My Dirty Little Secret To Dog Training

Yes, my dirty little secret is the Bite Me Game.  My whole career as a dog trainer has been based on finding ways to motivate dogs to do the things I want them to do.  Dogs who are motivated respond quickly to cues and pay very good attention to their owners.

Here is one of my motivation games for my own dog.  Gator, my 5 yr old pyrenean shepherd, struggles with the concentration and drive required to do agility.  I call it "his work" which is probably the problem.  Maybe it's work for me to make him happy enough to play my agility games.  Wonder what he calls it?  Play?  Hm, maybe.

Anyway, we get Gator in the mood with the Bite Me Game (Confession #1). Some dogs like to tug before agility, not Gator.  Most dogs at least look excited to do it.   Not Gator.  Why?  That's the million dollar question.  It certainly hasn't been from a lack of effort on my part to make it as fun as possible.  It's just hard for him to concentrate and he gets nervous with any pressure (even the pressure to have a good time).  

My friend Meha invented the Bite Me Game.  I was sold.  Gator did not have to do anything except eat food and do it enthusiastically.  How do we know when he's primed and enthusiast, he's biting her fingers to get the food.  I know, I know.....no dogs should nip when taking treats right?  Not in the world of Gator.  Meha, says Bite Me, and those words are magical to him.  He is eager to play.  I have even transferred some of the biting to a toy which makes training easier obviously.

So before it gets around that I teach dogs to bite people, let's look at it.  Gator hardly ever does anything wrong, except destroy crates and xpens to be with me.  I don't mind that so much (confession #2).  Okay, he's barks a little but I use that to pump him up.  He's never aggressive, towards anyone or anything.  That's the main reasion we can play the Bite Me Game safely.  

Having a warm up game for agility that involves no rules, just biting for food, and me running my butt off to direct him, we just make actually get our Perf ADCH sometime this year.  For you non-agility peeps, this would be like winning the lottery, or maybe paying off your mortgage, or winning a new car.  Yeah, that amazing.

So the next time you see Gator, be his pal and give him a free treat that he doesn't have to work for.  It's money in his bank of happiness.  Be creative in the ways you motivate your dog to do their training.  Dogs were put on this earth to make us happy, let's give a little back.  They will teach you how to play the games they like.

Laurie Zurborg, CPDT, Founder