Dr. Dunbar’s 28-Day Good Dog Challenge
Figure 8
Day 20 · A fun trick, plus Circle and Spin.
Today’s challenge
How many Figure 8s will your dog eagerly do for just one piece of kibble? By midnight tonight, text me your record. Bonus: send a video! There’s a prize for Best Trick.
Watch Ian
Warm up first
5 Come-Sits, 5 Puppy Push-ups, and one Come-Sit-Down-Sit-Stand-Down-Stand sequence, with lots of praise.
Why Figure 8?
It’s fun, it looks amazing, and it’s a wonderful way to strengthen the psychological bungee cord between you and your dog. Your dog goes out and around, but always comes right back to you, weaving in and out and keeping their eyes on you the whole time.
By now you’re an expert at leading your dog’s nose with a food lure. That’s all a Figure 8 is: a lure that passes from hand to hand.
Step by step
- Stand with your feet wide apart. With a big dog, very wide apart!
- With a piece of kibble in your right hand, lure your dog clockwise around your right leg.
- Reach between your legs with your left hand, take over the lure, and bring your dog forward through your legs.
- Lure your dog counterclockwise around your left leg.
- Then your right hand takes over again, and your dog comes through your legs once more. That’s a Figure 8!
- Praise the whole way around, and reward after one Figure 8. Then two in a row, then three.
Go slowly
Move the lure slowly, and keep it close to your dog’s nose, especially when you swap hands. If your dog loses the lure, just go back to the last spot where it was easy.
Level up
- Walking Figure 8s. Take one huge step forward, and lure a Figure 8. Then another step, and another Figure 8. Then try a Figure 8 with every step!
- Backward Figure 8s. Now try it walking backward. Insanely fun to watch.
- Lose the lure. Once your dog has it, try with an empty hand, just like Lightning Luring on Day 9. Reward from your pocket.
Bonus move: Circle
Your dog goes all the way around you. With your dog at your side, lure them around behind you, pass the kibble from one hand to the other behind your back, and bring them round to where they started. Then try it in the other direction.
Bonus move: Spin
Your dog turns a full circle on the spot. With your dog standing in front of you, slowly move the kibble in a horizontal circle, just above their nose, so they turn all the way around to face you again. Once they’ve got it, teach “Spin” the other way, too.
Put it all together
Back-up and Come Fore, Figure 8, Circle, and Spin. Put them together, play your favorite music, and you’re ready to dance! Ian’s dog ZouZou’s favorite dance numbers were “The Love Club” by Lorde and “Revenge” by Pink and Eminem. Watch out, America’s Got Talent!
And just for fun: ask your dog, “Would you like to learn more?” Then move the kibble slowly up and down in front of their nose. Your dog will nod in agreement!
Special tips
My dog won’t go through my legs.
Stand with your feet wider apart, and go slowly. Start by luring your dog through your legs just once, back and forth, with lots of praise, before trying the whole Figure 8.
My dog loses the lure when I swap hands.
Swap hands right in front of your dog’s nose, so the kibble never leaves their sight. Go slowly.
My dog is too big to fit through my legs.
Stand with your feet as wide apart as you can, or make your Figure 8 around two chairs, or two cones, instead of your legs.
My dog spins one way, but not the other.
Most dogs have a favorite direction, just like we’re right- or left-handed. Practice the harder direction a little more, and praise every little bit of progress.
What’s next
- Tomorrow, Day 21, it’s Robust Repertoire: list everything your dog can do! See it on the Videos and Prizes page.
- Use it every day. Show off your Figure 8 whenever you meet someone new.
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