Musical Treats

This game can incorporate the whole family. Each person has a ‘hidden’ treat in his or her hand. Everyone starts to run around and play, hooting and hollering so the dog doesn’t know whom to chase first. A designated person (whom the dog is not near) yells, “come”; at that time everyone freezes and waits for the dog to go to that person. Once the dog does respond to the come command, that person gives him a treat.  Then someone else in the family calls the dog, he may not want to leave the person whom just treated him, just wait him out, repeat the command and when he comes reward.  Once the dog understands the game, now the family hides in different rooms in the house with each person calling and treating the dog.  Once this game is understood by the dog inside, take the game outside with many distractions.

You can play the same game for Sit and Down. Each person has a ‘hidden’ treat in his or her hand. Everyone starts to run around and play, hooting and hollering so the dog doesn’t know whom to chase first. A designated person yells, “sit”; at that time everyone freezes and waits for the dog to sit. Once the dog sits, that person gives him a treat. The person may have to call the dog over to him to command him to “sit” so initially it may be easier for the person to command him that is closest. If the dog is jumping and not responding, everyone must stay perfectly still and the person must repeat the command in a strong voice. The game resumes once the dog sits but each time, a different person is to command the dog to ‘sit’. Again, once the dog sits he receives a treat then the game resumes.

 This game is great for teaching a dog to go from a play or wild state into a command and works great for teaching him not to jump on people but respond to a command when it is happy or exuberant. It is also fun for children and it helps the dog to understand that he must listen to a child’s command also and it helps with mouthing issues, jumping issues and when a dog doesn’t respect a certain child in the house because of the age of the child.