Training or playing — it’s all the same!

For active dogs, food can only go so far. Chase a squirrel or eat a treat? Meet that new dog, or accept a treat? Run over that next hill to see what’s there or come and get a treat?

Food is a good place to start in training, but it’s only as motivational as the dog thinks it is.

Rule number one: “Training happens.”

That means every time you and your dog interact, you’re training.

Rule number two: “Make training fun.”

If you’re having fun, and your dog is having fun, you’ll both be motivated to keep playing.

You can do that by making your training time be your play time.

Does your dog like to play tug or fetch a ball? If so, make the game of tug or fetch the reward for performing basic obedience exercises.

Call your dog to you. If  he comes really fast, don’t ask for a sit, just release with an “o-KAY” and throw the ball.

Ask for your dog to sit, and then reward with a game of tug. The faster the sit; the sooner the game starts.

Throw in a SIT-DOWN-SIT and then release and play.

When the dog understands that these silly exercises like sit, down and come lead to play, he’ll be excited to comply. “You mean, if I sit really fast, I get to play? How great!”

And what makes this “real” training? You’re getting to practice COME or DOWN hundreds and hundreds of times so that someday, when you really need it, your dog will come or down the moment he hears the words, without thinking, and it could possibly save his life.

Good dog training is play with a purpose!