THE SHELL GAME
This is a well known game used all over the world in all different scenarios and I am 3 -5 upside down cups, let your dog see you put chicken under only one, then mix them around. Let her/him to sniff which one but don’t let her/him push ir over to get it themselves, ensure you lift it and s/he will learn his own way to show you prob either pawing it or barking at it. Once s/he has given you the indication as always a big huge fuss and give reward, if indication is on the wrong cup simply lift it allow him/her to llok and sniff under then replace and try again. As your dog gets more confidence you can add more cups, start not letting them see as you hide it etc.
SWAPIES
This game is focuses on preventing resourse guarding (aggression around food, possessiveness with toys and aggression when you try to retrieve an item the dog has stolen) by building up confidence and positivity associated with releasing toys or food.
Firstly get an array of toys ranging in how much your dog likes them, give him/her the least favourite and encourage them to play. Once they are engaded in playing with that take out a more exciting toy and entice the dog into playing with the new toy, the exact moment the dog drops the old toy give the command “drop” or whatever you choose and give them the new toy with lots of excitement and praise, ensure you pick up the old toy but only once the dog is engaged with new one. Repeat this with other toys, you can also then move one to having bowls of food with different food in and do the same.
Build your way up to asking, via the command, for the dog to release the old toy before you give new. In the beginning do not pick up the old toy until the dog has new just conquer the release of old for now and build up to taking away before giving the new. At no point begin to pull any items off your dog, if your dog isnt getting it stop and go back a step.
READY STEADY GO
Before you start this game you need to ensure you have done and are confident in the recall game and watch me game (under games for focus)
This is simply a game for you to be able to initiate your dogs ecitement mainly used for when encouraging a dog to play off lead.
To begin this game simply hold your dog by collar, throw a treat or toy then before you release the dog say “ready, steady” then release on the command “go” keep excitment high on go even run forward a little with your dog if they need extra encourgament, and as always lots of praise. Repeat this a few times then progress by using your hand to encourgae the dog sit during the ready, steady and then run off on go. Again repeat this step several times over serval days before you try without holding the dog, if when you begin to not hold the dog they bolt to soon just a simple sharp “ahah” or “no” then replace and restart if they bolt serval times in a row they arent rready to progress so go back a step. Once confident in this stage start recalling and asking for calm after, do this by waiting to see as your dog natrually begins to calm then use the “watch me “ and “here” followed by another “watch me” to first get the dog attention and back to you and refocussed, then use slow firm long strokes from the dog head to mid back and a low slow calm voice saying “enough” to now calm the dog, reward calmly with a treat when they begin to show calm behaviour.
Once you have this cracked at home you can start using on walks as a way to realse the dog to off lead play, start again at stage on out of the house and build up again, your dog should pick it up faster this time.