Thursday, December 20, 2018

Col. Potter Training Tip: ItsYerChoice

By Elizabeth B.

Here's a game your dog can pick up pretty quick. It's called It'sYerChoice, and it's a fun way to train your dog without it really feeling like work.

I learned this game when I started taking my cairn terrier, True, to agility training when he was 4 months old. Each week, we drove out to a local trainer who herself had trained under dog agility guru Susan Garrett.

Susan has quite a few agility championships under her belt—despite the fact that she doesn't really believe in training dogs, per se. She believes in playing with them. And the most basic game she teaches is ItsYerChoice.

How it works: You offer your dog a treat. But you don't give it to them until they choose to wait patiently for it, rather than pounce. And yet can get them to do this without even saying a word.

Let's take it step by step:
  1. Grab a few of your dog's favorite treats, ideally ones they don't get every day. (For True, I started with nibbles of cheese.)
  2. Sit or stand near your dog, in a place where there aren't a lot of distractions.
  3. Close your fist around the treats and offer it to your dog. Keep your palm up so you can open up when it's time.
  4. Let your dog nose, sniff, lick, or nibble at your closed hand. But DON'T open up to give them the treats.
  5. Wait until your dog calms down and backs off. They might choose to sit, lie down, or just stand and wait patiently. True usually sits because he knows sitting gets him a treat.
  6. If your dog is pretty insistent and really goes at your hand, pull away and out of reach, so they know they're not getting the treats. Then start over.
  7. The moment your dog is calm and has stopped trying to get the treats, THAT'S when you open up and let them chow down.
Lesson learned: "If I pounce, I don't get the treat. But if I'm patient and calm, I do!"

It took my True only a day or two to master this game when he was a puppy. But it's had a profound effect on our lives for the past two years. Because now when he wants something, he chooses to sit and wait rather than paw or pounce. What a lovely little gentleman.

For more about ItsYerChoice, see Why Choice is the Critical Key to a Great Dog.

How True tells me he's hungry

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