Looking for a fun and quick way to get some training done in your busy day? Try this little game!
Pick three behaviours your dog needs to improve on – for example, sit, down, and a leave it.
Choose a quiet area to train, such as your home or your yard. Don’t pick heavily distracting environments unless your dog is advanced and you are proofing behaviours in a specific area (if you don’t know what this means – practice at home!)
Use three pylons or visual markers in your chosen training zone and use these markers as ‘stations’ to practice 3 repititons of each behaviour noted above.
Repeat the Circuit 3 times – if you are a gym junkie, you know how this works! If you aren’t simply repeat the pattern (which will follow a triangle!)
Example : Practice 3 Sits, move along to your second pylon/visual marker, and practice 3 Downs, move along to the third marker and practice 3 Leave It’s. Repeat this pattern three times, following the shape of a triangle.
Need a visual to help you out? We have you covered
Before you know it, you are done! This training exercise is easy, simple and requires minimal time and effort. It allows you to narrow down the behaviours you are working on and gets your dog interested and excited to work with you – which is our ultimate goal.
Some tips to ensure success:
– Make sure you are working in an environment your dog can succeed in (so if this means starting at home, so be it!)
– Make sure you are working at the level your dog can succeed at (so if this means you are luring a SIT, then do it! Do not spoil your verbal cues by repeating them or using them too early – it creates more work for you so don’t do it. If you have a second person watching you train, have them call you out when you repeat yourself. We do it without thinking and this will help you clean up your training naturally)
– This game is meant to be fast to benefit you and to get your dog engaged with you – don’t fail them by not having treats or your clicker and appropriate gear ready. A large part of the success of training is ensuring the environment is set for learning.
Give it a go and let us know how it went!
Happy Training