Dr. Dunbar’s 28-Day Good Dog Challenge
Off, Take It, Thank You!
Day 19 · Teach your dog that your hand comes to give, not just to take away.
Today’s challenge
Play Off, Take It, Thank You with your dog’s favorite toy, 10 times. How many of your 10 Thank Yous were prompt, and came with a tail wag? By midnight tonight, text me your score out of 10. Bonus: send a video!
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 Thank You?
On Day 5, you taught Off and Take It with kibble. Today we add two lovely words: Thank You, which means “Please give it to me.”
Think about it from your dog’s point of view. They give up the toy, they get a food reward, and then they get the toy back as well. What a deal! Your dog learns that your hand often comes to give, and not always to take away.
That’s so important. A dog who happily hands over a toy will also hand over the sock, the TV remote, or something dangerous they picked up on a walk. And a dog who trusts that giving things up doesn’t mean losing them forever is far less likely to guard their things.
Step by step
- Grab your dog’s favorite toy. A tug toy is perfect to start with, because you both hold it.
- Say “Off.” Wait until your dog leaves the toy alone for a moment.
- Then say “Take it,” and waggle the toy to make it come alive. Praise when your dog grabs it, and gently tug for a few seconds.
- Say “Thank you,” and go perfectly still. Keep hold of the toy, and offer a piece of kibble with your other hand.
- When your dog lets go to take the kibble, praise! Hold the toy behind your back while your dog eats.
- Then give the toy back! “Take it.” Repeat 10 times.
Go perfectly still
When you say “Thank you,” stop tugging and freeze. A toy that moves is exciting to hold on to. A toy that goes still isn’t. That makes the kibble in your other hand much more interesting.
Level up
- Let go. Once your dog hands back the toy promptly five times in a row, let go of the toy while they hold it, then ask for “Thank you.” Hold your other hand under their muzzle to catch it.
- Try other things. A rolled-up newspaper, a book, a stuffed animal, a chew toy. Start with things your dog doesn’t care too much about.
- Add a Sit. After “Thank you,” ask for a Sit before you give the toy back: Sit, Off, Take it, Tug, Thank you, Sit.
Bonus: your very own retriever
Once your dog happily gives things back, simply toss the toy, and say “Thank you” when they pick it up. Your dog brings it back and drops it in your hand. Voilà! Your very own faithful retriever. Fetch is wonderful exercise, and it’s useful, too: fetching slippers, finding lost keys, or tidying up dog toys.
Some dogs love this game so much they start bringing you presents all day long! If that gets to be too much, simply say, “Take it to your bed.” It’s a great way to teach your dog to tidy up their toys.
What’s the dog thinking?
Ian often imagines dogs chatting about his training. Here’s a young puppy, confiding in a wise old Akita:
And the Akita replies: “You know, humans are quite inscrutable. I’m sure your person means well, but people do so remind me of cats.”
Special tips
My dog won’t let go of the toy.
Go completely still, and make the kibble more exciting: waggle it right in front of their nose. As soon as their mouth opens, praise! Start with a toy your dog likes, but doesn’t love.
My dog isn’t interested in toys.
Make the toy come alive. Wiggle it along the floor, make it zip away, and pull it back toward you, so your dog wants to chase and grab it. Praise like crazy for any interest at all.
My dog runs off with the toy.
Practice with a tug toy, or a toy on a rope, so you’re both holding it. Your dog can’t run off, and dogs are less likely to guard something you’re still holding.
My dog grabs at my hands and clothes.
Once your dog knows Off, Take It, Thank You with toys, use “Off” the next time they grab at you, too. Then offer a toy instead: “Take it!”
My dog growls or stiffens when I reach for their things.
Please don’t try today’s exercise with anything your dog guards, and don’t try to take things away. Instead, contact a professional trainer right away. Guarding is normal for dogs, and it’s very fixable, but it’s much easier with help.
What’s next
- Tomorrow, Day 20, it’s Figure 8: a fun trick, plus Circle and Spin.
- Use it every day. Play a few rounds of Off, Take It, Thank You whenever you play with your dog.
Filming tips and prizes: Videos and Prizes.
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