how does training make your dog’s life better?
more opportunities for engaging with you.
experiences that allow you to understand each other’s communication.
you and your dog will like each other more (the ben franklin effect) and form a stronger bond.
your dog develops a growing tool box of appropriate behaviors.
building a library of naturally satiating or taught reinforcers, giving them positive things they can count on, i.e. happy dog.
let’s start thinking in terms of “let’s do,” instead of “ughhhh why did you do that.”
a 15-minute impromptu (or planned) training game or session is comparable in exercise to a walk around the block. but the enrichment satisfies the basic needs of emotional and intellectual problem solving as well. as humans, when you succeed at learning a task - your brain feels good, right? there is a satisfaction in the, “gee, i didn’t know if i could do that. but i rocked it!”
the are special benefits when you choose games/training that are naturally doggie; searching, sniffing, retrieving. you can even make games up that train. the act of searching improves your dog’s epigenetics. sniffing lowers their blood pressure. so train for health as well!!!
tips: keep it positive, there are no expectations or “must” outcomes, reinforce for any attempt towards the goal, set up the environment so they succeed. if, at any point, you get frustrated, take a breath, smile, do one thing they know well and quit your session till you feel better.
here are some silly games that i made up to play/train with my dog, that you can try:
“two socks” (in video above). start with just catching, then catching and holding the first pair.
give your dog’s toys names, say them when they go get them or play with them.
next, play toy search games: have your dog lay down in their place and stay. you go hide the toy. you come back to them and tell them to go find ______ (name of toy). when they come back with that toy, play with that toy with them for a few minutes.
have them “get” ______ (name of toy) from a pile or scatter of toys on the floor.
for mealtime, have them lay down in their place while you hide piles of their food all over the house, then let them search them all out. start with “stay,” while they watch you hide a pile and then cue your dog to find it, build from there. you can teach body awareness by hiding piles in tight, low, obstacle or angled places after they get good at it.
teach your dog to go under, through, step on, step off, twirl. teaching things that are just for fun are great. not every activity has to have a militant obedient factor.
i like to half-bury treats in the snow. the sniffing out, searching, digging is awesome for them.
feel free to share your new games in the comments below