Lesson #3: The Collar Game

Review:
So far we have introduced our puppies/dogs to the clicker, and taught them that the sound of the clicker or marker word produces a treat. Then in Lesson #2 we associated the dog’s name with a click and a treat. So by now your dog should understand that a click or marker word produces a tasty treat.

Lesson Intro:
In this lesson we are going to build on the association that our dog has already made with the clicker, so be sure that you have completed Lesson #1. Also this lesson may challenge your manual dexterity, so if the clicker is hindering your training session replace the clicker with a marker word. (See Lesson #1.)

Tools:
Clicker or marker word, dog, treats, buckle collar

Some of you may be wondering why are we playing a game with a collar, can’t the dogs run without a collar? Yes, but this game serves a couple different purposes. First, none of us like a dog that shies away when you reach for their collar. Usually the dog associates the collar with being grabbed at, tugged around, and controlled in some manner. So we want to teach the dog that handling of the collar is a good thing. Second, once the dog is comfortable with their collar being handled we are going to start incorporating drive into our dog.

You will often hear the phrase “train in drive”, so what exactly does this mean? It means that you have tools or games that make your dog excited about the work he is about to do. Remember we want our dogs to think that work is play! So we have to present work as play. This is just another way to get our dogs into drive. I will be honest with you in saying that this is my first dog, after two, that I really made an effort to train in drive and I will say it really makes a difference. If you can get your dog to play you have a very powerful tool to use.

This is how it works.

1. Put a buckle collar on your dog. It doesn’t need to be fancy or anything special -- just something you can hold on to. If you need to put a leash on your dog to keep him in your area you may do so.

2. Put your clicker and treats in one hand (let’s say your right hand). This is where it gets challenging, so if the clicker isn’t working for you use a marker word.

3. With your left hand you are going to start to pet your dog going lightly over the collar.
As soon as you pass over the collar, click and treat.

4. Progress to touching, holding lightly, and holding the collar with resistance, click and treat whenever the collar is being touched.

In the end you want a dog that willingly offers you his collar in order to get a treat. This is when I would start to incorporate toys. If you have a toy that your dog is nuts over get it out. Once your dog is absolutely okay with you fully applying resistance to his or her collar you are going to start to train in drive.

1. Hold your dog by the collar.
2. Present the toy and tease.
3. Apply some resistance to the collar, meaning the dog should be pulling for the toy and you are applying opposing force.
4. Once you get a dog that is pulling toward the toy release and reward with the toy.

This is the perfect picture of what you are trying to accomplish:

I get a toy my dog loves. He sees it and starts jumping all over the place. I keep the toy out of reach with my right hand. I present my left hand to the dog and request that the dog offer me his collar. Once I get a hold of his collar, now the fun begins. I present the toy teasing my dog saying things like “You want it?” or “Are you going to get it?” or “Are you ready?” and once my dog is allowing me to hold the collar while focusing on the toy, I release the dog and we play with the toy together.

Don’t reward the dog if he or she is pulling away from you to get you to let go of the collar. Understand that the dog has to be totally comfortable with you holding the collar. There will be times in future lessons that one of us will ask you to hold your dog by his or her collar to begin the exercise, so please do not dismiss this exercise as unimportant.

Have fun building drive!