Dr. Dunbar’s 28-Day Good Dog Challenge
Off & Take It
Day 5 · The best exercise for building impulse control.
Today’s challenge
Count your dog’s Off in Good Dogs: “Good Dog One, Good Dog Two, Good Dog Three…” What’s your dog’s longest Off? By midnight tonight, text me your record. Bonus: send a video!
Why Off & Take It?
Wait & Reward exercises like this one are tailor-made to foster calmness, quiet, and attentiveness in over-the-top, out-of-control, inattentive, rambunctious and rumbustious adolescent dogs.
Step by step
Teach Off & Take It
- Close a piece of kibble in your fist and hold it in front of your dog’s muzzle.
- Ignore all your dog’s attempts to get the food: mouthing, licking, sucking, pawing, and so on. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. In fact, the longer your dog worries at your hand, the better they learn that these behaviors don’t work.
- Wait until your dog stops touching your hand for just a fraction of a second. Then immediately say “Take it,” and open your fist to show the kibble in your palm.
- Repeat, but this time wait for half a second of no contact. Then a full second. Then two, three, five, seven, and ten seconds before saying “Take it.”
Now add the words
- Say “Off” before you present your fist.
- Count in Good Dogs. Praise the time your dog stays off by counting out loud: “Good Dog One, Good Dog Two, Good Dog Three…” Counting Good Dogs gets you to praise more often, and tells you your personal best, for example, “Good Dog Eight.” Knowing your personal best is a powerful motivator to do better, and better.
Special tips
What if my dog hurts my hand?
Only respond if your dog actually hurts you. Say “Owww!” and take your hand (and the kibble) away for 10 to 20 seconds. Your dog learns that hurting you stops the food, and it gives them a chance to calm down and get a grip on their impulses.
My dog licks and paws at my hand for ages.
That’s fine. Keep your fist still and wait. The longer it takes, the better your dog learns that pestering doesn’t work.
Bonus: a free Sit-Stay!
Hold your fist just a little higher than your dog’s muzzle, and you’ll find your dog performs some pretty solid Sit-Stays. Not too shabby!
What’s next
- Tomorrow, Day 6, it’s Go to Your Bed.
- Use it every day. Say “Off” and “Take it” whenever you hand-feed your dog’s kibble.
Filming tips and prizes: Videos and Prizes.
Top Dog Academy
Want to see Ian teach more?
Top Dog Academy is packed with Ian’s training videos, for puppies and adult dogs alike. Everyone in the Good Dog Challenge gets a free month.
Start Your Free Month