NameGame
Level1.YourDogChecksinWithYou
Goal:
•  Tocaptureandreinforceperiodiceyecontact,or“check-ins”fromyourdog.
•  Yourdog’snamecanbeusedtorefocusyourdog’samenOononyouinavarietyof
situaOons.
LaytheFounda0on:
1.  Observeyourdogandclicktheinstanthelooksatyourface.
2.  Tossthetreatonthefloor.Varywherethetreatistossed,orsomeOmeshandthetreat
straighttoyourdog’smouth.Bytossingthetreatyouareresejngyourdogtoofferthe
behavioragainratherthanjustsijngandstaringatyou.
3.  PracOceonceortwiceadaywith10treatseachOme.
4.  Onceyourdogisreliablylookingatyou,starttoaddthecue,hisname,justashefinishes
eaOngthetreatandbeginstoturntolookatyouagain.Theverbalname-sayingshould
precedetheeyecontact.PracOceonceortwiceadaywith10treatseachOme.
HelpfulHints:
•  Rememberthatyourdog’snameservesasacuetolookatyou.It’sthereforeadvisableto
haveanumberofnicknames(notjustone)thatyoucanuseas“throw-away”names.If
youover-usehisrealnamewithoutreinforcement,hewillsoonlearntostartignoringyou.
UsehisnicknamesinsteadforthismoredisposablefuncOon.
•  DonotCTanyotherofferedbehaviors(jumping,barking,mouthing).Rewardonlyquiet
eyecontactandamenOon.
•  SijngonthefloormaybeeasierwhenstarOngtotrainsmalldogsbecausethedogwill
nothavetolookupasfar.
•  Ifyou’rehavingtroublegejngyourdogtolookatyou,youcanuseakissingnoiseto
amractyourdogtolookatyourface.Onlyusethiskissynoiseonceortwice.
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CT=Click(orsay“yes”)andtreat.
©2015KindredCompanions
NameGame
Level2.RespondtotheNameDespiteDistracOons
Goal:
•  Tostrengthenthedog’sresponsetohisnameinthepresenceofdistracOons.
DevelopUnderstanding:
1.  Whenyourdogismildlydistracted,sayhisname.Clickatthefirsthintofaresponse,
includingsomethingassmallasaneartwitch.
2.  ConOnuewithanotheracOvityunOlyourdogbecomesdistractedagain,thensayhisname.
CTforcorrectresponses.
3.  ConOnuepracOcinginnewsituaOonsandenvironments,periodicallysayingyourdog’s
name,andreinforcingallcorrectresponses.
HelpfulHints:
•  Takethebehaviorontheroad:whileoutwalkingwithyourdogonleash,sayhisnameand
seeifhecan“checkin”eventhoughheissniffingsomethinginteresOng,lookingat
anotherdogorotherpeoplewalkingby.Keepreinforcingcorrectresponses.
•  IfyouthinkthatthelevelofdistracOonistoohightogeta“checkin”,thenratherusea
nickname,andincreasethedistancebetweenyourdogandtheobjectofhisdistracOon.
•  Donotwasteyourdog’sname.
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CT=Click(orsay“yes”)andtreat.
©2015KindredCompanions
NameGame
Level3.IncreasetheDuraOonofEyeContact
Goal:
•  ToincreasetheOmeyourdogmaintainseyecontactinresponsetohisname.
Prac0ceProficiency:
1.  Sayyourdog’sname.Whenhelooksatyou,waitonesecond,thenCT.
2.  SlowlyincreasetheduraOonofeyecontactin1-secondincrements.Donotreinforceifthe
doglooksaway.AlternatebetweenshorterandlongerincrementsofOme,notjustlonger
eachOme.
3.  Whenyourdogisreliablyholdingeyecontactforafewseconds,begintoreintroducemild
distracOons,suchasholdingatreatouttoyourside.Ifthedogmaintainseyecontact,then
CT.
HelpfulHints:
•  Rememberthateyecontactisaveryhumanthing,anddoesnotnaturallycometodogs.
TeachduraOonslowly,andmakesurethatyourdog’sbodylanguageshowsthatheis
comfortablewiththisbehavior.Ifheisuncomfortable,thengobackasteportwoorthree,
andbuilditupagain.Eventually,mostdogslearnthateyecontactwithhumansisnota
threateningbehavior.Thisisalearnedskillfordogs.
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CT=Click(orsay“yes”)andtreat.
©2015KindredCompanions