01/08/2023
So many people - not my students! - complain that they can get their dog to Sit perfectly when no one is around and nothing exciting is happening. But when someone comes to the
front door or the environment in the house is chaotic, all training goes out the window. The reason for that is simple - they were training their calm, cool, collected dog, which is
decidedly NOT the one they have an issue with. The trick is to do training sessions with your dog when he’s in that state of super excitement so that he knows how to turn it OFF
when asked!
To fix this issue, I teach the “On/Off Switch” game, which is basically creating an “off”switch for your dog when he’s super cranked.
Play is a great way to help dogs learn self-control. The “On/Off Switch” game is designed to use the opportunity to play as the reward for self-control. The ultimate goal is teaching
the dog to calm himself in high-excitement situations, such as when he’s around children, when the doorbell rings, or when he’s out and about in public places. It also gives you the ability to use and have him respond to all the commands you’ve been
teaching him, even if it’s not just the two of you in the kitchen!
1. First, you need to have a reliable sit (or down for later versions of the game).
2. Next: get the dog excited by playing (on leash) a game of tug, chasing a toy on a string, or just running around if that’s what he normally likes to play with you.
3. In the middle of the game, stop and become motionless, and ask for a sit. The dog's reward for sitting is to immediately re-engage them in the game
4. The dog will learn quickly that their immediate response to your command is what gets
the game going again. Vary the length of time the dog has to sit before playing again,
change the cue (sit, down, or simply "enough"), and randomize the length of the playing.
Short sessions yield the most success, and, as always, consistency and practice produce
the best and most long-term results.
