positive reinforcement dog training Archives - Page 7 of 9

Be there to train your dog

You have to be there to train your dog.

It seems obvious, but many people don’t make the crucial connections. Two of our puppy class students had questions this week about “problems” with their dogs. Neither realized they were both asking about the same thing in different situations.

Mitzi is a Golden Retriever puppy, five months old, who has earned the nickname “Destroyer of Toys.” Her dad asked what toys he can get that she won’t destroy. It’s getting expensive to replace them constantly, and, sooner or later, Mitzi’s going to wind up at the emergency vet for swallowing something she shouldn’t.

Bingo is a mixed-breed (Golden x Miniature Poodle) five-month-old puppy who barks a lot. Bingo’s older “brother,” Smokey, is teaching him how, since Smokey (9 years old) watches out the front windows and barks all day long.

You have to be there to train your dog

Both of these families have the same problem, but don’t realize it. They’re attempting the impossible – invisible training.

You can’t train your dog if you’re not there. You can’t solve a problem by ignoring it. You have to be there to train your dog.

Get creative with problem solving

The solution to Mitzi’s problem is really easy, but her people never thought of it. She gets no toys unless they are actively playing with her. This will actually work to solve another issue they don’t realize they have. Mitzi has no interest in her “dad.” She never checks in with him, rarely glances at him, and pays no attention unless she has no other choice. Their relationship is tenuous, at best.

Mitzi is a toy destroyer. You have to be there to train your dog. — Mitzi is a toy destroyer

If the only time this toy-obsessed puppy gets to play with toys is when her people are with her, she’ll learn they’re the source of all good things and the bond will grow exponentially. Dogs, especially puppies, don’t have to be busy or entertained all the time. Puppies need lots of sleep and down time. Without constant toy stimulation, Mitzi will have a chance to get the rest she needs to process all the things she’s learning.

Bingo’s a tougher case

Because there’s another, older dog in the house, Bingo is learning both bad and good things from him. To nip Bingo’s barking behavior in the bud, Smokey has to get with the program. And that will depend on how willing his people are to put in the effort.

It seems that Smokey has free run of the house, all day long. He parks himself at the front windows, which are two-stories high, with no blinds.. And he barks at everything he sees, all day long. Bingo is just following Smokey’s lead, learning that barking at everything outside is okay.

Be creative with solutions

Solving the issue requires restricting access to those windows when the family isn’t there to participate in training games. Hope listened to a bunch of “buts:”

But there are no blinds
But it’s an open concept house
But we can’t be there all the time
But they watch through the rail on the second floor

Hearing about the issue for the first time, listening for only a couple of minutes, Hope came up with two viable solutions: On the first floor, get spring-rods and drape sheets across them so the dogs can’t see out. On the second floor, drape the railing so the dogs can’t see out.

Once they manage access, the “Looky Lou” game is perfect. Let the dogs look out the window. If they start to bark, get their attention and reward for looking at you, instead of the barking trigger. If you’re there to explain what you want, your dog will quickly learn. Train one dog at a time. And yes, the nine-year-old dog can learn, too.

Look at whatever your dog’s issue is from an outsider’s point of view. Say it out loud, or pose the question on social media. Or ask us. There’s always a way to manage the behavior until your training takes effect. Your choices for dealing with your dog’s “naughty” behaviors are one of three: Ignore it. Manage it. Train it.

Mitzi’s and Bingo’s families have been ignoring it. Now they know how to manage it. The next step will be how diligent they are in training to “fix” it.

Dogs care what we think

No one seems to know exactly why, or how, dogs threw their lot in with humanity in ancient days. But they did, and dogs actually care what we think. That’s the point all 2-Minute Training pivots on. Dogs care what we think.

Behavior that gets attention gets repeated

Taking it a step further, behavior that gets attention gets repeated. Think about that for a minute. Things that you give focus on happen again.

That’s why it’s crucial to “pay” your dog for the good stuff. And ignore the naughty. If a dog is constantly jumping on people and those people yell, kick, brush away the dog – that’s all attention being given to that naughty behavior.

Any attention to your dog is cherished. So just pay attention to the good stuff. — Looking for attention …

Some would argue that because the attention is negative, it’s giving the proper message. But dogs don’t care. They don’t understand the difference between good and bad attention. They only understand that a person they love focuses on them. It’s all good to dogs. That’s why, sadly, most abused dogs never turn on their owners. Any attention from their person is cherished.

Counter-conditioning yourself

It’s absolutely normal to concentrate on the things that are “wrong.” It goes against every instinct to ignore bad behavior. Standing still and staring at the ceiling when a dog is jumping on you is hard. But it’s the best way to convey information to the dog.

We have to realize that dog training is, in essence, trying to communicate with aliens. They don’t speak our language, they don’t see the world the way we do, and they don’t think like we do.

Our best advantage is that dogs do love us, and dogs care what we think. They’re happiest when we’re happy. That’s a blessing we’re thankful for every day. And it means we have to work really hard at remembering to reward the stuff we like.

Pay your dog

Dogs learn through the timing and placement of rewards. “That was good!” is the message every treat morsel conveys to your dog. A scratch behind the ear and a hearty “Good Dog!” is almost as good. How many times have you said “Are you a good dog?” just to get your dog’s tail to wag? They love playing that game!

And every time you smile, laugh, or sound delighted, you’re paying your dog with praise. It’s hard for many people to open up in public places and give their dogs the feedback they thrive on. What we tell our dog training students and clients is: No one’s looking at you. (We talked about this in our article, “Dogs Don’t Judge.”) Anyone who’s watching is looking at your dog. Dogs are eye magnets. Just go ahead and keep playing your training games. If somebody’s watching, maybe they’ll learn something by seeing what a good time you’re both having.

What gets attention gets repeated

Dogs are smart. And dogs care what we think. The things we pay attention to are the things dogs will try again and again. If your focus has been on the negative: barking, jumping, humping, counter-surfing; those are the things your dog thinks are important. He/she has no way of knowing that sitting, cuddling, retrieving, lying down, are better choices.

It takes time to change your awareness to the positive. It’s natural for people to ignore things that are unremarkable. If your dog is calmly watching the world go by at the front window, that deserves payment. That’s exactly the behavior you want. But because it’s “normal” you might forget to reward it.

Take note of the good things your dog does every single day. Let him/her know that you appreciate them being good. That they’re doing something you’d like to see again.

Training for Quiet in the Crate

Is your dog quiet in the crate? Crate training is probably the best thing that’s happened to dogs in the last couple of decades. It allows dogs to be “good” all the time when learning potty training. Crate training is also valuable in other situations, as we discussed in a very early article.

Many people, certainly at first, were reluctant to use crates or cages. There is still some resistance, but overall most people have come to realize that dogs are most secure, comfortable, and relaxed when in an enclosed, familiar spot.

Why crate training works

Simon, Boston Terrier, is perfectly comfortable and quiet in his crate. — Simon is comfortable and quiet in his crate.

The original explanation for crate training theorized that dogs are descended from wolf or fox ancestors, all of which are den animals. They’re most comfortable and secure in cozy dens. It makes sense, even if it’s a stretch of the truth. It even explains why many dogs prefer round, bolster beds, and sleep all curled up.

By retaining the crate, you’re allowing your dog to be “off duty” when you’re not around. And, in unfamiliar situations, it’s a comfort zone for them.

But what if your dog fusses while crated? It happens in our Rally Class. Dogs participate one at a time, and aside from when the dogs are taking their turn, are supposed to be crated. There are some dogs who bark or fuss in the crate. Some are eager to go play Rally. Others are showing some anxiety.

Crate stress

Unlike most of 2-Minute-Dog-Training games, dealing with crate stress will take a bigger block of time. Plan to practice for at least 10 or 15 minutes. And consider yourself lucky. Hope once had to play this game, driving in her car, for several hours when bringing Torque home as a puppy!

To play Quiet in the Crate you’ll need:

A crate large enough for your dog to lie down in.
Treats.
A sheet or blanket large enough to cover the entire crate.
Patience
Good timing

Start playing

To start playing, crate your dog. It’s fine if you have to lure him/her in by throwing some incredibly tasty treats in the crate. We do want our dogs to relax and enjoy being in the crate.

(Note: if your dog hates the crate, work on getting them to accept it before you ask them to be quiet in it. You can accomplish this by feeding in the crate, and by incorporating the crate into daily life. Have it in the same room where you are, open and available. If you’re playing fetch or other games with your dog, toss a prized toy in the crate and let your dog get it and bring it back out. Don’t use a fetch game to lock your dog in the crate. Never try to fool your dog into going in the crate. That will poison it forever. Make it a part of everyday life, not a big deal.)

Quiet = Uncovered

When your dog is in the crate, if he/she starts fussing, crying, whining, or barking, cover the crate with the sheet or blanket. If/when they stop making noise, lift the front of the fabric and give a treat through the crate bars. You can say “Good Quiet!” The crate stays uncovered as long as the dog is quiet.

If your dog starts making noise again, don’t say anything, just recover the crate. As soon as the dog is quiet, lift the cover, reward, and say “Good Quiet!”

If, by chance, your dog doesn’t fuss, just deliver treats at random intervals. Say “Good Quiet!” (or whatever phrase you want to use) with every reward. This will teach the dog the word “Quiet!” so you can ask for it when they understand.

To advance the game if your dog remains quiet while you’re close, leave the room. If this causes the dog to start fussing, return and cover the crate. Don’t say anything. We want the dog to process the difference between cover and uncover.

Be patient

It may take a few sessions of the game for your dog to catch on to what you’re asking. Baby Torque took about four hours of Hope waving that cover back and forth over the crate in the passenger seat between Ontario and Chicago. It wasn’t the best drive of her life, but it worked. Torque is not only an excellent passenger, he’s content and happy whenever he’s in his crate.

Good dog training is bad for ratings

There’s absolutely nothing exciting about good dog training. You’re probably never going to see a TV show that features a positive reinforcement trainer. There’s no yelling, no drama, no lunging, growling, or biting. There’s patience, treats, and wonderful moments. Good dog training is bad for ratings – absolutely no suspense.

Good dog training = bad television

Those wonderful moments happen all the time when you’re a positive reinforcement trainer.

One of our students has been having a hard time battling her habit of yanking on her dog’s collar. Especially when her 18-month old, active Miniature Poodle does something she considers naughty. Then, after class, when she was talking to us, her dog started jumping on Hope. And she dropped his leash! It was a wonderful breakthrough for her. She knows herself well enough to know, with leash in hand, she’d pull on her dog. Instead, she dropped it and trusted the training. And it worked! With no response to his jumping, the dog stopped, sat, and was quickly praised and rewarded. It was a two-fer! Both the student and the dog got it right.

But that light-bulb moment, huge though it may have been for the people and dog involved, made for dull watching. Only the people involved knew how huge it was, because it looked like a woman choosing not to control her jumping dog. Just two women standing there, and a jumping dog. No yelling, no motion, nothing dramatic. That’s the way it should be.

Not easy, but worth it

Of course our students have an advantage. We’re there. And while we never administer a correction on a dog, we’re famous for “yelling” at our students. We notice when their past experience and habit has them popping a dog’s collar. We see when they fail to maintain connection with their dogs. And we yell when they miss an opportunity to praise and reward their dogs.

Remember that dogs learn through the timing and placement of rewards. (“Careful where you put it!“) Behavior that gets attention is more likely to be repeated. So the one phrase our students hear over and over again is: “Doing it right has to look different than getting it wrong.” Give your dog the information he/she needs. Yes, that was good! That’s what I want! Good dog! Here’s a cookie!

Only happy sounds

Oftentimes there’s a lot of chatter with our own dog training games. But it’s never, ever yelling at the dog. While commands are given only once (Sit, Stand, Down, Front), it’s not the only thing the dogs hear. But all of the conversation is upbeat and encouraging; Go get it! Such a smart puppy! Whatcha Gonna Do? Who’s a good boy? Are you the cleverest fellow?

The worst dogs should hear is either a non-reward marker like “Oops!” or a simple phrase like “that’s not it, try again.” As long as your 2-Minute-Dog Training Games are focused and fun, you don’t have to worry about your dog disengaging. They will persist, because they’re having fun, too.

Value of video

While good dog training may not make for suspenseful TV, taking video of your own sessions is great. First off, when you’re in the middle of it, you can’t see how incredibly cute your dog is during the session. So it’s great to have it for posterity.

Secondly, you can see how you did as a trainer. Did you miss a chance to praise your dog? Did you give attention to something you shouldn’t have? Was your energy happy and fun? And did you make doing the right thing look different for your dog every single time? Celebrate every little breakthrough, even if it would make bad TV.

Dog training collars are just another myth

Dog training collars don’t exist. There is no object that can train your dog. You’re the only training gear you and your dog really need.

Traditionally, choke-chain and prong collars were considered training collars. Then came the invention of electronic collars. All of these are threats of punishment, not trainers. You don’t need one to control your dog.

Real training gear

What your dog wears for your training games doesn’t matter. It can be a regular buckle collar, a harness, or nothing at all. Dog training isn’t ever about the “stuff” – although heaven knows we’ve managed to accumulate tons of stuff. It’s about your relationship with your dog. Having fun. Playing games. Building understanding. And growing your bond.

The gear you need is intangible: patience, adaptability, observation, a sense of humor. It’s being willing to pay attention to your dog and the signals he/she gives you. And the ability to try something else when what you’re doing isn’t working.

Collars have their uses

Puppy Booker wears a flat buckle collar with a leash on to begin training. It was not a "dog training collar." — Puppy Booker starting training wearing a flat buckle collar and leash.

When you begin playing training games with your dog, a collar or harness may be useful. You may need to attach a leash to keep your dog in the vicinity at first. We recommend at least a six-foot leash. And all you do is attach it and step on the end to keep the dog relatively close.

Until your dog understands that training games are a fun zone, he/she may attempt to disengage. Remember, depending on what kind of training you’ve experienced in the past, your dog may expect to be corrected or punished for “wrong” answers. To avoid that, your dog may attempt to disengage and leave the area.

In 2-Minute Training games there’s no such thing as punishment. Reward what you like, ignore what you don’t. It will take a while for your dog to understand they can try all kinds of stuff. (We talked about one of Simon’s long-awaited breakthroughs in our article “Stay positive in dog training – results come in time.”) It may not be exactly right, but that’s okay. We just try again.

Naked games

Our dogs, who wear nothing in the house, adore playing training games. When we open the door to the basement where we have our little training area, they all barrel down as fast as they can go. They sometimes try to sneak down if we’ve left the door ajar accidentally.

We love and encourage that enthusiasm. Our morning training games are the best way to start the day – having fun with our dogs. And if a particular game doesn’t go the way we wanted it to, there’s always another opportunity.

Recently, Hope decided to start teaching Torque the Utility Obedience glove retrieve. That exercise has three evenly-spaced work gloves at one end of the room. The judge decides which glove (left, center, or right) the dog must fetch and bring back to the owner. If your dog has a fetch behavior, it seems simple enough.

We learned quickly that it’s more complex than that. Torque was stumped. He had no idea what to do with the gloves – he’d never seen them before. With 2-Minute Training games, we easily adapted and took it back to basics.

Torque’s next game was just getting familiar with work gloves. Hope put them on the floor and sat close by. Torque got a click and reward for any interaction with the gloves. Looking at them. Pawing at them. Moving them. After three clicks at each stage, Hope waited for Torque to do something else. Within just a couple of minutes, when putting a paw on the glove no longer got him a click, he moved on to mouthing them, picking them up, even carrying them a step or two.

Clothes don’t make the dog

Even though he didn’t get it “right” – Torque stayed right with the game because he’s not afraid to try new things. That’s because he’s never been punished with a dog training collar, or anything else.He plays naked, as do all our dogs. He stays and plays because he loves it, not because he’s compelled.

Don’t diminish your dog’s spirit with the constant fear of being wrong. You want your dog engaged, happy, learning new things, and eager to participate in training games. It’s such a joy to see dogs fulfilling their potential, making good choices, engaging with their families. Being the family member you dreamed of when you got your dog.

Build on what your dog knows

Giving your dog a strong training foundation means you don’t have to keep reinventing the wheel. You can build on what your dog knows. You can start with the familiar to grow your dog’s understanding, their repertoire of behaviors and tricks, and build your partnership.

If your dog already knows “Place” (whatever you call it; mat, bed, rug), you can use that as a base for teaching your dog to Stay. (“Place” is an integral part of eCourse 1: Clicker and Place. Clicker optional.) Your dog already knows that going into the place is a good thing – he or she always gets a reward for being there. You can start teaching “Stay” simply by extending the timing between reinforcements.

It’s important to be clear about your criteria for words like “Stay!” For those of us training in dog sports, “Stay” means: “do not move any part of your body except your head!” And that’s the definition we use, whether we’re teaching an Obedience Competition stay, or “the doorbell rang, go place!” stay.

For obvious reasons, a completely non-moving stay can’t be held for too long. We use a different word for a more casual interpretation. In this case, it’s “Wait!” which means stay right about there. If you don’t need the more stringent definition, develop your own criteria for “Stay!” It could mean “okay as long as you’re in your place.” Or it could mean “no paws out of Place!” Whatever you decide, stick to it. Dogs don’t understand “maybe” – it’s either right or wrong, yes or no.

Yellow means stay

We’re always finding new uses for common, inexpensive items. One of our favorites is cheap yoga mats. We use them to cushion hard surfaces and indicate “place.” In the dog sport of Agility, the parts of the obstacles dogs must touch are colored yellow. We use pieces of yellow yoga mats to train our dogs to always touch yellow.

Some people think that dogs don’t see colors. They do, although their perception is different from ours. Yellow is a color that they can see, although it’s not as vivid for them as it is for us. Your dog can, in fact, learn to differentiate among identical objects of different colors. That’s a training game all by itself!

Getting back to using what the dog knows, Fran’s Boston Terrier Simon knows to get on the yellow mat and stay there until released. And, when Simon started to understand he always has to touch yellow, she brought her piece of yoga mat to agility class and put it on the obstacle. In only one class, Simon understood the relationship and consistently touched the yellow.

Extending the reach

We brought back the yellow yoga mat piece recently when Simon was having trouble with the “stay, walk around the dog” as a Rally instruction. He kept pivoting to look at Fran as she circled around him. He’s supposed to stay in the same position she left him in as she circles.

“Fixing” the behavior was as simple as putting out that old piece of yellow yoga mat. Fran heeled with Simon up to the mat, told him to “Stay!” and walked around. As simple as that. Using something familiar in a new situation let Simon understand what’s expected of him. He got lots of treats!

Stop Your Dog from Jumping on People

It’s really cute when puppies jump up to get attention. It’s not cute anymore when the dog grows up and isn’t a cute, tiny puppy any more. So how do you stop your dog from jumping on people?

Cry for attention

How do you stop a dog from jumping on you? — A dog jumping on you is a plea for attention.

Dogs don’t generally just jump for joy. When they’re so full of energy they just can’t contain themselves, jumping up and down isn’t the usual behavior. Instead, they’ll get the “zoomies” and run like crazy. If your house, like ours, has a circular path, they’ll make it into a race track. And you’d best just stay out of the way until the zoomies run out.

Jumping, especially on people, is a plea for attention. And the best way to get it to stop is by ignoring it. Which, we freely admit, is easier said than done.

In Hope’s Beginning Obedience/Puppy classes, dogs will often jump on her as she approaches. We don’t know if you can tell from our videos, but she’s not a big person. She’s about five-foot-nothing tall, and not incredibly substantial. In one session, there was a lovely, 50+ lb. Lab puppy named Gus who adored jumping on Hope and grabbing the mask off her face. On his hind legs, Gus is about the same height as Hope, so her mask was well within reach. It’s worth noting that he really is a very nice dog – he never snagged anything but the mask.

Be prepared

Knowing when your dog is likely to jump on someone, and what circumstances trigger the behavior, is key in stopping it. Set up the situation and be prepared.

In this case, Hope had Gus’s people keep hold of his leash until she braced herself and was ready for his enthusiasm. Then she told them to release enough slack for Gus to reach her, but not go past. Gus grabbed the mask again, but Hope did nothing. She didn’t move, didn’t play “tug” with the mask, didn’t look at him, didn’t pay any attention to him. She looked past Gus at his people. And had to tell them repeatedly not to react.

And, after a few seconds of acting the fool, Gus got all four feet on the ground. Immediately, Hope told him what a good boy he was and started petting him. Which triggered his jumping.

Hope instantly returned to braced-statue mode. No reaction whatsoever. And Gus got all four feet on the ground. Which earned him the praise and attention he wanted.

Instant gratification

Timing is important in teaching dogs. If the lesson is “don’t jump on people” there has to be a visible difference. Jump = no attention. No jumping = praise, treats, and attention.

We’ve often said that doing nothing is, by far, the hardest part of dog training. (“The hardest part of dog training“) If you pay attention to behaviors you don’t want, you’re encouraging that behavior. If you remove that attention, the dog has no reason to continue the behavior – it’s not working for him.

Dogs always give you more of the behavior you focus on. If you repeatedly say “off, get off, no jump” it’s paying attention to the behavior. It works much better to emphasize when your dog is doing something you want. Instant praise, treats, or a game of tug will tell your dog he’s being “good,” that you like what he’s doing, and he’ll get more attention with this good choice.

Making good choices

Everyone, dogs included, is sufficiently selfish to do what works best. If jumping on people results in attention, even if it’s “No, No, bad dog,” it’s working. Dogs don’t discriminate between negative and positive attention. To your dog, anytime you focus on them, it’s a good thing.

If you ignore the behavior you don’t want, your dog has no reason to continue doing it. The dog’s behavior isn’t working, so they stop doing it.

If your dog is jumping on someone, have them stand like a statue. Fold their arms across their chest and stare at the ceiling. It may take some repetitions, but your dog will learn that jumping gets them nothing they want. Dogs particularly hate it when you don’t look at them. So make a point of looking away.

Flip side

The other side of the coin has to be just as fast and clear. If the dog has all four feet on the ground, meet their eyes, praise them mightily, and give treats, pets, toys. For as long as the good behavior lasts. Be ready to stop in mid-word if the jumping starts.

It may take some time for the lesson to sink in. Each time the dog gets the same message, the “right” choice penetrates deeper into their personality. By the end of the class session, Gus sat whenever Hope came over to see him. Good boy, Gus!

It’s never okay to hurt your dog

Don't let your small dog hide. — It’s never okay to hurt your dog.

Why is it hard to understand that it’s never okay to hurt your dog? That training should never be painful? There’s always a better way.

Last week was a particularly challenging one. One of Hope’s competition Obedience students, who’s been with her class for years, had an electronic collar on her dog.

The collar was black, the dog is black, and it was about half-way through the class before Hope noticed and called the student on it.

The rationale had steam coming from Hope’s ears.

The student, we’ll call her Sharon, likes to take her dog, Phydeaux, to the dog park to run off leash. While there, Phydeaux took it upon himself to jump on an unknown woman, and failed to return to Sharon when called.

Sharon decided this was an “unsafe” situation for Phydeaux. Rather than choosing not to return to the dog park until her dog had a reliable “Come!,” Sharon contacted a different trainer, who insists on a shock collar. Phydeaux must “get used” to wearing it for two weeks, then it gets turned on. Sharon insisted it was okay for Phydeaux to wear the collar in Hope’s class because it wasn’t “on.”

Since it was flashing, it apparently was on – just with no “zapper” remote in the vicinity. Not okay, Sharon.

Just flabbergasted

All of our students know that e-collars, prongs, and choke collars are not allowed in our classes. We will allow martingales, sometimes. Sharon knew it wasn’t allowed, but thought it was “okay” because the zapper wasn’t there.

No, Sharon. Not just in class. It’s never okay to zap your dog.

We understand the concept behind the e-collars. Punishing dogs for doing something you don’t want them to dates back long before these torture devices. That doesn’t make it a good idea.

Think of it this way

On the spur of the moment, we weren’t able to come up with an analogy that would clarify our stance to Sharon. Since she thought it was an okay idea, she’ll probably never understand. But here it is, for you:

Let’s say you adore chocolate. And there’s a wonderful chocolate shop that we take you to enjoy. You can have anything you want, we’ll get it for you. As much as you want.

At some point during the visit to the chocolate shop, you will violate a rule. The rule wasn’t explained to you beforehand. You have no idea what it is. The consequence of violating that unknown rule is that you’ll be zapped with a taser.

You don’t know when it’s coming. You don’t know what triggers its use. You have no idea what you’ve done to deserve it. And yet, you’re flailing on the floor.

So tell us – how do you feel about visits to the chocolate shop now? And about going somewhere with us?

Other options

Sharon could have spent the time and energy teaching Phydeaux a perfect recall. It doesn’t take long with the 2-Minute Trainer course “Come!” She could have used a long line to keep a measure of control. She could have stopped going to the dog park. There are lots of things she could have done.

She chose to hurt her dog, rather than teach him. We used to have some fondness for Sharon. She and her dogs have had some success in our classes, and in the Obedience and Rally trials we’ve prepared her for. If she can so easily cast aside all the tenets of training we’ve shared, that relationship’s changed forever.

Setting your dog training goals

Most people seek out dog training help when there’s a problem they want to solve. Or because they’ve acquired a new dog and realize it’s been a while and need a refresher.

Providing solutions for those immediate dog training goals may be how you found us. We hope you’re staying because we’ve opened your eyes to how amazing it is to have a training-game routine with your dog.

Setting some dog training goals

We often say that there’s no deadline for dog training games, and no one but you and your dog should set the pace for your progress.

But say you do have a specific dog training goal. And a timeline you’d like to achieve it. Absolutely go for it!

Once you and your dog are familiar with the 2-Minute-Training method, you can set your own schedule and play games that will let you achieve your goal. You can play as often as you like, tailoring your games to emphasize the skills your dog needs.

Like what?

Participating in the "Reading to Dogs" program is a great dog training goal. — Participating in the “Reading to Dogs” program is a great dog training goal.

Let’s say your goal is to do therapy work with your dog. There are many programs for helping people from children to seniors; from “Reading to Dogs” to hospice or comfort-animal therapy.

For many of these programs, getting your dog’s certification as a therapy dog starts with getting the Canine Good Citizen title from the American Kennel Club.

There are 10 specific “tests” a dog must pass to earn the CGC:

Accepting a friendly stranger
Sitting politely for petting
Appearance and grooming
Walking on a loose lead
Walking through a crowd
Sit and down on command, stay
Come when called
React calmly to another dog
React calmly to distractions
Calm during supervised separation

Every single one of these “tests” can be the focus of a 2-Minute-Training game. If you’re able to play training games multiple times a day, you can change which one to work on – or focus on one or two through the day. For specific requirements of each test, check the AKC website, or look for an animal-assisted therapy group near you.

Competitive goals

Some of us get so addicted to playing training games with our dogs that we’re just itching to find a place to show off their skills.

It’s become apparent that Hope’s French Bulldog Torque is adept at the skills required for Rally Obedience – and he just loves doing all the stuff. Hope’s goal for 2022 is to find, enter, and compete in Rally Trials. Her long-term goal is for Team Torque to earn a Rally Championship title. She has no timetable for that goal. Time, the pandemic, and financial considerations will all impose constraints.

Those constraints don’t matter to Torque. All he knows is that he gets to play fun games with his mom every single day. He doesn’t care whether it’s “Stack your Rings” or “Figure 8 with distractions” – it’s all fun and games for Team Torque.

What’s your team name?

Get serious about having fun with your dog. Call yourselves “Team (Insert Dog Name Here)” Be intentional with your training games. If your only goal is to have fun, and build your relationship with your dog – that’s a great goal. Commit to your team. If you design a logo – we’d love to see it!

Looky-Loo Part II (Dog Training Game)

Looky-Loo is a dog training game that reminds your dog that the two of you are a team, doing things together. It lets dogs be dogs – investigating their surroundings, being aware of the world around them. While always maintaining a “check in” mentality. The fun continues as long as your dog remembers to “check in” with you.

This applies whether you’re out for a meandering walk around the neighborhood or running a competition agility course. The invisible connection between you and your dog is an important part of your relationship. In unfamiliar circumstances, or if your dog’s unsure, your demeanor when your dog checks in will help determine how interactions proceed.

Next step in Looky-Loo

In the first phase of Looky-Loo you held a toy or other object behind your back, showed it to your dog briefly while saying “Look!”, and then hide it again. When your dog looked at your face, rather than for the toy, you clicked and rewarded. After just a few sessions, your dog should realize the object of the game is to focus on you.

The next step is to keep the toy visible. Only say “Look!” once when you first show it. If it’s a particularly desirable toy, it may take a while until your dog remembers to focus on you. As soon as they do, click and reward. The reward can be a treat or even a game of tug with the “Look!” toy. Focusing on you has to be the most rewarding part of the game. The click-and-treat comes when the dog looks at you, not at the object.

Timing is important

The click-and-treat comes when the dog looks at you. That’s the goal of “Looky-Loo.” Getting your dog to return his/her gaze to you after something distracting happens. (See last week’s tip: Looky-Loo Part 1.) It’s not the end of the world if your timing is off sometimes. It happens to everyone. When it does, and it will, give your dog an “Oops! Cookie” and reset the game. Just keep the goal in mind and watch your dog’s eyes.

Dogs learn through the timing and placement of rewards. Some people, playing attention games, even start holding the treat by their noses to bring their dog’s focus up to their eyes. That lures the dog to look at their face, rather than rewarding the dog’s decision to watch. “Watch me!” is a phrase you might hear a lot in dog training classes. It works sometimes. It doesn’t teach the dog that watching is more interesting than that speck on the floor.

Upping the game

The next step, before you take “Looky-Loo” out on the road, is to get your dog to look at distractions in the environment and still choose to look at you. Rather than holding the object, it will be on the floor where you’ll be passing by it.

It’s time to move the game someplace where you have space to move a few steps and place a distracting object to the side. Place an object that isn’t very interesting to your dog on the floor. Holding the dog’s leash, try to walk by the object, saying “Look!” Keep walking, and when your dog’s focus is on you, click and reward. If the dog’s attention stays on the object, go back to the last step, using the same object. Your dog will let you know when they’re ready to move on, or if it’s not quite time.

Fran and Simon have a variation of Looky-Loo:

Moving on

Remember, there’s no timetable for dog training games. Dogs learn at their own pace. And some games go more slowly than others. If your dog is extremely curious, this may be a tough one for them.

The next steps would be to change the object used as a distraction. We started our Looky-Loo dog training game with something that the dog didn’t really care about. Make the distraction more desirable in gradual steps. Work your way up to things that your dog loves. Can your dog still “Look!” and come back to you? What if it was a favorite toy? Or a bowl of food?

Taking it to the streets

When your dog is fairly proficient at “Look!” and focus, it’s time to move the game to places you may actually need it. When you do, start the game with a quick reminder of where the game began – hide an object behind your back, show it briefly while saying “Look!” and hide it again. Just a quick refresher helps the dog know what game you’re playing.

Simon is distracted - we need to take a step back in the Looky-Loo dog training game. — Time to go back a step in the “Looky-Loo” dog training game…

When you’re out and about, you can make anything the subject of “Looky-Lou!” Just tell your dog to “Look!,” whether it’s a squirrel, a person walking, or a dog being walked in the distance. When your dog looks back at you, click and reward.

Be ready

Your dog is learning to gauge their reaction to “stuff” by your response. Stay calm, tell your dog to “Look!” and wait for them to pay attention to you. Be sure you’re watching your dog’s face so you can tell the exact moment their focus is on you. Be more excited by your dog watching you! That’s the tremendous accomplishment – celebrate it with enthusiasm!