Verbal Fun 2: Text Instruction

Goal: This is a continuation of Prep School Verbal Fun 1 and of  the game Focus Forward. The hardest level of this game is to ask your dog to have a change of position that requires the dog take their eyes off the prize. The ultimate objective for this game is in the face of a grand distraction “can you listen to my words.” Work up to this level of FUN!

Equipment: Toy and Food Rewards. 

Suggested Training Area Size: 12’ x 12’ (4m x 4m)

Step 1: Using a high value reward as a distraction (toy or food). Have your dog focus on your toy/food and then ask for a change of position. Start with simple cues like sit to down.

Step 2: Add at this at least one new skill. Sit pretty ideally. So now should have 4. Sit, stand, down, pretty. Next skill trick to work on is “tall.”

Build confidence in all these stages, as you make it harder remember to CELEBRATE the successes!

Troubleshooting

If your dog fails, you need to pick up the distraction and start over. Loosing the right to earning reinforcement is the response cost for for failing to listen to a new cue.

If need be it return to Verbal Fun 1 to help establish the rules of the game again.