Dog Training while Playing Games: Tug and Chase

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

In our busy daily lives it’s very easy to become focused on all the things we have to do, and forget about all the things we like to do. And while I’m the first to point out how important it is to spend time training your dog, playing with your dog is just as important. My New Year’s resolution for 2012 is to have more fun with my dogs. So for my Training Tip this month I’d like to share with you some games that combine training with having fun. Both of these games are great for teaching your dog self-control. Your dog earns what he wants (chasing or tugging) by doing what you want (sitting calmly and waiting for a cue to begin or to continue the game).

Chase Me – Sit

Begin teaching this game at a time when your dog is calm, not when he is already crazy and out of control.
Start by asking your dog to sit to make sure he is in control and listening before you rev him up. I would rely on a hand signal cue for sit during this game, as dogs respond better to hand signals when they are exited or anxious. If your dog doesn’t sit, don’t play at this time! Have some treats in your hand as you begin.

Once your dog sits, immediately say “Let’s go” and quickly race away from the dog for 8-­10 steps. Stop, turn and face your dog, giving your sit hand signal. Because your dog is probably highly aroused use a treat or toy as a lure the first few times to be sure that he will sit. Once the dog sits, again immediately reward with “let’s go” and another 8-10 steps of chasing. Continue this pattern until your dog is easily sitting when you stop, then fade the treat from your hand, using just a hand signal and/or voice cue for “sit.” Next try to fade the sit cue entirely, see if your dog will sit on its own when you stop.

Now you want to continue the chase game for longer periods between sit cues. Begin to use the stop/”sit” as a correction for overzealous play behavior, like jumping up, nipping or grabbing at your clothes. As long as the dog maintains control, he gets to keep chasing. The more you play this game, the more you will see your dog being able to maintain control for longer and longer periods, even as he chases you! (When I developed this game, over 20 years ago, I lost almost 20 pounds playing chase with my retriever puppy during the first few months we played together. I was a lot younger then, and I’ve since switched to a much slower breed!)

Be sure to play this game in a variety of locations, so your dog begins to generalize this behavior. Use a long training line on your dog (attached to a harness, not his collar) when working in areas where safety is an issue. Most importantly, you should never chase your dog, he should always chase you. Never give your dog the opportunity to learn that you can’t catch him!

Tug-of-war

Practice “leave it” with the tug toy, and make sure your dog will also reliably drop or give the toy on cue, before you begin playing tug with it. (Contact me if you need help with this step.)

Ask your dog to “Sit” or “Down” to test for control before beginning a game of tug. Start the game with “Take it, Tug” as a reward for the sit or down. Your dog should not snatch the toy out of your hand, but should wait for the cue to begin.

Throughout the game, stop and ask your dog to “drop it” or “give it.” If your dog gives up the toy, reward with “Take it, Tug” and resume the game. If he does not give up the toy, you let go and walk away in disgust. Game Over! Later, continue to train “drop it” or “give it” with the tug toy before resuming the game again.

End the game with a “sit”, “drop it” and “finished”. You can give the toy back to your dog, or put it away to play with later. Don’t leave rope toys (made of strings) with your dog to play with unattended as these can be very dangerous if strings are ingested.

Now that the holidays are over I hope these games will encourage you to get back to training by adding more fun to your training sessions.
Have a happy, healthy, safe, and prosperous 2012!