dog training games Archives - Page 7 of 12

Spin! Dog Training Game

The “Spin!” Dog Training Game is not only fun, but has some practical uses, too. There are a bunch of variations for the spin behavior; in place, around objects, up on hind feet (that’s “Dance!”).

“Spin!” is one of the behaviors that’s easiest to teach by luring your dog. It’s pretty simple. Show your dog you have a treat by holding it close to your dog’s nose. Then move your hand back towards your dog’s shoulder. They should naturally turn their heads to follow your hand. Reward as your dog starts turning toward their own shoulder. Each time, take the treat a little farther back along your dog’s side as he/she catches on.

Common pitfalls

Watching our dog training students playing “Spin!” with their dogs, we noticed most people allow their dogs’ motion to create distance between them and their dogs. The dog doesn’t understand what you’re up to, so they move away to get a better look. The result is that you can no longer reach all the way around your dog, and everyone winds up confused.

This exercise is very close work. Your dog should be right with you, and, when your dog spins, should end up in exactly the same place they started. It’s an in-place movement.

You may also run up against your dog having a preference turning to one side and not the other. Most dogs, like most people, are either right- or left-handed. Unlike people, most dogs are lefties. It doesn’t really matter, except that you’ll probably need to practice the “Spin!” more on the dog’s non-dominant side. Don’t let your dog become a one-way spinner! It’s tempting to let the “easy” side prevail, but your dog will build lop-sided muscles.

Benefits of “Spin!”

Aside from being an adorable party trick, the “Spin!” can be useful, too. The first variation, teaching your dog to spin around an object, works when you’re out walking and your dog goes around the wrong side of a tree. Just asking him/her to “Spin!” back to you takes care of the problem, without any leash tangles.

To teach your dog to “Spin!” around something, try using a chair. Stand by the chair with your dog at your side. Again, show your dog you have a treat and guide him/her around the object, rewarding when they reach your other side. Take note of the motion you make with your hand, like a giant stirring move. This is an ideal hand signal to use for “Spin!” – it indicates what, as well as which direction.

Practice the “Spin!” Dog Training Game in both directions, in place as well as around an object. Always use the hand closest to the dog to reward. For the “Spin!” around an object, when your dog starts to get the idea, step away from the chair so the dog can make a complete circle.

Turn it into a “Dance!”

It doesn’t take long for most dogs to learn “Spin!” and to love it. When your dog is spinning like a top when you wave your hand in a circular motion (stirring), it’s time to take it up high, for a “Dance!” Having your dog twirl around on their hind feet is cute as heck. It’s also a good indicator of their leg and core strength.

To teach “Dance!” just hold the treat up higher than for the Spin! Dog Training Game. Keep it at a level where your dog has to reach up to get it – high enough so their front paws have to leave the ground. If your dog can’t sustain it at first, that’s okay. But be sure to reward while your dog is reaching, ideally with front paws above the ground. Remember, dogs learn from the timing and placement of rewards. If you want your dog up, keep the reward up.

Get them in shape

If your dog isn’t able to “Dance!” quite yet, check out the exercises for core strength and balance. And always try to train both sides. Start with your dog’s non-dominant side, so the training and exercises are “easier” when your dog’s a little tired.

Even the exercises we advocate only take a couple minutes at a time. And they should always be fun games your dogs play with you – not chores to be accomplished. Those of us who hate working out (both of us!) keep it fun for our dogs. If you make it fun, your dog will believe it is.

Manage your dog’s fear of fireworks

You can train your dog to ignore fireworks. But it’s a process that takes time. If you’re here to get help for July 4, 2023, call your veterinarian instead. Start the training, but less than a month isn’t enough time to make the behavior secure. And call now, not on July 3. Some medications need to build up in the dog’s system. In other words, there are no fast and easy fixes for fear of fireworks.

What to do now

For this year, just talk to your vet about your dog’s intense fear of fireworks and pick up whatever prescriptions, supplements, or herbals they recommend. Then start making your plans for the nights the fireworks are worst in your area. The last couple of years have been particularly noisy – starting at around Memorial Day and continuing through July 5. We’re very lucky that none of the current crew cares about the noise. We had a dog with tremendous fireworks and thunder anxiety, so we empathize completely with those who do. It’s not easy when someone you love is terrified. There’s no way to explain to them that the fireworks (or thunder) can’t and won’t hurt them.

What you can do is make plans to occupy your dog (and yourself) with fun and noisy things. With the windows covered, and loud distractions happening inside your home, the impact is lessened. Oddly, most dogs are perfectly fine watching loud fireworks on TV. If you want to watch the holiday coverage, it’s not necessarily a no-no, even if your dog is frightened.

Don’t let them hide alone

Some dogs are so terrified of fireworks that they seek out small, enclosed places. We’ve heard many stories of dogs hiding in bathtubs during fireworks displays or thunderstorms. Dogs tend to like small, enclosed spaces. Especially when they’re feeling insecure.

One of the benefits of becoming your dog’s training partner is establishing yourself as a safe space for your dog. While it may be too late to alleviate your dog’s fear of fireworks and change your their reaction for this year, you can make a difference by staying with them. And make sure they’re securely attached to you whenever you take them outside that day. The 4th of July is the number one day of dogs getting lost. Shelters report that July 5 is always their busiest day. If a firework blast goes off suddenly, even the best-trained dog may take off running. Don’t take a chance. Hook them up for the holiday.

If there are scheduled fireworks displays where you are, time your outings for before and after the shows. Most start after sundown, so time your longest walk for the daylight hours. You can’t do anything about individuals shooting off fireworks, but you can avoid the planned show times.

Make it loud inside

Do you like adventure movies? Pick a line-up of your favorite, noisy movies and play them, loudly, all day (or videos of football games!). Close the blinds. Make some popcorn. And teach your dog to catch the popcorn. You probably shouldn’t play any training games that matter – your dog will probably be distracted. But some aromatic and delicious popcorn (no butter or salt!) may be worth paying attention.

Close the blinds or drapes. Make the inside bright, turn on every light around. It’s easier for both dogs and people to be frightened in the dark. If you have an inside room or basement, try to make that your hang-out space during the loudest hours.

Plan ahead for next year

You can start training your dog to ignore the booming of fireworks. Find a recording of a fireworks show and play it, softly, while you’re playing training games with your dog. As your dog learns to ignore it and have fun with you, you can gradually turn up the volume for each 2-Minute session. This is another example of “Real World Dog Training.” If your dog loves the popcorn-catching game, save it for fireworks. Your dog will come to associate something they love with fireworks, instead of being terrified.

Your dog may never be able to calmly go with you to the local park for the Fourth of July fireworks show. That’s okay – it’s not the goal. Success is your dog acting like it’s just another day playing with you, instead of shivering under the bed.

Don’t say No! Use a non-reward marker in dog training

One of the tools we use to train dogs is a non-reward marker. It’s a way of telling our dogs they’ve messed up, without saying “No!” or shutting them down. While not all positive reinforcement trainers are on board with using one, we find our dogs do better when they get feedback.

Positive is not permissive. Training a dog with positive reinforcement doesn’t mean the dog gets to do whatever it wants, whenever it wants. It means that while teaching dogs how to behave, you don’t punish them for not doing it. Positive reinforcement has been proven, in study after study, to be more effective long term, and result in more confident, smarter, happier dogs.

If you’re not giving “corrections” or telling your dog “No!,” how do you let them know if they’re wrong? One way is to use a non-reward marker. It lets the dog know they’re not exactly right, and to keep trying to figure things out.

Non-reward marker vs. ignoring

In some training scenarios the ideal response is to ignore the behavior. In others, it’s to let the dog know what they’re doing wrong. How do you know which tool to pull out of your training toolbox?

In cases like barking, or jumping on people, the dog is generally looking for attention. Denying that attention by ignoring the behavior lets the dog know it’s not working. In these situations, the training part comes in as soon as the dog exhibits the behavior you want. Immediately when the dog is quiet, even if it’s for a nanosecond, praise and reward. As soon as the dog has all four feet on the ground, praise and reward. The dog gets what it wants (attention) when we get what we want (quiet, feet on the ground).

Other situations call for other training methods. If you and your dog are playing a training game, like “Put Your Toys Away” or “Ring Stacking,” your dog is going to make “mistakes,” or not get it right. In the early stages of teaching any game, it’s a good idea to keep up an encouraging dialogue, letting your dog know it’s okay to keep trying.

Once the dog knows the game well, you can let them know they messed up with a non-reward marker.

What is a non-reward marker?

You can use any non-threatening phrase as a non-reward marker. Whatever comes naturally to you will work. Just make sure it’s something that doesn’t sound threatening, so no Klingon phrases. Something like “uh-oh!” or “oopsy!” is just about perfect. No one ever sounded angry saying “oopsy!”

Some dogs will know they’re not right because they don’t hear the clicker. Others will need more feedback. Especially dogs who lack confidence may need to hear from you that they’re okay, but just not exactly on target. As long as your dog keeps trying during a session, they’re getting the reinforcement they need.

Having to use a non-reward marker repeatedly may mean the step you’re asking from your dog is too big. Try and think of a way to break down the behavior into smaller pieces. With some games your dog may leap to the end, jumping over many little steps you may have thought were necessary. Other behaviors will be clear as mud to your dog. Observing your dog’s eagerness to play, engagement during the game, and excitement for the “click!” will guide your training. Give your dog the time he needs to understand the game.

Sometimes just wait

Booker needs a non-reward marker for feedback when his actions aren't quite right.

Booker, Fran’s 10-year-old Boston Terrier, is a dog who gets a little exuberant and loses focus during training games. He needs the feedback of a non-reward marker to keep him engaged and playing the games we want to play. At some point during particularly movement-oriented games, Booker will get over-excited and forget what he’s supposed to be doing. Even if the game is only 2 Minutes long. The non-reward marker lets him know that he’s still playing the game with us, we’re still paying attention, and “good” behavior will be rewarded.

Torque, Hope’s 8-year-old French Bulldog, listens for the “click!” If he doesn’t hear it, he goes back to see what didn’t happen that was supposed to. Only occasionally does he need to hear a non-reward marker. For him, it’s more of a conversation: “Oh my goodness! What happened?” or “That didn’t work, did it?”

Use it if you need it

You know your dog best. If you think your dog needs the feedback that a non-reward marker will give, use it. See what phrase works best for you and your dog. Be sure it’s not one your dog finds off-putting or that will shut them down. You want your dog to keep trying. And be ready to reward when they get it right.

Tell your dog everything

One of the most wonderful things about dogs is you can tell your dog anything. Whatever you say, they’ll think it’s fascinating, wonderful, and amazing. Dogs love it when you talk to them.

The more you do, the more words they’ll understand. Who doesn’t have a story about the words you have to spell out loud so your dog doesn’t get too excited? Is that magic word “Walk” in your house? In ours its “Wannagwout?”

Dogs are capable of learning the meaning of hundreds of words. It’s up to you to teach them.

Tell your dog everything

There’s no reason to be shy about talking to your dog. If you’re a quiet person who doesn’t say much when you’re alone with your dogs, give it a try. If you don’t really have anything to say, just describe what you’re doing or your plans for the day in a conversational tone. When you’re out on a walk, or running errands with your dog, keep up the dialogue. Even if somebody sees or hears you, they’ll assume you’re on the phone, not a crazy person talking to your dog.

Talking about phones, many dogs react rudely when their people actually do talk on the phone. One of the reasons is because they’re not used to it. You can mimic a phone conversation to train your dog how to act when you pick up the phone. Decide what behavior you’d like, and make it into a training game. Test your phone’s ring tone, tell your dog “Place!”, and reward. If you give your dog something to do when your phone rings, they’ll be less likely to bother you.

Give them the words

Anything you need or want your dog to do can be easier if you make it a training game. In the last couple of weeks, we taught our dogs a new behavior, just by naming it.

It started when a baby bunny decided our fenced yard was a great place to nibble on grass. Since we don’t want our dogs catching the bunny, we started putting on their collars and leashes before going out – even in our own yard.

The dogs would rather be naked in the yard as well as the house, so there was some reluctance and backing up when we showed them their collars. Instead of chasing them around to put on their collars, we turned it into a training game.

It was easy to do, and the dogs all learned in a couple of days. The game was to hold out the collar, say “Collar!” and reward all the little steps: looking at the collar, sniffing the collar, laying their throat on the collar, clasping the collar, opening the collar. Since they’re all familiar with collars to start with, there was no resistance or fear. But there were lots of treats.

Let them know what’s going on

Now when we say collar, our dogs stand and stretch their necks so we can put on their collars. To keep the value of the behavior, we still reward it. Maybe not every time, but often. And especially when they were busy elsewhere and come running over when we say “Collar!”

Just telling your dog what’s going on can make the difference. If there’s something your dog is reluctant to do, think about how you can turn it around. Use your words and your treats to change anything into a game your dog will want to play.

Every dog is unique

Whether you have a houseful of dogs, or only one at a time, you know that every dog is unique. Even if they’re all the same breed. Even if they’re closely related. Just like you and your siblings are distinct and different individuals, so are dogs.

Most people, especially dog people, know this. But almost every one of us disregards it, to some extent, in training our dogs. Whatever annoying things your last dog did, you’ve trained this one not to.

Everyone does some overcompensating for past mistakes. We’ve done it, too. For example, when Hope’s French Bulldog Teddy was a puppy, she carried him around all the time. When he grew up, weighed 26 pounds, and wanted to be carried around all the time, Hope realized the error of her ways..

So when Torque came along, she was conscientious about having him walk on his own four feet. It worked too well. Picking Torque up scares him, and he hates being carried around.

Everybody does it

We’ve seen other examples among our beginner obedience students. One of the dogs in the last session was a Standard Poodle, not even two years old. This dog is a frequent victim of my-other-dog-itis. Their other dog (whom we’ve never met), sounds like a smart, problem-solving, mischief-making large-and-in-charge dog. And because of their experience with their first dog, the Poodle basically wasn’t allowed to make his own decisions about anything, ever.

At first, the Poodle’s lack of interest or engagement in any training games had us puzzled. Poodles, especially Standards, are among the brightest dog breeds. They’re intelligent and trainable dogs with a sense of humor and a touch of goofiness. Most Poodles would be right in there, playing training games and willing to keep playing just about forever.

Then we kept hearing about this family’s other dog; how smart she is, what a troublemaker she is, and how she was “alpha” in the household. We haven’t talked much about the “alpha” dog thing – because it’s nonsense and we wish it would go away. But there are still people subscribing to that disproved theory.

And the light bulb turned on. This dog wasn’t engaging in training games because he never had the chance to experiment, try things, make mistakes, get over them, and keep playing.

Let them learn

The Poodle people didn’t want a repetition of their older dog. So they tightly controlled every aspect of this dog’s life. He didn’t know how to make good decisions, because he’d never had to make any decisions at all. He didn’t know “trying” was an option.

Fortunately, his people extended themselves to embrace training games. By the end of the session, this dog started to think for himself and started to show his real potential. He’s turning into the Poodle he could be. Allowing your dog the time it takes, being patient, consistent, and trusting in the process isn’t something every dog person can do.

A friend of ours, who is a top-tier Obedience competitor, freely admits she doesn’t have the patience to do the hardest thing in dog training – waiting. Doing nothing while the dog figures things out. And now that she has a young dog who lacks confidence, it’s a big problem.

Build them up

A dog who plays training games is a more confident dog. That dog has been rewarded for making good decisions. Has earned praise for thinking. That dog knows how to figure things out. That dog also trusts their person to give them feedback when they choose wisely. And knows their person won’t let anything bad happen to them.

As your dog’s trainer, it’s up to you to foster your dog’s confidence. It’s absolutely natural to try to avoid mistakes you may have made with past dogs. And you should, by all means, try to make all new mistakes with a different dog. Always keeping in mind that every dog is unique.

Get your dog’s attention with the “Watch!” game

Do you wish your dog would pay more attention to you? There are lots of times and circumstances where aggravation could be avoided if your dog just stopped staring at whatever, and looked at you. Like when your dog spots a bunny on your walk and takes off running when it does. Or when the person with the loaded cat carrier sits right across from you in the veterinarian’s waiting room. Wouldn’t it be great if you could instantly get your dog’s attention?

But how do you get your dog to focus on you when so many interesting things are happening all around? The answer is to be more interesting than anything else. How do you make that happen? Play the “Watch!” game!

Make them love the game

For the “Watch!” game to be effective, the reward for playing has to be the absolute top of your dog’s food chain. If your dog is “meh” about kibble, don’t use it. In other words, the perfect fuel for this game is one your dog would run through fire to get. For lots of dogs, it would be hot dogs, or cheese.

It doesn’t matter where you play the “Watch!” game – it doesn’t require much space or any “stuff” other than treats. This is another great “kitchen game” to play while you wait for the water to boil.

How to play “Watch!”

Have the treats (already diced into reward morsels) in a bowl close at hand, where you can easily reach them, but your dog can’t. Take one treat in each hand between your thumb and forefinger. For this game, we want our dogs to know that we have the treats. With your dog sitting or standing in front of you, hold your arms outstretched at the level of your ears. Straight out, with your hands as far apart as you can get them.

Every single dog we’ve ever met will glance from hand to hand, trying to figure out what you want them to do. One of the reasons we start with the hands so far apart is to clearly see where the dog is looking. We want them to meet our eyes. They’re not doing that if they’re looking back and forth like they’re watching a tennis match.

If your dog is easily frustrated, have them on collar and leash so they can’t leave the vicinity. You want them to keep trying to figure it out – at least for the 2 Minutes you’ll play.

As soon as your dog meets your eyes, even if it was by accident while back-and-forthing, say “Yes! Good Watch!” (or “Look!” – whatever word you want to use is fine) and give the dog, in quick succession, one treat from each hand.

Keep Going

Reload, and do it again. And again. It may take a few 2-Minute sessions before your dog is staring into your eyes like Lady & The Tramp. That’s okay. It will come. Just be consistent, hold those treats out, and stare into your adorable dog’s face. You’ll get your dog’s attention – just be patient.

The next step, when they’re meeting your eyes the majority of the time, is to start bringing your hands in closer to your head. The rate of progression depends on the dog, on the frequency you play the game, and the value of the rewards to the dog. More is better in this case.

Eventually, the objective is to have your hands tight up against your head. You should still be able to discern when your dog is looking at your face, not at the treats. That’s what you want.

Next step

As the game progresses, you can start lowering your hands to your sides. Again, take it slow and make sure your dog’s attention is still where you want it – on your eyes. The ultimate goal is for your dog to love this game so much, all you’ll have to say is “Watch!” and his/her head will snap around to meet your eyes.

The point of the game is to make it so incredibly rewarding for your dog to focus on you that he/she will disregard whatever distractions are around. Like “Touch!,” it’s a game you pull out and play whenever you need it, wherever you are. And whenever you want your dog’s attention.

There may be times when you give the signal “Watch!” because you need it, but don’t have any primo treats at hand. When that happens, and it happens to everyone occasionally, you’ve decreased the “balance” in your dog’s training account. Refresh and even add to that account by playing the game over the subsequent few days with top-of-the-line goodies. We always want our dog to love playing “Watch!” with us.

Never too late to socialize your dog

Lots of puppies adopted in the last couple of years have been deprived. They’re not accustomed to real life in the real world. There wasn’t a way to properly socialize your dog. There just weren’t the places to go, classes to take, people to see, that other dogs got to experience. The good news is that it’s never too late. Every healthy dog can learn to be calm and confident in public, regardless of age or upbringing.

The pandemic saw the shelters empty as people looked for companionship during the lockdown. That was good for both the animals and the humans. There’s no one who appreciates time spent at home more than your dog. The down side was that these dogs led a sheltered existence, so to speak. The world they grew up in wasn’t the same as the one we have now.

Socializing your dog doesn’t mean they have to like every person or dog. It means they can be calm and listen to you wherever you are, whatever’s around, whoever you’re with.

Getting socialized

Just because your puppy couldn’t go places, meet people, and do things doesn’t mean they’ll never be able to. It does mean some “remedial” socialization has to happen. If your dog grew up in the time of “social distancing,” you just couldn’t do the things that help dogs mature into confident, calm beings with public manners. Now, you can.

The key is to start small. If your dog reacts to people walking by, freaks out when bicycles pass, or can’t handle hordes of traffic, don’t plunge them right into those situations. Figure out your dog’s “comfort zone” and expand their world gradually.

Distance is always your friend when training a reactive dog. Watch your dog’s body language. As long as they’re calm and relaxed, you’re doing fine. Watch for signs of stress. They may not be as obvious as lunging and barking.

Something as subtle as stopping to scratch may be stress. It could also be an itch, so look at your dog’s overall demeanor. Where is she holding her tail, or ears? A stiffly-held tail and laid-back ears are signs of nerves. Is he panting? Are the whites of his eyes showing? All of these say “I’m not comfortable.” If that’s the case, stop where you are and just let the dog adjust.

Using dog training’s most difficult skill

This is the time you need to pull out all your patience and just wait. Hang out with your dog. Let them look around and see there’s nothing threatening. When they look at you, reward. You’re establishing in the dog’s mind that they can trust you. You won’t bring them anywhere that’s scary or unsafe.

In this week’s “Manners” class, the first skill Hope had the dogs practicing was this one – doing nothing. All of these dogs were pandemic puppies, now grown into not-very-socialized dogs. It took a while for them to figure out there was nothing going on. We were all just sitting there. Ignoring their noise-making.

When they figured out there was nothing to bark at – they all stopped barking. Of course there were a few moments when one would forget and start, which triggered all of them. But each episode was shorter and had fewer participants.

If the dog stays calm or neutral, that’s the objective. The next time you can get a little closer and start reducing the size of the dog’s comfort zone. When you reach a point where your dog can sit calmly as people walk by in your quest to socialize your dog, it’s time to ask for some help.

Enlist friends and strangers

Ask people walking by to toss some treats to your dog. Hand them some treats if you can get that close. If not, put them on a surface and step away so the other person can reach the treats. As you calmly discuss the weather with the other person, they can toss the treats near your dog. Strangers, in time, become something to be happy about.

Fran’s almost 14-year-old Brussels Griffon Tango (pictured above) was an extremely reactive dog. He would bark, lunge, and try to bite both people and other dogs. No one but Fran could get near him. Taking him out in public was impossible. That was 13 years ago – he was 11 months old when he came home.

Now, just by the simple method described here, anyone can give Tango treats, pet him, even hold him. His first “cookie ladies” are still his favorite people – other than Fran. He was able to compete in Agility and Rally at large, noisy venues full of other dogs and people. Now, as a retired elder statesman dog, he’s everybody’s friend and a perfect gentleman. (Check out Book 5: Reactive Dog Recipe in the 2-Minute Trainer’s ebook series.) Tango is proof that it’s never too late to socialize your dog.

Socialize your dog at your dog’s speed

However old your dog is, that’s how long they’ve been building their current behavior. It won’t take as long to change it, but it will take patience and consistency. Stretch your dog’s “comfort zone,” but don’t try to smash the barrier all at once. You can have the calm, polite, socialized dog you planned on. It’s just going to take as long as it takes.

Getting to the “Aha!” moment in dog training

It’s the biggest joy. That “Aha!” moment in dog training that happens when the dog gets it and the dog’s owner sees it. When the team comes together in understanding that they can trust each other, work together, and achieve more than they ever imagined.

We got to see it just this week. This person has had dogs for years. She’s followed lots of different dog trainers and tried all different methods of dog training. And in one single session, she saw her dog change, think, learn, and grow. It was kind of wonderful to be part of it.

Let them think

We wish that these amazing training moments were video-worthy. But they’re not. It’s one of those things where you absolutely have to be there to realize something special is going on.

This person really, really wants her dog (a Portuguese Water Dog) to play the “Put Your Toys Away” game. The first step is to set something not-very-valuable to the dog on the floor. And stare at it. At first, the dog either bothers the hand with the treats, nudges the clicker hand, tries licking or whining to get the action started. The owner and I just wait, staring at the “thing.” In this case, it was an antler chew toy, which the dog doesn’t particularly like. Eventually, in his bid to make something happen, the dog accidentally touches the antler with his paw. Click, cookie near the antler.

The dog sits back and stares at us. What just happened? What did I do to get that treat? You can absolutely see the wheels turning in the dog’s brain. We go back to staring at the antler. The dog gets up and tries it again, licking, whining at the treat hand. Nothing. Turns and looks at the antler and slaps it. Click, cookie by the antler.

The “Aha!” moment in dog training arrives. The dog is starting to make the connection. Slap the antler, get a cookie. We’re over our three minutes by then, but the owner wants to keep going.

Next step

After three times pawing at the antler and getting rewarded, we know the dog has figured out that getting the treat has something to do with that object he doesn’t really care about. But he does care about getting treats. For the next step, to encourage growth of the game, we stop rewarding for using his paw. We’re looking for him to use his mouth to pick up the antler.

We could see him get a little frustrated – what worked before isn’t working now. Again, he sits back on his haunches. You can see him thinking. And he comes back to try something else. He mouths the antler! Click and reward. He does it again! Click and reward.

At this point, we’re well over the time threshold and call it a day. The next step will be getting him to hold the antler. Then move while holding it. Then take it to a basket or toy bin. Then drop it. Each little step matters. Some dogs will get it right away. Others may still be at the starting line. But, with your patience, every single dog will experiment to see what gets the reward.

When they know, they know

When you have a dog that’s accustomed to trying new things, thinking of solutions, and experimenting, you have a phenomenal companion and partner. Dogs become more confident, more social, better-behaved, and much more fun. And while the behaviors you learn together may go viral, the process isn’t exciting. Mostly what you’re doing is watching and waiting. The result is worth it. The owner, attuned to her dog, had an “Aha!” moment of her own. It was the first time she’d seen him think, solve, and grow before her eyes.

“One and Done” syndrome in dog training

Is your dog a habitual “one and done” kind of guy? As soon as they get a reward, are they gone, looking for something else to do? The bad news is – it’s your fault. The good news is, it’s pretty easy to fix.

How it happened

If your dog is saying “bye!” after a single reward, they’re reflecting what they’ve learned from you. They don’t expect any more, so there’s no reason to stick around. Give them a reason to stay and they will.

Fix it

Reward "Touch" as long as your dog's nose is in your palm. Avoid "one and done."

The “Touch!” game is a good one to use for demonstration. As a refresher, you hold the palm of your hand in front of your dog and say “Touch!” When your dog touches your palm with his/her nose, with your other hand, you bring a treat to the open palm and deliver it into your dog’s mouth. It’s a simple game. And incredibly useful to get your dog’s focus and attention back to you when they spot that enticing squirrel on a walk, cat at the vet’s office, or bicyclist about to pass on your walk.

The key to the game is leaving your open palm in place in front of your dog. It doesn’t move for the duration of the game. If you’ve been in the habit of using that hand to reward your dog, or moving it away after the “Touch,” you’ve created the “one and done.” Just leave it there. And every time your dog bops his/her nose in your palm, they get another treat. Every single time.

Promises kept

When can you randomize or lessen the number of treats? You can space out the treats when your dog knows the game thoroughly and loves playing it for its own sake. When the value of the treat has transferred to loving smashing his/her face into your palm. And even then, when it’s your dog’s favorite game and they’ll run through proverbial fire to play, you still hand over the reward the majority of the time.

Same thing with every single behavior that requires duration. If your dog is disengaging after a single reward, it’s because they don’t expect more. Surprise them! If you’re working on a down, give three treats in rapid succession, delivered between your dog’s front paws. Then give a release or “That’s all!” cue to let your dog know the game’s over.

It works for games that require motion, too. If you’re working on loose-leash walking, give a reward every single time your dog looks up at you from the correct position at your side.

Your dog knows if you’re being stingy

Dogs aren’t stupid. If you’re stingy, your dog knows it. They have no reason to keep doing whatever it was that got them one treat after they get it.

If, on the other hand, the dog has no idea when the next cookie will be coming his way, he’ll stick around and keep doing the “good” stuff in hopes of being rewarded. Don’t disappoint them!

Dogs are eternal optimists

It’s true. Dogs are always ready to believe that you’ll deliver delightful things. If you give them a reason to keep doing what they’re doing, they’ll keep doing it. What gets rewarded, gets repeated. Give your dog a reason to keep going.

You can’t teach dogs “don’t”

There’s no way to teach dogs “don’t”

“Stop! Don’t do that!” When you say it in “Mom Voice,” most children will freeze and stare at you. Whatever they were caught doing stops immediately. Dogs? Not so much. It’s practically impossible to teach a dog “don’t. That’s the biggest difference between talking to a toddler and a dog.

You can't teach dogs "don't," but you can teach them to do something else instead of jumping.

That doesn’t mean dogs get away with unacceptable behaviors. But when someone asks how to teach their dog “not to jump,” it’s the wrong question. A better, faster, easier approach is to give the dog something else to do instead of jumping on people. (We educated our cousin how to refocus her dog from jumping not long ago.)

Instead behaviors

Think about it. All of the successful things you’ve taught your dog, from potty-training to complex tricks, are teaching them what to do. Not what not to do. If you just thought “Wait! Potty training is teaching the dog not to eliminate in the house!” That’s how you think of it. In fact, what you’ve trained your dog is where they should eliminate.

It’s the same for any other dog’s naughty behavior. We teach our dogs to “Sit!” as a response to a doorbell ringing or a knock on the door. They’re doing something, instead of “not” jumping.

For a while, we believed our dogs knew how to “Leave it!” It’s what we used when their noses poked into the wastebaskets, or they obsessed over the place the bunny dove under the gate. What we really taught our dogs was to refocus on us and get rewarded. Instead of the negative “stop that” behavior intended, we got a “look at me” behavior. That realization changed nothing. We still got what we wanted. Our dogs leave the thing alone. And we still say “Leave it!” because that’s what we’re all used to.

Call it whatever you want

Do the dogs understand the phrase “leave it?” No. They understand that when they hear those words there’s something they’re supposed to do. As long as you’re consistent with the words you attach to behaviors, it works. Like Humpty Dumpty in Alice in Wonderland: “When I use a word… it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.”

So although the “Leave it!” command is phrased as something “not” to do, there’s actually a positive “something” to do attached. If there’s anything your dog does that you wish they wouldn’t, the most effective way to change the behavior is to give them something to do instead.

Works for all kinds of things

Changing how you phrase things gives you the ability to translate it into “dog.” Since you can’t teach your dogs don’t pull on the leash, instead train them to walk at your side. Rather than “stop counter-surfing,” teach them where their “Place!” is in the kitchen. Substitute “get your toy” for barging into someone coming in the door.

Think about the things your dog does that annoy you. Be honest – every dog is occasionally annoying. Picture what you’d like your dog to do in those circumstances. Then you’ll have a plan to turn things around. What would you like him/her to be doing instead? And how can you make a training game out of it? Now you’re thinking like a dog trainer.