13 Fun Dog Training Games and Exercises
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One of the finest methods to teach your dog important skills (such as impulse control) and bond with your dog is to play dog training games. You may recall our popular piece on impulse control games, but it’s time for a refresher. We’ll include some old favorites in this post on dog training games, but we’re not only talking about impulse control.
If you’re having trouble with your dog’s impulse control, have a look at our online dog training classes. There is something for everyone!
Without further ado, let’s look at some of the most effective dog training games available to man’s best friend. I didn’t create any of these games, so I’ll do my best to give credit where credit is due.
Want to learn more about teaching impulse control and other life skills?
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1.Best for Ignoring Things While Walking: Walking Leave It
This game, invented by the renowned Sophia Yin, trains your dog to avoid distractions while out on a walk.
- Keep your dog on a leash. Toss something out of his grasp.
- Wait for your dog to cease straining and pulling at the treat.
- Give him a treat for staring at you when he does.
- Only then may you walk towards the treat. Maintain a slack leash while doing so.
- Repeat.
As time passes, you’ll notice that your dog no longer pulls you towards enticing goods on walks. To consolidate the ability, practice in a variety of settings with a range of temptations.
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2. Best for Preventing Food Theft: It’s Your Call
Susan Garrett’s favorite game, this one trains dogs to ignore fallen food in the house. If you do it often enough, your dog will learn to wait for permission to eat.
- Place some appetizing snacks in your hand and put it near your dog.
- As your dog sniffs, chews, or paws at your hand, keep your hand closed.
- When your dog settles back to wait, extend your hand.
- If your dog quickly goes back in for the treats, close your hand.
- Place 1 treat on the ground when she walks away for a second or two.
- Build increase the time between opening your hand and delivering the reward gradually so that your dog has to look at the open hand for a longer period of time.
Put the food on the floor and cover it with your hand, then with your foot to “Level up” the game. If you desire, you may add the cue “Leave it” just before you open your hand.
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3. Best for Calm Outside Behavior: On Your Mat, Unwind
Dr. Karen Overall’s masterwork is relaxation training. I created an entire blog post about mat training, but here’s a fast summary:
- Select a blanket, towel, or mat. This should not be used as a dog bed.
- Place the mat in front of your dog on the ground.
- Reward your dog for any interest in the mat, such as gazing at it, moving towards it, sniffing it, or putting his paws on it. If your dog remains on the mat, continue to treat her.
- Reduce your criteria gradually. Strive to just praise your dog for lying down. If you choose, you may skip ahead and command your dog to lie down.
- To reinforce mat training, use Karen Overall’s Relaxation Protocol.
- When you’re doing well, experiment with fresh locations and distractions!
This training approach has really changed my life. I’ve taught my high-energy border collie to rest at my feet for up to 8 hours a day while working in a bustling coworking area thanks to Karen Overall’s relaxation routine. Don’t worry, we get up frequently for walks and bathroom breaks!
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4. SMART x 50 = Best for Good House Manners
This is something new to me. Kathy Sdao developed SMART x 50, which I learned about on Sarah Stremming’s podcast. This dog training game focuses on teaching your dog fundamental home manners and life skills.
SMART is an acronym that stands for See, Mark, and Reward Training.
- In a jar or treat pouch, place 50 treats (or bits of your dog’s supper kibble).
- Pay attention to your dog as you prepare for the day, prepare supper, or unwind in the evening. Don’t direct or signal him to do anything.
- Say “good boy” and toss a reward to your dog when he does something you appreciate (sitting, lying down, looking up at you before passing through a door, ignoring the cat).
- Repeat until all of the sweets have been consumed.
I enjoy this dog training game for several reasons. For starters, it allows you to capitalize on the wonderful behaviors your dog currently exhibits. Second, it assists you in recognizing your dog’s positive behavior. Third, it’s doable even in a hectic family. If you want to understand more about SMART x 50, I published an entire blog on it!
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5. Red Light-Green Light is the best for leash skills.
Teach your dog how to walk on a leash without using rewards (though treats certainly make things go faster). For optimal results, combine this with U-Turns (number 13).
- Keep your dog on a leash. For this practice, I like to use a dog’s flat buckle collar. In the interim, go for your usual walks while wearing a harness (I like Ruffwear’s Front Range Harness).
- Begin walking ahead. Stop and wait when your dog reaches the end of his leash. Do not yank on the leash.
- Wait for the letter “J” to appear in your leash. Mark with a word (usually “good” or “yes”).
- Restart your stroll.
- Repeat.
This might be time-consuming and annoying, but it works! Changing directions and doing U-turns can help to accelerate the process. When playing this game, I recommend utilizing a flat collar and a harness for “regular walks.”
