Touch

The behavior can be used when you need your dog to pay attention or to chain behaviors together. It is an easy command to teach which builds trust and is the first step towards analytical thinking. They must move their nose towards the target to make the treat happen. This is also a great tool to use when working with a reactive dog. You can use either an open palm or two fingers. Learn how to Teach Touch.

Time needed for this Training: 

 30-90 seconds per sequence. Resist the urge to push the session longer when doing well. This will prevent mistakes from happening. 

Evaluating Progress 

 When your dog really understands this behavior, you should be competing 15 repetitions per minute 

Treat Delivery:

Toss the treat to one side or the other for delivery. We want the dog to work for us and keep them coming back for more. Movement helps relieve stress, so walking or trotting in between treats helps to manage any stress like behaviors 

Training Touch – Step One: 

Present your target at nose level or lower to your dog- without forcing your hand into your dog’s space. Almost every dog will approach the target to inspect what it is, as this is the hand that pays.

If your dog is grabby for treats, toss the treat on the ground for them to eat from there. We are only focusing on targeting at this time. 

When your dog makes contact with the target, pull your hand back and retract it towards your side or stomach, Use your Marker Word (YES) and reward with a treat the moment their nose touches the target. 

After your dog has finished the treat, return your hand to the desired targeting position and repeat the process again. There should be a clear start and end to each repetition. 

See how many times they can perform this successfully in 60 seconds. 

Adding the TOUCH cue: 

When the dog is watching for the target,and you can present it high or low, left or right and you can easily achieve 15 target touches in one minute, you are ready to add the verbal cue. 

How to Add the Verbal Cue: 

Say “Dog’s Name, Touch” and present your target, your dog will touch it and use “Yes” and treat. If there is a delay that means they have to think about it and you may have moved too fast to the verbal cue. 

The $50 Bet!!

If you are willing to bet $50 that your dog will perform the desired behavior on the first try without a physical cue, you are ready to add a verbal cue in! If you are only willing to bet $5 you are not ready to add the verbal cue.