dog behavior Archives - 2 Minute Trainer

Your Face Is A Stop Sign

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Seeing your face signals your dog to stop. Don’t believe it? It’s easy to test. Invite your dog to run with you. You’re both going along together, facing the same way. If you suddenly stop and look at your dog, they’ll stop, too. And stare you in the face.

When you have a conversation with another person, it’s considered polite to look at them. Dogs are the same. Your dog always wants to see your face.

In some ways, that’s a wonderful thing. Doesn’t everyone make funny sounds to get dogs to look? And if we get the adorable head tilt, we keep doing it.

Not always what we want

There are times, however, that you don’t want your dog to stop and look at you. You’d think that calling your dog to “Come!” is easy and natural.

It’s not. If you’re standing still, facing your dog, and call them, they may not move an inch. They can see you, but your face is a stop sign.

Motion triggers motion

When this happens, most people will sweep an arm back, encouraging the dog to move. It usually works. It also means that your dog doesn’t have a reliable recall.

In Obedience competition, the rules require you to stand absolutely still when you call your dog. You can’t do any of the things that come naturally. You can’t back up a step, pat your leg, move your head. Any handler motion when a verbal command is used is considered a “double command” and not allowed.

This exercise, done correctly, demonstrates that your dog knows the word and what to do when they hear it.

Good to know

Most people aren’t competing in Obedience. They just want their dogs to come when called. The easiest and fastest way to teach that is the Chase Recall. Your motion spurs your dog to move.

It’s true with all dog behaviors. One of the most difficult parts of “Stay!” for dogs is sitting still while you walk around. Most dogs will either swivel on their hindquarters to keep watching you, or get up entirely.

Take advantage

Knowing that your dog always wants to zero in on where you’re facing, you can use that to direct your dog’s learning. When teaching “Place!” you stare at the dog bed. Your interest in an object will make it intriguing for your dog.

That’s the principle that lots of our games are based on. The ones that involve manipulating objects start with you staring at the object. The ones that require the dog to move somewhere start with you looking there.

We tried it today. One of the behaviors we teach our dogs is to walk sideways. When facing each other, the dog’s natural tendency is to move their front legs in line with us, but their back end tends to go crooked. Today we tried the behavior looking at where we’re going (to the side) rather than at our dog. It works.

Watch where you’re going

When we were learning agility handling, one of the first things we were taught was that dogs will follow your shoulder. They go where your shoulder indicates. If you’re running or walking straight ahead, keep your shoulders square. If you’re moving to your right, that’s where you orient your upper body.

Your dog is attuned to every move you make and is keenly aware of your body language. If you can’t figure out why your dog is moving a certain way, check yourself. You may be giving them a signal you don’t intend. Like looking straight at them when you want them to keep moving.

Are you a dog-control freak?

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How much of a control freak are you with your dog?

As the dog trainer associated with a doggy day care facility, the staff sometimes asks Hope to consult with a dog owner that has some issues in the play group.

Not long ago, she talked to the owner of a dog that was, putting it mildly, inappropriate with other dogs and staffers at day care. While the play supervisors had repeatedly mentioned the problems to the owner, the dog’s person dismissed their concerns.

Not a fun phone consult

The dog repeatedly charged at and nipped other dogs, even staff, trying to get somebody to play with her. They weren’t casual invitations, and the dog wouldn’t take “No!” for an answer. The dog clearly had no idea of manners.

When Hope finally was able to speak with the owner, his answer was “She always does what I tell her.”

And that, right there, is the problem. If you always tell your dog what to do, what happens when you’re not there?

Banned from daycare

This particular owner clearly had no interest in training his dog to learn impulse control or manners. He thought it was adequate “training” that she obeys him. It didn’t concern him that the rest of his family couldn’t get the dog to obey. It didn’t bother him that the dog has no manners in day care and doesn’t listen to the staff. The dog was banned from play groups.

The kind of blind obedience this man requires from his dog may suit him. Decades ago it may even have been the norm to be a dog control freak. Now, it’s not good enough.

Giving up control

Letting your dog exercise some autonomy makes life easier. Teaching them to make good decisions, giving them credit for controlling their impulses, frees you to enjoy your time together. It’s stressful to always be the one making every choice for everybody.

There’s no helping the control-freak man. We tried, and were unable to convince him of the benefits both he and his dog would experience. His repeated response was “She does what I tell her.”

We agree that it’s easier to just tell your dog what to do. A friend of ours had major difficulty guiding her dog into making good decisions, rather than telling her all the time. This particular dog has major confidence issues. Both dog and person felt safer with the owner giving orders all the time. But that wasn’t helping the dog’s timidity.

Confidence boost

It’s scary ceding control to another being. But, with children and dogs, letting them make good decisions boosts their confidence. When your dog knows what’s expected of them, even when faced with unfamiliar situations, they’re more likely to demonstrate good judgment.

It’s hard giving up control and allowing the possibility of mistakes. It helps the dog’s confidence when errors are overlooked rather than punished. They try, and try again, mostly because it’s fun to finally get it right.

We couldn’t help the day care dog. Our friend, on the other hand, won High In Trial in Obedience with her dog last weekend. Patience pays.

Dog Training Game: What’s That?

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‘Tis the season for weird stuff to start showing up on your walks with your dog. Pretty soon (if not already) there will be inflatable, blowing-in-the-wind gigantic purple spiders on roofs attached to ginormous white webs. Eerily-lit monsters and vampires will pop up on lawns. Not to mention glowing orange pumpkins and creepy sounds emanating from unseen speakers.

As soon as your dog starts getting used to all that, it changes. Taking their place will be cheery, flashing lights and inflatable snow-people, accompanied by relentless songs of the season.

It can all be a bit intimidating and scary to your dog, especially if it’s the dog’s first rodeo. If your dog already knows the “What’s That?” game, they’ll be more likely to take it all in stride.

Getting to know stuff

Simon playing the What's That game with an umbrella

To teach your dog the “What’s That?” game, start by grabbing all kinds of stuff from around the house. Anything the dog’s never interacted with before is fair game. Try to find things that differ in size, material, texture, sound, scent – anything will do: noise-making children’s toys, aluminum containers, cardboard boxes, scented candles, metal pots with lids, umbrellas, storage bins. You get the idea.

Put your dog on leash so they can’t leave the area. Put one of the objects down and see how your dog reacts to it. If they’re curious, encourage them to get closer and check it out. Use the phrase “What’s That?” and look at it yourself.

One distinct difference between this game and the “Pick It Up” game is that the rewards come from you, as the dog is looking at you.

Timing and placement

Dogs learn through the timing and placement of rewards. When you want your dog to actually interact with the object, as in “Pick It Up,” the reward is given near or on the object. This lets the dog know “Yes, I do want you to do something with that thing.”

For “What’s That?” the goal is to get the dog to notice, but then ignore the object. It’s not a toy or a game piece. It’s not scary, but it’s not all that interesting, either.

Curious, not scared

Once the dog is calm around whatever the object is, either try with another object, or just walk away with your dog. You’re sending the message, “Nothing interesting here. Let’s move on.”

Dogs get startled by different sights and sounds. It’s okay for them to react, as long as they recover fairly quickly. Once your dog is used to hearing “What’s That?” you can use it whenever they spot something that causes a reaction. It lets them know you see it too. And you’re not impressed. If it’s no big deal to you, your dog will know they don’t have to worry about it.

Distance is your friend

When the odd decorations, lights, and sounds start appearing in your neighborhood, be ready to play “What’s That?” on your outings with your dog. You can’t get close enough to sniff the giant roof spider, but if you look at it with your dog and speak calmly, they’ll take their cue from you.

If it is something your dog can approach, go as near as your dog is comfortable and let them watch, listen to, or sniff whatever it is. When they look at you, reward and resume your walk.

If the dog’s reaction is more extreme, just move a comfortable distance away and let them watch. In time, they’ll realize it’s not a threat and relax. Move closer gradually, letting the dog adjust.

By the time the holidays arrive, your dog will take the season, with all its sounds, sights, and smells, in stride.

Hardest skills for dogs

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The hardest skills for dogs are the ones that aren’t natural. Of course the same is true for humans. People naturally want to help their dogs succeed, so patience/waiting is the hardest part of dog training. For dogs, who want to be with their people, the most difficult skills are staying and going.

That sounds contradictory, but it’s not. Both the “Stay!” and the “Go out!” usually involve separation between you and your dog. If you have a good training relationship with your dog, they want to be near you. Always. The closer the better.

Too much of a good thing

You might think that creating a strong bond might pave the way for unwanted behaviors like separation anxiety. Instead, it actually helps reduce the issue. Dogs with strong training-game experience tend to be more confident and able to deal with everyday anxieties more easily. They’ve been taught how to make good decisions and to persevere through stress.

It’s one thing for the dog to deal with your routine absences. You probably have a familiar ritual you follow every morning as you leave. It’s probably been choreographed down to a science, with singing out “Be good!” the last thing as you sail out the door.

While dogs don’t know where you’re going or what you’ll be doing there, they never did and probably never will. You don’t miss what you’ve never known. And they don’t have an option. However, a command to “Stay!” requires that the dog actively work against their own instinct to accompany you wherever you go.

“Go out!” is just as difficult, if not more so. At least with the “Stay!” your dog is able to watch you walk away. They may not like it, but they can see what you’re up to and know they can reach you quickly if you suddenly suffer an attack of dog withdrawal. With the “Go Out!” your dog has to choose to go away from you. They can’t see you as they move away.

Fetch doesn’t count

But wait, you say! My dog runs away from me all the time when we’re playing “Fetch!” In that case, your dog isn’t actually “Going Out!” What they are doing is chasing an object in motion. Just as you’d expect any predator to do.

Both the “Stay!” and the “Go Out!” have three aspects to work on individually.

Duration – Gradually increase the amount of time the dog is on their own without rewards.This is the first thing to work on with the “Stay!” and the last thing to work on with the “Go Out!”
Distance – The first thing to work on for “Go Out!” Gradually increase the distance you put your Target for the dog. For the “Stay!,” randomize the number of steps you take away from your dog and return to the dog to reward. Remember to always reward the dog to the front – don’t make them turn to reach the reward or you’ll pull them out of position.
Distraction – Introduce all kinds of distractions. In the “Go Out!” practice with distractions both when the dog is in motion moving away from you and when the dog reaches the Target and is supposed to stay there. For the “Stay!,” use all kinds of distractions at varying distances from the dog. Even the hardest skills for dogs can be taught with patience and consistency. And distractions.

About distractions

A distraction can be anything that’s different. It can be sounds, like someone banging pots in the next room. It can be something in motion, like a tennis ball rolling across the training area. It can be a combination of both, like a sound-and-motion toy in the room.

The most difficult distraction we’ve ever dealt with was from our very first dog training teacher. For the “graduation” class, he brought freshly-made french fries and spread them around the floor, expecting us and our dogs to navigate across the room through the delicious smells. Every dog/handler team did it. You can, too. Tailor the level of distraction to your dog’s interest. Start with things they don’t care much about and increase the difficulty as their skills improve.

Make it easy on your dog. Expect perfection.

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It’s not being mean to expect perfection from your dog. It makes it easy for your dog to understand exacly what you want.

We have a friend with both French Bulldogs and Border Collies. Our friend makes us absolutely crazy because she holds the different breeds to different criteria in training. She expects the Border Collies to be perfect. The Frenchies can get away with “meh” performances. So that’s what she gets from them.

Every dog is capable of great things in whatever training you choose. Whether it’s reaching elite dog sport performance or becoming the perfect couch cuddler, it’s up to you. But you’ll do your dog a huge favor if you expect perfection.

“Good enough” isn’t

Have you ever asked your dog to “Sit!” and thought “eh, good enough” when the dog lies down? If so, you just confused your dog. The dog was showing you they don’t understand the word. Instead of clarifying it, you fed the confusion.

Unlike people, dogs don’t have a sliding scale or understand there’s an acceptable range. Dogs understand “yes” and “no.” “Maybe” is an alien concept. That’s why dogs often behave better for the “strictest” person in the family, rather than the one who’s “nice” to them. They understand what the “strict” person expects of them. Niceness is confusing.

That doesn’t mean you yell at your dog or order them around all the time. It means that you teach them what you want from them. If it truly doesn’t matter to you if your dog sits or lies down, reward whatever you get. If you actually want them to “Sit!” teach them what it means. Accept and reward only an actual sit position. If the dog lies down, wait and look at their butt. Don’t repeat the command. Just wait. As soon as they rise into a “Sit!” reward.

Keep it simple

A key to understanding dogs is recognizing that they love patterns and routines. That’s why people who say “Sit” three times (many do) when they’re teaching their dogs will always have to say “Sit” three times to get their dogs to do it.

Clarity and precision are largely disregarded and underrated. With people, you can easily clear misunderstandings with more words. You don’t have that option with dogs. While they can understand hundreds of words, they’ll only know one meaning for each one. And you’re the one who decides what each word means for your dog.

If you think you’ve confused your dog about something, it’s often easier to start over with a new word than fix the mistake. You may never know why a particular word has become “poison” to your dog. Fran had that happen with Tango. He stopped understanding his release word, which was “Go!” He didn’t.

He couldn’t tell us why. Fran could only deal with what was true. So she started over again with a new release word, “Action!” It’s still working just fine.

Dog Training Game – Follow the Point

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Does your dog go (or even look) where you point? Or do they check out your pointing hand, sniff it, lick it and sit to be petted? Don’t worry – it’s easy to train your dog to follow the point.

After spending lots of time dropping through the rabbit hole of the internet, there doesn’t seem to be any consensus on whether dogs’ ability to follow where you point is nature or nurture. It is universally accepted that dogs can be trained to follow a pointer. But how, exactly, do you do that?

Looking to you

From the moment you bring a dog home, they’re always learning from you. If you have that niggling feeling there’s always someone watching, you’re right. Unless they’re asleep, your dog is always aware of where you are and what you’re doing. If you’re really attuned to your dog, they can even tell what you’re thinking. Like Fran’s Simon who wakes up from a sound sleep and dashes to the door when Fran thinks about walking her dogs.

If you make a habit of pointing at stuff, your dog may already have a notion of how it works. Most of us have dropped some tidbit on the floor and pointed to it, urging our dogs to get it. Sometimes it works. But it’s not a reliable behavior, just an occasional lucky find.

For this game, we’re going to transform that luck into a bet-on-it, go there, get that.

Intro to Follow the Point

The first step is stupid easy. Get a treat, put it on the floor. Point at it and tell your dog to get it. If your dog has a reliable “Stay!”, use it. Otherwise, hold the dog’s collar with one hand while you place the treat and point with the other. Be sure you don’t release the dog until you’re pointing. This step is just introducing your dog to the relationship between the “Point” and getting good stuff.

After a couple of pointed-at treats, your dog will catch onto the concept pretty easily to follow the point. The next step is to build some distance. If there’s no one else there, and your dog won’t “Stay!” put them on leash and wrap it around a heavy piece of furniture so they can’t grab the treat as you’re placing it.

Point at the treat and release your dog. Keep your arm up and the point intact. We want the dog to learn to move in the direction you’re pointing. Don’t move closer if they don’t dash right over. Just keep pointing. (Patience!)

After a couple repetitions, your dog’s going to start putting things together. Look for them to start watching your arm and hand. When they start anticipating where the instructions are coming from, you know it’s sinking in.

Now put the treat in a bowl and do the same thing another few times. We’re introducing the idea that even if the dog can’t see the treat, it will always be where you point.

What’s next?

It’s one thing for your dog to go where you point. It’s another to choose that direction over another. Get two identical bowls/dishes/targets to put the treat in. Put both bowls out at the distance your dog was successful. Put a treat in one. Go back to your dog and point at the bowl with the treat.

If your dog goes to the wrong bowl anyway, just start over. Try to figure out where the disconnect happened and go back to that step. If you have a dog who’s incredibly nosey, like Fran’s Simon, they’ll probably check out the second bowl. As long as the dog went where you were pointing first, that’s fine. It’s actually a good thing. They’ll know that there are rewards for going where you point, and nothing anywhere else.

This step teaches the dog that there will always be something good where you point. Even when there’s not a treat where you’re pointing, there will be a reward for going there. Dogs reliably do whatever’s most rewarding for them. Make following your point rewarding every time.

Nothing in the bowl

The next step requires the “leap.” Set out the two identical bowls. Don’t put anything in either one. Leave a good distance between the bowls so your dog can’t possibly confuse which you point at. Set up with your dog at your side and point at one of the bowls. If your dog goes to the right bowl, get over there and give your dog a jackpot! Do it again.

When your dog is getting it right most of the time, you can up the challenge by increasing the number of bowls, moving them closer together, or any variation you can think of. As long as your dog always gets rewarded for getting it right, they’ll keep going where you point.

Use your imagination

Following your “Point!” can be the start of all kinds of “go there, get that” behaviors. In competition obedience, it’s known as the Directed Retrieve. The exercise is part of the highest level of Obedience (Utility), and involves three gloves, evenly spaced along one side of a 40 foot long ring. At the opposite side of the ring, the handler points their dog at whichever glove the judge designates. The dog runs out to the glove, picks it up, brings it back to the handler, sits, drops the glove on command.

There are lots of steps for the dog to learn. And all of them are fun for both of you. Recently we saw a version where the dog ran to a cooler, opened it, picked out a bottle of water, and brought it to their person. Your dog can do it, too!

Regrets, there’ve been a few

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It’s fun having dogs who understand and know how to do stuff. If there’s something we want them to know, we figure out a game way to teach them. But over the years, there’s been some training, or lack thereof, that we regret. (Like eliminate on command.)

If you’re lucky enough to have an old dog, you know it’s not always easy. On those really bad-arthritis days, you feel like a tyrant making them get up and walk. But joints, like lots of things in life, are a “use it or lose it” proposition.

Tango is now 15 ½ years old. He’s little, so we have the option of carrying him around. But we don’t, except for stairs. He needs to move. We make him play “Put Your Toys Away” almost every day – at least he’s moving from the toy pile to the bin.

What we wish he knew: “eliminate on command”

The biggest regret is what we wish we’d taught him when he was young and spry. That’s to eliminate on command.

When Tango was young, he could “hold” for a dozen or more hours. He never messed in the house or had accidents. He also never had a predictable elimination schedule. It wasn’t a big deal then. If he had to go when he was outside, he did. If not, he didn’t.

Now, he can’t hold for a dozen hours. But he doesn’t like being out in the cold. And he doesn’t eliminate on command, because we never taught him. So he stands there, shivering (we are, too), and looking miserable. When we relent and bring him inside, he either paces around the house, or has an accident.

Think ahead

We’ve had dogs for so long that every floor is a dog-friendly surface. It’s not a big deal to clean up after Tango. But we wish we didn’t have to.

We’ve made sure to teach all the other dogs to eliminate on command. It’s easy to do – name it, praise it, reward it. Every time.

The other dogs aren’t young – 12. 10, and 6. And all of them know the commands “go poop” or “go pee.” A friend of ours used “hit it” as her dogs’ cue.

Think carefully about the name you give to your dog’s bathroom functions. And where you’re most likely to say it. If you’re in your own backyard, nobody’s around and it matters less. But if you’re in a more public place, will you be embarrassed to say “go poop?” If so, think of a lovely euphemism. Only you and your dog need to understand what you mean.

Language matters

A huge part of dog training is establishing communication between you. Dogs are capable of understanding dozens, if not hundreds, of words. Your job is teaching them the vocabulary they need.

You get to decide what every word means between you and your dog. Make your “potty” word something you’ll remember and use. And be sure it’s not a word your dog will hear all the time. That could get messy.

Your house, your dog, your rules

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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.

Foundation dog games #7: Off!

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“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.

“Push Me, Pull You” teaches dogs “Hold it!”

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All dogs are really “Push Me, Pull You” dogs. When your dog pulls on leash or tugs on a toy, they’re demonstrating what’s called the “opposition reflex.” While it may not be a real reflex, it is a trait that all dogs (and people!) have. Since it’s there, you may as well take advantage of it.

Simply put, it’s what happens when the dog resists being pushed or pulled. One way we test our dogs “Stay!” performance was to gently pull on the leash. The dogs resist the pressure to move. That uses their opposition reflex to further their understanding of what “Stay!” means.

You can also see it at work if you ever practice a “restrained recall.” That’s when someone holds your dog while you run away from the dog, calling to them. There’s nothing that gets most dogs revved up better. When dogs seem distracted and out of focus in obedience class, we use a restrained, or chase, recall to turn that around. You’ve also seen it at the start of any horse race, with the starting gate as the restraint. The dog sport Fast CAT uses it, too. Somebody holds the dog back at the start line while the lure speeds ahead.

Better, faster, stronger

The best way to teach your dog is to take advantage of their natural instincts. Whether the opposition reflex is a physical fact doesn’t matter. What does matter is that it works and you can use it in your training.

Say you want to teach your dog to hold something. Someone we know taught her dogs to hold a white board. She got a lot of mileage out of that behavior on social media. Think of the smiles you’d get if that’s how you made an announcement – just writing it on a white board and getting your dog to hold it.

Hold it!

So – how do you get your dog to hold onto something? We wrote about one way of teaching this, but here’s another: Make use of the opposition reflex. Teach the concept of hold when you play tug. It goes along with teaching the “Drop it!” command. If you’re putting pressure on the object your dog is holding, their instinct is to hold onto it with everything they’ve got. If you release all the pressure on the object, they’re more likely to drop it.

Start small, with something that has value for your dog, but not their favorite toy. If your dog doesn’t naturally love to play tug, start there. Most people think their dogs will be attracted to toys moving rapidly, flapped around in their faces. That’s not the way to do it. Instead, use your dog’s predator genetics and get them to stalk and pounce on your tug toy. Move it slowly, on the ground, back and forth. If your dog doesn’t respond right away, up the ante by gently touching their front paws as you sway the toy back and forth. Wiggle it, but not quickly.

Hope’s first agility dog was a French Bulldog named Dax. Dax didn’t tug. Had no interest in toys. But tugging is a great way to get your dog amped up and ready to play with you. Also, her agility instructor insisted that dogs must play tug with their people. Hope had to find the irresistible tuggy for Dax.

While she didn’t care about toys, she was highly food motivated. Dax’s push-me pull-you came roaring out when Hope used semi-limp celery for a tug object. Each rib may only have lasted a few minutes, but it got the job done.

Push Me Pull You Dogs

When your dog tugs, they naturally shift their weight back and resist your exertion. Keeping up a gentle pressure encourages your dog to hang on. Easing the pressure, without entirely letting go, turns into a “Hold it!” If your dog drops the object, start again. Try to figure out where your dog is letting go, and try to keep the pressure level just above that at first.

When your dog is hanging on to the toy, encourage them to move with you a little bit at a time. By incrementally decreasing your hold on the toy, while getting your dog to move, you’re building the dog’s hold and carry skills.

Once you and your dog are successfully holding and moving with the toy, it’s time to go back to the start using different objects; other toys, maybe a spoon, a tote bag with handles, and that white board. Whatever you’d like your dog to hold, introduce step by step. And we take advantage of the fact that all dogs are “push me pull you” dogs!

Don’t be quiet!

We’ve noticed that people seem reluctant to talk to their dogs in group classes. But providing feedback to your dog throughout your training game sessions is crucial. Dogs learn words by hearing them in context. Give your dog the words; “Hold it!” “Good Hold!” “That’s Hold it!” Use whatever word works for you. You get to decide what words mean to your dog.

Once your dog is fairly conversant with a new game or behavior doesn’t mean it’s time to stop talking. Keep talking to let them know you’re engaged in the game, too. If your dog drops the object, don’t repeat a command “Hold!” Instead, ask them “What were you doing?” “What’s the game?” And wait. This is the most difficult part for most people. But letting your dog think things through is essential for learning. When they come up with the right answer and pick up the toy, praise and reward.