Alexandria, VA – If I were given the magical power to teach every dog owner in the world one thing — and only one thing — it would be this:
Toss a piece of kibble on the ground as you cheerily exclaim, “Find it!”
Now you’re wondering if this is what actually passes for dog training these days. “Throw food on the floor” is the big insider tip? Seriously?
But stick with me. The brilliance of this cue is in how and when you employ this endlessly variable game. Build this pattern — teaching your dog that the second she hears those words it’s totally worth it to send her nose to the ground to search — and “find it” can become an instant, in-the-moment problem-solver. Now you have an answer for all sorts of situations where you need to change the dynamic, like when your dog is about to:
- Jump up
- Overwhelm your guests
- Freak out about other dogs on walks
- Grab a treat too hard from your kid’s hand
- Get nervous while waiting at the vet
Let’s look at that first scenario — jumping up — to get a sense of how this works. Exuberant dogs who want desperately to engage with humans will jump up on them. A common reaction is for an owner to meet their dog’s big feelings with some big feelings of their own, getting annoyed as they insist on a “sit.” The thing is, a stationary sit-stay is not a natural canine response to arousal, so now everybody’s set up for failure.
Instead of that immediate “sit,” first try a win-win that’ll feel great to both parties. As the dog approaches — before she has a chance to jump — sing out “find it” as you toss a piece of kibble (or something better, if need be) on the ground. Now she has an ethologically appropriate way to channel her big energy: the fully canine activity of foraging! As she happily moves and sniffs, all four paws are on the ground (not on your chest) and the snout is pointing down (not mouthing your arm).
Once she gobbles the treat, she turns back to you. Now what? Do a few more “find its” to give your dog a chance to move and scent her way through those initial big feelings. But soon you’ll see that a switch has flipped, and she’s listening to you. The “sit” that was unattainable just seconds ago when she was over-aroused is now pretty easy: Sit . . . find it . . . sit . . . find it . . . sit. Now we’re through the challenging part of the greeting, and she’s able to just hang out.
“Find it” can be a life raft as you teach your friend from Planet Dog how to live in our world. It can be the relationship-smoother for young kids who thought they’d love a dog but are actually intimidated. It can allow you to pass another dog on a walk as you keep tossing morsels ahead, one after the other, until you’ve got some nice distance from the dog that used to cause a bark-fest. When you’re stuck waiting at the vet, instead of letting your dog worry or stare, start a fun game of “find it” to loosen the mood.
So, yeah, as a very experienced trainer I’m going to tell you to toss some food on the floor! While it’s fun to show off fancy, impressive techniques, the best “dog training” idea is the one that actually works. It’s whatever solution everybody in your family can understand, and use. And it’s the approach that strengthens your bond with your dog, rather than squashing it. Nothing hits all of those markers better — or faster — than “find it.”
Kathy Callahan is a local trainer and author. For more, see puppypicks.com.
