science and results speak for themselves – positive reinforcement works. You may have to find another class – or stick to home training if there are no other choices. 

Your dog would thank you for it, if she knew how you advocate for her.

Even finicky dogs work for food & Puppy Pushups game

It seems counter-intuitive. Even if there’s a full bowl of food available, dogs work for food. The exact same food that’s in the bowl.

People do the same thing. The psychologist’s name for it is “contra-freeloading.” Even when “free” stuff is available, people will still work for reinforcement, whether it’s money, food, or other valuable rewards. Some of those rewards may be intangible, but they still exist. 

More than just the food

We’ve all heard the saying “When you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Dogs love “working.” Even when your dog knows the house rules and grows into a beloved family member, training should be part of life. It’s how we create our dogs’ best life. That’s something we want for everyone we love.

Try it yourself. Your dog will absolutely choose to play training games with you and work for food. If your dog is indifferent to food in a bowl, turn that meal into a training game. Ask for anything! We just gave a step-by-step for the “Touch!” game – alternate hands. Move around. Just don’t bop your dog in the nose with your “Touch!” hand! See if your dog doesn’t get excited about the game and the rewards she gets for playing!

You’ll see a change from fussy eater to eager worker, probably in that first 2-Minute session. And the faster and more fun your game is, the more food will disappear.

Puppy push-ups

Simon is sitting in his work for food session.

Another good mealtime game is “Puppy Push-ups.” Traditionally, it’s a fast-and-furious timed game. How many times can your dog go from “Sit!” to “Down!” in one minute. We like to add another position cue – “Stand!” That way we can mix it up. If your dog doesn’t know all three, now is a good time to teach that, too!

If the game only has two positions, your dog knows what comes next. He doesn’t have to listen or pay attention if he knows what’s coming. Since we want the dogs to actually understand and listen, what comes next should be a surprise. Adding the third position command to the mix does the trick. Your dog never knows what you’ll ask for next, so she has to listen and be ready!

Reward for speed

The more enthusiastic you are about the game, the happier and more excited your dog will be. Dogs feed off our energy. If you’re tired after your day, fake it. It turns into genuine enthusiasm when your dog responds and gets excited to be playing with you.

In the throes of the game, keep your criteria for rewards clear. While it’s better to give too many rewards than too few, try to stay on track and only reward when your dog performs the position you called. If you ask for a “Sit,” and your dog lies down, then stands, or looks confused, wait a few beats before you repeat the command. If he still doesn’t get it, take a tiny break for him to get his head together. Take a step to the side, ask for a touch, and start over. 

Just like us

When dogs get too excited, they can stop listening and start doing any old thing to make you smile. It’s adorable, and you can certainly switch gears and have a “freestyle” session. That’s one where you don’t ask for anything, but let your dog have fun and reward the creative behaviors that she creates.

If it’s not what you intended, it’s still okay. You may want to move to a different spot to indicate that it’s a change of games. You can play any game at any time – that’s the beauty of having an entire repertoire of choices for you and your dog.

Watch your words in dog training

You have to watch your words in dog training. What you say to your dog matters. Dogs are capable of understanding hundreds of words – as long as we’re clear on the meaning of those words.

"Sit down!" Watch your words in dog training - this is actually 2 commands!
“Sit down!” Is it “sit” or is it “down?”

Think about it. If you say “sit down over here!” it’s a perfectly fine English sentence – if you’re talking to a human being. To a dog, it’s possible you just gave three different commands; sit, down, here. Which one is the dog supposed to obey?

If your dog doesn’t instantly obey, or even looks confused when you tell him/her to do something, replay what you actually said. Were you clear in your instructions, or did you inadvertently say something like “sit down?”

Words in dog training have unique meanings

It’s true that dogs can understand many words. But they’re unable to assign more than one meaning to the same word. Dogs are binary creatures, yes or no, good or bad, this or that. 

The example most people are guilty of confusing their dogs with is “down.” When you want your dog to relax on the couch, what word do you use? For most, it’s some version of “lie down.”

That’s fine. It’s the proper use of the word. Traditionally in obedience, “down” means lie flat on the floor. 

"Down" or "Off?" These words in dog training mean much different things.
“Down!” or “Off?”

How many times has your dog jumped up on something or someone and you said “down!” Don’t feel guilty. Everybody does it. It takes conscious thought and a decision to change to use the word you really mean – “Off!”

Some of our clients/students seem to think we’re being too nit-picky when emphasizing these small differences. But the variations are minor only if you think like a person. If you think like a dog, you get confused. 

Confusion gets in the way

If you’re training your dog for competition in any dog sport, from traditional obedience to free-style dance, it’ll be easier and faster if you’re precise in your word use. 

Be sure the words you use have only one meaning and that you convey that meaning clearly to your partner. Remember, your dog isn’t a native English speaker – you’re teaching him/her a foreign language. If your dog seems confused in a 2-Minute Training session, that’s probably exactly what’s happening. 

If you’re not sure exactly what you said, and there’s no one else around to watch, this is another time it’s valuable to record your sessions. Watch and listen to your sessions, especially ones where your dog exhibited confusion by turning away, disengaging, or getting distracted. Pay special attention to what you said or did immediately before that happened. Did you accidentally confuse your dog? 

Some dogs are particularly concerned with getting things “right.” When confusion hits, they disengage rather than make a mistake. This reaction is normal for some dog personalities – just like some people are more willing to make mistakes than others.

Tone matters, too

We used to think that you could say any words when talking to a dog. As long as your tone was kind, you could get away with saying horrible things. Depending on the dog, that’s not true. Dogs actually are capable of understanding the definition of several hundred words. No matter how you say it, they’ll know “no” isn’t a good thing. We’ve talked about clarity before in turns of tone and the word “no.”

In order to keep your dog happily engaged, use a less judgemental word to indicate a “flub.” We use “oops” – you can never sound anything but silly when you say it.

Food is dog training currency

Dog training is a bargain you make with your dog. They get what they want when we get what we want. Food is dog training currency.

There’s a brilliant example of this in Ore Ida’s current advertising campaign. It’s “Potato Pay.” Fundamentally, it’s bribing your kids with french fries to eat their vegetables. If you haven’t checked out the website, it’s great for a few chuckles. We particularly enjoyed the “Frynancial Guide.” We realize it’s only half serious, and so does Ore-Ida: “Is it ethical? No. But it is edible, and a win-win for both fussy eaters and parents.”

But wait! We don’t bribe our dogs!

Fran is using treats to reward good behavior outside: food is dog training currency everywhere.

Of course we do! The difference is that our dogs don’t really understand the “deal” the way people do. That’s why it’s so crucial to establish the relationship between action and reward. The clicker builds in a little delay “that was good, keep going, the reward is coming.” But the reward must always follow the action. Dogs are always rewarded for choosing well. Every single time.

People talk about “fading” out the reward or not using food for training their dogs. How do they motivate their dogs to work for them? And are they, or their dogs, having any fun with training?

In human terms: You have a job you love. You love everything about it – the work, the place, the people. Would you still do that job if you didn’t get paid? Would a hearty “Atta Girl!” really be enough compensation?

It really is just that simple.

Don’t be stingy with dog training currency

People often say they don’t want their dogs to get fat. It’s a legitimate concern. Dog obesity has been on the rise and is a significant factor in dog health. That doesn’t mean you skimp on training rewards. Instead, how about setting aside a portion of your dog’s food to use for training treats? His/her meal may be smaller, but if your dog inhales his/her food in seconds, will he/she notice? 

You can even feed your dog 100 percent from your hand. Why not make meal time training time? It would certainly be more fun for both of you. You have to feed your dog anyway. Think about making it a 2-Minute Training session. You can certainly play “Touch!” for a couple minutes in the kitchen. Whatever’s left in the dog bowl, that can be your dog’s meal, if anything. We’ve talked about this before, and offered other strategies for keeping the calorie count down.

Pay your dog

Pre-pandemic, all human cultures shared one particular ritual – bonding over food. It works for all people through time, from the legend of the first Thanksgiving to the “business lunch.” We may not be able to sit at a table with our dogs and share a banquet, but we can certainly bond over food. 

Food motivates our dogs to try to understand what we’re saying. The hardest case we’ve known was our own Tango. He adored Fran from the moment he saw her. He hated everyone else – including Hope. It wasn’t simple avoidance and warning, Tango actively tried to bite. 

Hope spent weeks hand-feeding Tango for every dinner. At first she just handed him the food, one piece at a time while she babbled nonsense to him. Then she started asking for simple behaviors; “sit,” “down,” “stand.” It wasn’t fast, but it worked. Tango has become a model citizen and host. Anyone is welcome in his home.

Payment in kind

If, by chance, you don’t have a food-motivated dog or your dog has food sensitivities, your path is a little more difficult, but not impossible. Find the currency that’s most valuable to your dog. It could be tug toys, or a ball. Try different foods and see if his/her taste buds can be tempted. Cheese? Popcorn? Dried shrimp? Can you soak prescription food in some meat broth and then let it dry again? Or dust it with grated parmesan?

Some dogs even find the training games themselves enough of a reward. If that’s the case, your dog is a gem. Play with your dog!

Training “Touch!” Dog Training Game

The “Touch!” dog training game can be a pocket game you pull out and use any time you and your dog are together. It’s great when your dog is stressed, if you’re waiting at the vet’s office. Or if your dog is intently focused on something that’s none of his business, like that other dog on a walk. 

To make this a go-to game, you and your dog must play it often. And your dog has to love it. Absolutely adore it. When your dog values playing this game more than any other stimulus, you can play it to keep your dog’s attention where you want it. That’s when it becomes one of the most useful tools in your dog-training toolbox. 

Tools of the game

“Touch!” doesn’t require much stuff. Just you, your dog, and some treats. Really prime treats. Leftover steak kind of treats. 

This may be a good place to talk about the “hierarchy” of treats. Dogs have preferences, just like people. You may adore fruit. Blueberries may be the fruit you reach for every time. Somebody else (Hope) may be allergic to blueberries and avoid them like the plague. She’d reach for the chocolate, instead. 

We’ve talked before about putting together a “trail mix” of treats for dog training games. This should be a mix of high value (cheese), medium value (Cheerios), and low value (kibble) bits. The examples are our dogs’ particular preferences. You’ll know best what your dog’s favorites are and the tidbits she pushes away.

We know one person whose dog’s favorite thing in the world was shrimp. She went out of her way to get dried shrimp to use as training treats. We’ve also talked about Hope’s Dax, who adored celery. Most dogs love popcorn and you can certainly use air-popped popcorn in the mix. 

When your dog never knows what the next treat will be, it keeps things fresh and exciting for the training games. Use your dog’s unique trail mix for most training games. Use the favorite for introducing a new game, especially one like “Touch!” that you mean to use often.

Getting started with Touch! Dog Training Game

The mechanics of a dog-training game like “Touch!” are simple, but not intuitive. Doing it this way gets the message across to your dog most clearly. Nobody’s watching – if you want to practice the moves before you try them out on your dog, go ahead. 

Remember when you’re playing dog training games that you’re trying to communicate complex ideas to someone who doesn’t speak your language. And doesn’t have a common frame of reference. Your dog wants to play the games and have fun. Be as clear and confident as possible.

Have a bunch of treats in a bowl or small container near at hand, but out of your dog’s reach. If your dog has a tendency to wander away, or disengage when he/she doesn’t understand, put on his/her collar and leash and just let the leash drag on the floor.

Step 1: Put your hand out to the side, palm side facing your dog. Call your dog’s name. If your dog looks at your palm, touches your palm, interacts with your palm at all, take a treat with the other hand and hold it in the middle of your palm for your dog. You are feeding the treat from the open palm with the other hand.

You’re probably asking why you can’t just have a treat in the palm you want your dog to touch. And the answer is: because we’re not luring the dog to touch. We’re teaching the dog to decide to touch. 

There may come a day when you need to get your dog’s attention but you don’t happen to have a treat handy. If the only way you’ve played the game is with a visible reward, your dog doesn’t know the right choice to make. He/she loves the lure, not the game.

Another important point: don’t reach out to your dog. Let your dog come to you. If you start reaching out, your dog’s natural instinct will be to back up. You don’t want that. Let your dog come to you.

Give it a name

Simon and Hope playing the Touch Dog Training Game.

When your dog touches your palm, you can start calling the game “Touch!” As you’re giving the reward (with the other hand, all the time!), you can say “Good Touch!” “That’s Touch!” “What a good Touch!” As well as the game, you’re also teaching the name of the game. 

Remember to only play for a two-minute session. You can play a couple times a day, but not for long. Since this is such a simple game, your dog should “know” it fairly reliably in a week or so.

Variations on a theme

Once you’ve established your palm as the target to touch for treats, you can change hands, even alternating once your dog understands. Don’t be surprised if your dog doesn’t “get” that it’s the same game when you change. Remember that dogs don’t generalize naturally – it’s a learned behavior. Just because your dog understands “Touch!” with your left palm doesn’t mean she’ll know it with your right, or with your mother’s palm, or anyone else’s. 

You can play the Touch dog training game anywhere. Take the game outside, to the park, to the pet store. In particularly difficult environments be sure to reward heavily and not go too far too fast. If your dog is having difficulty at the park, go back to your own yard and practice more there.

Old reliable

The Touch dog training game is what we use to get our dog’s focus, break his attention from someplace it shouldn’t be, and pass time when we’re waiting. You can alternate palms, play sitting, standing, kneeling, running, walking, wherever. It’s also useful when you’re playing another game, like “Boxey” and need to take a break while you reset. 

Transitioning from one dog training game to another is easy. The more games you and your dog know, the more fun you’ll have.

Boxey Game Part 2: Your dog can be creative

In last week’s tip we talked about getting started with the Boxey game. Now it’s time to take it further and showcase your dog’s cleverness. Your dog can be creative with the right encouragement.

Remember that you’re never allowed to say “NO!” when you’re playing Boxey with your dog. Aside from biting or chewing the box, whatever your dog does with it is okay. If your dog is wildly creative and starts playing volleyball with the box, reward it, name it, and for pity’s sake get it on video so you can make a fortune.

Stop telling your dog what to do

The nice thing about playing Boxey is that you have no particular objective in mind. Most dog tricks or behaviors have an end goal. Our only goal here is to teach the dog that it’s okay to try different stuff. There are absolutely no negative consequences with this game. The worst that should happen is, if your dog absolutely intent on chewing the box, you call it quits for this session and try again later. Maybe with a different box, if that one’s too attractive for gnawing. 

Torque playing Boxey - he's got 3 legs in the box!

The possible actions that your dog may come up with to interact with the box include:

  • Sniff it
  • Nudge it
  • Pawing at it
  • Put a paw in it
  • Put two paws in it
  • Three paws in 
  • All four paws in
  • Left paws in
  • Right paws in
  • Back paws in
  • Backing into it
  • Jumping over it
  • Sitting in it
  • Lying in it
  • Turning it over
  • Turning it on its side
  • Putting something else in it
  • Moving it

Hopefully you’re getting the idea that your dog can be creative with the box however it occurs to him. 

Getting your dog out of the box

Once your dog figures out the box is his/her “sweet spot,” you may have some difficulty getting your dog to get out of the box. That’s one of the reasons we say to only reward the same behavior three to five times. If you keep delivering treats for your dog sitting in the box, you’ll never get him out. 

Speaking of getting him/her out, dogs trained with positive reinforcement can cycle into what we’ve heard called feedback loops. They keep doing the same thing over and over, regardless of whether it’s being rewarded, because they can’t figure out what else to do. There needs to be a way to break the cycle.

One of the behaviors we use to settle our dogs down and get their minds back in the game is the hand touch. It’s a whole other game, which we’ll talk about in next week’s tip. In the meantime, if your dog is becoming box-obsessed, just pick it up and try again another time.

It may take some time

Most dogs spend so much of their lives getting directions from people that it’s hard for them to break away from that and think for themselves. 

But thinking creatively is a great way to keep dogs (and people!) of any age interested and engaged. If you’re reading this tip, that means that you’re interested in giving your dog the best life possible – which means encouraging him or her to use every bit of brain power possible. Dogs are smart. Channel that ability into paths that will delight instead of getting into trouble. It’s better to have a dog that bats a box around than one that chews electrical cords out of boredom.

Some dogs are more creative than others. Among our own dogs, it’s the old guy, Tango, who comes up with the most creative ways to use Boxey. Torque is the least. 

It’s more challenging to play Boxey with a less-creative dog because it requires you to be more patient and think more creatively yourself. As with Torque, if he can’t come up with anything new, we’ll take the initiative and present him with a new “look” – like putting the box on its end instead of its bottom. Or placing it on top of another box. Or hiding a treat underneath it. 

Your dog can be creative. And so can you. Together you’ll come up with your own Boxey variations and your own shared repertoire of games.