GOLLY GOSH GREAT GAMES
FOCUS ON HANDLER
Find It
This exercise uses one of your dog’s best senses; it engages your dog’s mind and will be a self rewarding
exercise.
Present your dog with 3 soft cones. Start with only one cone and place food inside the cone. Direct your
dog to the cone using the find it command. Once he/she has grasped the idea introduce more cones which
do not have food in them.
Vary the exercise by using a favourite toy, or placing the object behind other equipment, such as a chair
or under a towel.
The Silly Game
(for dogs that don’t do play)
This is a great game for playing with dogs who are not interested in
playing with toys or you. For dogs that play with some toys but not others
it can help to broaden their range of toys.
Each session should be kept short and fun. If your dog exhibits boisterous
or out of control behaviour the game should end immediately and another
session should not be attempted until your dog is calm.
To teach your dog to play with you and your toy you must be SINCERLEY
interested in playing with your dog. If you are not having fun, your dog
will realise this and will be even more reluctant to join in. Be sure that
you are both having fun.
To teach your dog to play with you, it is recommended that you remove all toys your dog might play with
by him/herself (including all balls). Choose a throwable toy (i.e. one that you can toss, but won’t roll too
much) – a tug rope, ball in a sock or a stuffed animal etc. Put the toy in a drawer (or somewhere
inaccessible but in view).
Whenever you and your dog are in vicinity:
1. Start acting silly and use an excited voice: “… what is it? … do you want this? … where’s your
toy? …” and then walk, jump, dance, skip (basically be goofy) whilst you make your way over
to the drawer.
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2. S-l-o-w-l-y (we mean s-l-o-w-l-y!) open up the drawer whilst you continue talking in this silly voice.
3. Stop talking momentarily (pause for effect) and then suddenly pull the toy out of the drawer (as if you
unexpectedly found $100!!). Run with it into the next room.
4. Show your dog what a great time you are having with this fun toy. Laugh and dance around with it.
Drag it around on the floor, like a lure on the end of a fishing rod. But DON”T LET YOUR DOG PUT
HIS/HER MOUTH ON IT!
5. Spend 1–2 minutes dancing, playing and actively interacting
with this wonderful toy (without your dog getting to play).
Then run back to the drawer, toy in tow, snatch it up and
quickly put it back in the drawer with a phrase such as, “Oh
no … it’s gone!”
6. Proceed with your regular routine as if nothing out of the
ordinary has happened.
7. Repeat this bizarre performance 2–3 times a day for two
days.
8. After the second day, allow your dog to get his/her mouth
on the toy if he/she is really interested, but only for a few seconds.
9. Pull on the line to try to steal it from your dog. Once you get it away (be sure to do this in an
informal, fun way!), play with it a little more by yourself before quickly putting the toy away with,
“Oh no … it’s gone!”
10. Gradually increase the amount of time you let your dog play with the toy (in a tug ‘o’ war but don’t let
go!) each time you bring it out until you have a dog that loves to see the toy come out of the drawer.
11. Once your dog is keen, start to introduce ‘give’ by swapping the toy for a treat.
12. During this training process do not reprimand your dog or connect this toy with anything negative.
13. Once your dog is actively playing with you, continue to keep this special toy special. Do not leave it
out for your dog to chew or play with without you.
14. Use it during training to take a break or use as a payoff for a job well done. Use it as a retrieve toy to
build up enthusiasm, and as a reward at the completion of a training session. Introduce other toys the
same way for him/her to play with on his/her own.
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Sit Game (adapted from Ian Dunbar’s original)
Adapt how far through you go for your classes ability
For K9 Kindergarten or Basic 1-4 should be possible 5 would be bonus points. Each exercise is worth 25
points: Deduct 5 points for each additional cue or each dog length the dog moves forward.
1
Front Sit
Dog sits on cue facing the owner.
2
Side Sit
Dog sits on cue at handler’s feet.
3
Chair Sit
Dog sits on cure when handler is in chair.
4
Floor/Back Sit
Dog sits on cue wen handler sits on floor with his/her back to dog.
5
Handler Down/Sit
Dog sits with handler lying on floor.
6
Drop/Sit
Handler tells the dog to drop and stay, steps away and cues do to
sit.
7
Across the Room Sit
Helper takes the dog by the leash and walks across the room.
Handler drops leash (putting a foot on it) and cues dog to sit.
8
Come/Sit
Helper takes the dog by the leash and walks across the room.
Handler drops leash and cues the dog to sit at halfway point.
9
Over/Sit
Helper takes the dog by the leash and walks across the room.
Helper drops the leash and handler calls dog. Handler cues dog to
go over a low obstacle. Handler then cues dog to sit.
•
•
Repeat with Drop
Repeat with Stand
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Musical Chairs
The spacing of the chairs will be determined by the sociability and stability of the dogs.
Space out the correct number of chairs for handlers. Have each handler/dog walking around at least 2
lead lengths from the chairs – as the instructor gives a cue all handlers are to obtain that behaviour from
their dog before taking a seat. After each cue is given remove one chair and repeat until only one
handler/dog has a chair.
You can use a variety of behaviours which have been covered in class including
sit/drop/stand/roll/tug/shake etc. For more advanced classes try hand signals or voice commands only.
Sit/Drop/Stand
To get the dogs used to different ground materials place alternative items on the ground and have the
dog practice sit/drop/stand stations.
Items which make great ‘ground materials’ include:
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Fluffy blankets
Raincoats
Rubber mats
Woolly carpet
Plastic garbage bags
Wading pool
FOR LOOSE LEASH WALKING
Egg and Spoon Race
Use water filled balloons and wooden spoons. Do not inflate the balloons; fill the balloons with
approximately one cup of water. Tennis balls can be used as a substitute for eggs however they may prove
to be distracting.
Each handler must carry the spoon with their leash hand and complete the course. The students are to line
up on the start line and move as quickly as possible to the finish line (at least 10 paces apart) with their egg
on the spoon and without dropping their egg.
For more advanced classes try including obstacles to go over and pegs to weave through or send the
students around a series of markers to encourage them to change directions.
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Naughts and Crosses (Tic Tac Toe)
Equipment:
• 5 white markers
• 5 orange markers
• And noodles or bars to make a #
1. Lay out the noodles or bars to make a # with enough space for the largest dog to sit inside each
small box.
2. Divide your class into two teams; one white team, one orange team.
3. Each team takes it in turn for one member to perform the desired behaviour (as directed by the
instructor) in one of the squares. If the dog gets the behaviour right the team get to place a
coloured marker on that square.
The object of the game is to get three markers of the same colour in a row, horizontally, vertically or
diagonally.
For basic/k9 kindergarten and Junior Manners use coloured markers to indicate successful sits drops or
stands. For more advanced classes ask for a short stay before replacing a dog with a marker.
Simon Says
This is a great game for revision. It is also a great listening game for kids or chatty clients. This is also
beneficial for Instructors with quiet voices as it makes client listen to you.
The Instructor is ‘Simon’. Everyone apart from ‘Simon’ must follow commands when the Instructor says
“Simon says… [cue]”. If the Instructor neglects to say “Simon Says” before the behaviour, the students
don’t have to follow the instruction.
Relays (Recall/Obstacles/Station)
Relays are a great way to break the ice and increase class participation:
1. Divide the class into two teams. If you have an assistant get the assistant to martial one team and
enlist a partner or observer to help with the other.
2. For recall relays have a clear field and for Basic or Junior Manners you may want to call the dogs in
opposite directions (i.e. start in the middle of the course).
3. At the start of the race the first handler hands the dog to the Martial and runs to their recall post.
When the dog has come in they must return to their seat before the next dog can be left with the
Martial.
4. If the teams are uneven on member on the smallest team must run twice.
5. When all players have run, the team to finish first is the winner.
N.B. Make the relays as exciting and difficult as your class can cope with.
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Tail Wag Game
This is a good game for handler enthusiasm.
Divide the class in half. One half of the class act as judges while the other half do whatever it takes to get
their dogs’ tails wagging as fast as possible. The best wag as voted by the judges wins. Swap the teams
over and repeat. The two winners have a wag off to determine the champion.
Dice Game (for K9 Kindergarten and Basic)
Roll the large dice for each dog in turn. The dog must perform the
behaviour on the dice for the number of seconds shown. For example,
if number 5 is on top and the behaviour on that face is sit, the dog
must sit for 5 seconds. Each dog gets a turn. Be careful about the
proximity of the dice to the dogs.
Line Up (Distraction for Intermediate and Advanced classes)
Have the handlers and dogs line up in a straight line and at a comfortable distance apart. Have an assistant
take one dog to one end of the line. The handler goes to the other end of the line, approximately 3m
away. The handler then calls their dog to come. (A long line may be necessary) .
Variations include:
• Have students make two lines and call the dog down the middle.
• Have handlers on one side and dogs on the other in a drop stay.
• Place another distraction halfway down the line up.
Diving (Ice Breaker Game)
This is a funny game to watch.
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Use sliced hot dog in the bottom of a shallow dish with approximately 50mm of water.
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Allow each dog in turn to investigate the dish and see if they can retrieve the hot dog.
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Allow each dog approximately 30 seconds or 10 pieces of hot dog.
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Vary the depth of water if this is too easy.
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Replace the hot dog with tennis balls.
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Replace hot dog with other toys.
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Use sand instead of water (with toys or stuffed Kong’s) if water restrictions are in place.
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Sand Bucket Race (Loose Leash Handling)
1. Divide class into two teams.
2. Give each team an egg cup and an empty bucket.
3. Place a full bucket of sand at an equal distance from both teams (use two buckets for Junior
Manners and Basic).
4. The object is for each team to get as much sand as possible into their bucket using only the egg
cup in a relay fashion.
5. When there are no water restrictions replace sand with water……great summer game.
Catch/Fetch
How many balls/Frisbees can you catch/fetch in 30 seconds? Let each dog/handler
have a turn.
Follow the Leader (Revision Exercise)
Have everyone follow one person who then decides which behaviours everyone
will practice.
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Tricks
Trick to suggest include:
1. Take a bow
21. Howl
2. Roll
22. Bowling
(knocking over pins or cups)
3. Crawl
23. Play the piano
4. Weave (legs)
24. Count
5. Jump over arm/leg/back
25. Say your prayers
6. Spin/twirl
26. Embarrassed/sad
7. Circle me
27. Kiss
8. Reverse (back up)
28. Cuddle
9. Side pass (both you & dog step
slowly sideways)
29. Pull up the blanket
10. Beg (bottom on ground)
30. Moon walk
(back up will in bow position)
11. Dance (up on back legs)
31. Clean up (put things away)
12. Walk on two feet
32. Skateboard
13. Shake/hi 5/wave/salute
33. Ring bell/turn on light/open door
14. Dry off (after a bath)
34. Wag your tail
15. Figure of 8 (round legs or
independently)
35. Beg your pardon?
(head to one side)
16. Play dead
36. Step (dog lifts leg when you do)
17. Lift a hind leg
37. Find it
18. Soccer
38. Jump (in time with you)
19. Go Round ( stick or object)
39. Get dressed (put on harness/collar)
20. Speak
40. Fetch (anything you can think of)
Please add any others to this list that you can think of:
RSPCA Qld Animal Training & Behaviour Centre
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