EXERCISE 26
Crate Games
Dedicate a safe, special nook, such as a crate or pen, where your dog will sleep and rest. You want your dog to enjoy spending time in their space. Building a positive relationship with the crate will encourage your pup to relax when you’re gone and keep them safe. Most puppies don’t want to go to the bathroom where they eat and sleep, making the crate helpful with housetraining. Crate games are great for both introducing your puppy to the crate and refreshing an adult dog’s memory.
DURATION 2 repetitions per day for 8 weeks
MATERIALSclicker, treats, crate
Luring into the crate
1. Hold a treat between your fingertips and your thumb. Use the treat to guide your dog into the crate.
2. When all four paws are in, click to mark your dog’s behavior as correct.
3. Reward with the treat in the crate.
4. Release out by saying “Okay” and tossing a treat outside the crate or pointing to the floor.
5. Click to mark your dog’s behavior as correct when they get out of the crate after being released.
6. Reward with another treat.
PRO TIP: Make this a fun game for your dog. Don’t force them to go into their crate.
EXERCISE 27
Hidden Treasures
When your dog isn’t present, hide a few special treats or a food toy in your dog’s crate. Leave the door open and let them discover the treat in their own time. This will teach your dog that the crate is often a place where they can discover and enjoy special food projects. This will increase their desire to be inside their crate.
DURATIONOnce a day for 6 weeks
MATERIALSclicker, treats, alone time space (e.g., a crate or pen)
How to play hidden treasures
1. Hide treats or a food toy in your dog’s crate.
2. When they go into their crate and discover the treat, click to mark their behavior as correct.
3. The discovered treat is the reward in this exercise.
PRO TIP: Vary the rewards that you put into the crate to keep your dog feeling excited to see what’s in there.
EXERCISE 28
Street Sweeping and Counter Surfing
Your dog will often find new treasures on the ground. City streets in particular are decorated with food scraps, trash, and other potentially hazardous items that may be attractive to your pup. Working on exercises that teach your dog to ignore things on the ground is necessary for their safety.
DURATION10 repetitions per day for 4 weeks
MATERIALSclicker, treats, leash and collar or harness
CUES USED Leave It
How to practice Leave It for street sweeping and counter surfing
1. With your dog on leash, toss a treat far enough away that they cannot reach it.
2. Take a step toward the treat.
3. If your dog begins to pull toward the treat, gently guide them back away from it by taking several steps backward. Focus on moving your body rather than pulling on the leash.
4. When your dog walks toward you and away from the treat, click to mark their behavior as correct.
5. Reward with a new treat.
Adding a verbal cue
1. With your dog on leash, toss a treat far enough away that they cannot reach it.
2. After your dog starts to pull toward the treat, say the verbal cue “Leave it.”
3. Take several steps backward to gently guide them away from the treat.
4. When they start to walk with you, click to mark their behavior as correct.
5. Reward with a treat.
PRO TIP: Focus more on the motion of walking away rather than pulling the leash with your arms. Try to click the moment your dog turns away from the distraction.
EXERCISE 29
Pulling on the Leash
Pulling is a frustrating and potentially dangerous behavior. Dogs pull because it often works. If they pull and get closer to something, the pulling is reinforced. Your dog needs to learn that pulling does not work. It’s important to allow your dog to explore on walks, but they should do so without tension on the leash. Changing leash walking habits takes consistency and patience. If your dog pulls, stop or take two steps backward, and have them come back before continuing forward.
DURATION10 minutes a day for 6 weeks
MATERIALSclicker, treats, leash and harness or collar
CUES USEDSit
How to discourage pulling on leash
1. Cue your dog to Sit by your side.
2. Say your cue word for walking, such as “Let’s go.”
3. Begin to walk forward.
4. Click and treat your dog for keeping the leash loose.
5. If your dog begins to pull, stop walking and call them back to your side. It may help to take a few steps backward and gesture to your side.
6. When your dog comes back to your side, begin to walk again. If your dog keeps a loose leash, click to mark their behavior as correct. Try to reward while walking.
7. Continue to move forward and capture moments of good walking.
PRO TIP: Vary how often you reward to keep your dog engaged and to prevent them from falling into a pattern of expecting a treat after a predictable amount of walking.
EXERCISE 30
Leave It and Drop with Household Items
This exercise teaches your dog to leave prohibited items alone and instead to go for things they can have, such as a toy. When a dog grabs something you don’t want them to have, such as slippers, pillows, or tissue, you might exhibit an emotional, frustrated response and attempt to get the item. Your dog sees this as a game of chase. Over time, your dog will learn that prohibited items are more fun. Avoid chasing your dog if they grab a prohibited item. Instead, call them to you and trade the item for a treat or toy.
DURATION10 minutes a day for 6 weeks
MATERIALSclicker, treats, leash and harness or collar, toys, two or three household items
CUES USEDLeave It, Drop
Luring Leave It and Drop
1. Warm up with Drop and Leave It with a toy.
2. Set out a pile of items in the room. The pile should have one or two items that you don’t want your dog to pick up, and three to five toys that your dog is allowed to pick up.
3. When your dog goes toward an item that they’re not allowed to have, say the cue “Leave it.” If they don’t turn to you, call their name or make a sound to get their attention. When they look to you and away from the item, click to mark their behavior as correct.
4. Reward with a treat.
5. If your dog goes for a toy, click to mark their behavior as correct.
6. Reward with a treat or toy.
7. If your dog picks up a prohibited item, ask them to Drop. Click when they release the toy from their mouth and reward with a bit of praise.
PRO TIP: If your dog stops going toward the item, click and treat them for leaving it automatically.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Fun Tricks
TRICKS TRAINING IS a fun, enriching way to bond with your dog, and it has many physical and mental benefits. Teaching your dog new tricks builds muscle, improves balance, and stretches the mind. Learning tricks can be a great confidence booster for both dog and person. Tricks will put a smile on your friends’ and family’s faces and will cheer you up when you need it. This chapter will show you how to teach your dog absolutely adorable tricks. Remember to slow down the speed of your lure if your dog is not succeeding, and only move on when your dog is consistently responding to the step you’re on.
31Spin
32Paw
33Roll Over
34Bow
35Sit Pretty
36Head Tilt
37Pose for a Photo
38Up
39Dance
40Catch
EXERCISE 31
Spin
Spin, a charming and easy trick, cues your pup to turn around in a circle while standing on all four paws. Add
ing the cues “left” and “right” for turns is a clever trick that gives the impression that your dog knows directions. At first, keep the treat in line with your dog’s spine to prevent them from sitting down or jumping up. The treat should be like a magnet to your dog’s nose. Don’t make your dog spin more than once without marking and rewarding; it will make them dizzy, and they’ll ignore your future cues to offer the behavior.
DURATION10 repetitions per day for 3 weeks
MATERIALSclicker, treats
CUES USEDStand
Luring a spin
1. Hold a treat in one hand and your clicker in the other.
2. With your dog in a Stand, hold a treat to their nose and use it to guide their nose toward their tail. Continue to move the treat until they complete a full circle.
3. Just as they complete the circle, click to mark their behavior as correct.
4. Reward with a treat.
5. Practice in both directions.
Fading the lure
1. Hold the clicker and a treat in one hand and a second treat in the other.
2. Use your hand with just a treat to slowly lure your dog to spin.
3. When your dog spins, click to mark their behavior as correct.
4. Reward with the treat from the hand not used to give the visual cue.
5. Practice in both directions.
Adding a visual cue
1. Hold the clicker and a treat in one hand and nothing in the other.
2. Hold your empty hand close to your pup’s nose, with your index finger pointing toward the floor. Use your right hand for a turn to the right, and your left hand for a turn to the left.
3. Move your finger to guide your dog around in a circle, similar to how you did it with the treat.
4. When your dog completes the circle, click to mark their behavior as correct.
5. Reward with a treat.
6. Practice in both directions.
7. Gradually shape the visual cue to be a finger moving in a small circle in either direction.
Adding a verbal cue
1. Hold the clicker in one hand and nothing in the other.
2. Say the verbal cue “Right” or “Left.”
3. Show your dog the visual cue to spin to the right or left.
4. When your dog completes the circle, click to mark their behavior as correct.
5. Reward with a treat from your treat pouch.
6. Practice in both directions.
PRO TIP: Move the lure slowly when your dog is first learning this trick.
EXERCISE 32
Paw
Teaching your dog to offer their paw on cue is a popular trick for good reason; it’s nearly impossible not to smile when a pup offers you their paw. This trick mimics a handshake, making it a relatable behavior. Holding a pup’s warm paw is heartwarming. Be sure to practice your basic manners cues more than you practice Paw because Paw can become a pushy habit if over-practiced. At first, be patient when waiting for your pup to place their paw on your hand.
DURATION10 repetitions per day for 3 weeks
MATERIALSclicker, treats
CUES USEDSit
Luring Paw
1. Hold a treat in one hand in a fist, and your clicker in the other hand (A).
2. With your dog in a Sit, hold your fist with the treat next to one of your dog’s shoulders. Your dog will try to figure out how to get to it. They will likely sniff at first. If they begin to nip to get the treat, lift your hand up and away from them and reset. Eventually, they will try to get the treat by pawing at it (B).
3. The moment your dog touches their paw to your hand, click to mark their behavior as correct.
4. Open up your palm and reward with the treat (C).
Fading the lure
1. Make one hand into an empty fist and hold the clicker in the other hand.
2. With your dog in a Sit, hold your fist next to one of your dog’s shoulders as if you have the treat. Your dog will try to figure out how to get it. They will likely sniff at first. If they begin to nip to get the “treat,” lift your hand up and away from them and reset. Eventually, they will try to get the “treat” by pawing at it.
3. The moment your dog touches their paw to your hand, click to mark their behavior as correct.
4. Reward with a treat.
Refining the visual cue
Gradually open up your fist so that your visual cue is either a cupped open palm facing up or a high-five shape. Each repetition should have very little change so that your dog can still offer the correct behavior.
Adding a verbal cue
1. For right paw: Say “Paw” and present your right hand out to your dog. For left paw: Say “Shake” and present your left hand out to your dog.
2. When their paw touches your hand, click to mark their behavior as correct.
3. Reward with a treat.
PRO TIP: Using a cupped hand rather than a flat palm will help your dog understand this visual cue. It may take 30 seconds or so for your dog to offer their paw. Also try marking and rewarding for any movement your dog makes with their paw off the ground.
EXERCISE 33
Roll Over
This classic trick teaches your dog to roll from one side to the other. It’s more difficult than it may seem. It requires a strong core, and it may take time for your dog to gain the strength to roll over completely. Only practice a couple of repetitions per day until your dog has the stamina to offer multiple rolls in a row. Let your dog lick or nibble on the treat as you slowly guide them to roll.
DURATION 2 to 4 repetitions per day for 5 weeks
MATERIALSclicker, treats
CUES USEDDown
How to lure Roll Over
1. Cue your dog into a Down (A).
2. Hold a treat pinched between your thumb and fingertips. Bring the treat to your dog’s nose and use it to slowly guide their nose over toward one shoulder. This will cause your dog to relax into one hip (B).
3. Slowly bring the treat across the chest line, which will cause them to roll over. Keep their chin close to their body as you move the treat (C).
4. When your dog rolls to the other side, click to mark their behavior as correct (D).
5. Reward with a treat.
Fading the lure
1. Hold the clicker and a treat in one hand, and a treat in the other.
2. Lure your dog with the treat to get them to roll over.
3. As your dog finishes up the roll, click to mark their behavior as correct.
4. Reward with a treat from the hand not used to give the visual cue.
Refining the visual cue
1. Hold the clicker in one hand and nothing in the other.
2. Bring your empty hand close to your dog’s nose and guide them to roll over.
3. Click as they roll over to mark their behavior as correct.
4. Reward with a treat.
5. Gradually shape the visual to be a wrist circle with a flat palm.
6. Practice both directions.
Adding a verbal cue
1. Hold the clicker in one hand and nothing in the other.
2. Say the verbal cue “Roll over.”
3. Show your dog the visual cue for Roll Over: a wrist circle with a flat palm.
4. Click to mark your dog’s behavior as correct when they roll over.
5. Reward with a treat.
PRO TIP: Get your dog comfortable with relaxing into their hip and shoulder before you work on the roll. As you guide their nose to their shoulder, keep their head in line with their spine. You may need to gently push against your dog’s nose to get their shoulder to relax.
EXERCISE 34
Bow
In dog language, a play bow is a friendly move that dogs commonly offer when playing. This position looks like a downward dog in yoga. In this trick, your dog drops their chest to the ground while keeping their rear in the air. You can also train your dog to offer a bow on cue. At first, move the treat slowly so you can capture the
exact moment they’re in the correct position.
DURATION10 repetitions per day for 3 weeks
MATERIALSclicker, treats
CUES USEDStand
How to lure Bow
1. Hold your clicker in one hand and a treat in the other.
2. Cue your dog to offer a Stand.
3. Bring your hand with the treat close to your dog’s nose. Use the treat to guide your dog’s head and chest toward the floor.
4. As you move the treat down, push gently against your pup’s nose so their chest drops toward the floor while their rear stays up in the air.
5. Click to mark their behavior as correct when their chest drops to the floor and their rear stays up in the air.
6. Reward with a treat.
Fading the lure
1. Hold the clicker and a treat with one hand, and nothing in the other.
2. Pretend to have a treat, and bring your empty hand close to your dog’s nose. Guide them to bow in the same way you did with the treat.
3. Click to mark their behavior as correct when their chest drops and they’re in the Bow.
4. Reward with a treat.
Refining the visual cue
1. Hold the clicker with one hand and nothing in the other.
2. Bring your hand down as if to lure. Just as your dog offers the bow, bring your hand to your side as if you are bowing back to them.
3. Click to mark their behavior as correct when their chest drops to the floor and they’re in the Bow.
Clicker Training for Dogs: Master Basic Training, Common Cues, and Fun Tricks in 15 Minutes a Day Page 7
