Dog Toy Name Games Get Tougher

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
When's Our Next Fetch Game?

Last week I talked about how Tanner and I have enjoyed the game of naming his dog toys. This is particularly fun with his Fetch toys, the ones he places the highest value on. Today I'll share a couple of our more advanced versions of multi-toy Fetch.

Soon to be 7, he is showing no signs of reducing his social life, and still enjoys his favorite forms of exercise. We're officially sticking by our statement that he's not yet a senior :)

Here's one of Tanner's favorite games that you can play inside, outside, or in the water. Collect 5 or 6 of your dog's favorite toys to Fetch. It's important that he sees them as toys that are part of this game, so he'll understand that he's supposed to bring them back to you. 

With your dog in a "Stay", but watching what you do, spread the toys out in a number of locations, all in his view. Now I'll give you a couple of different versions to choose from:

• If your pooch knows any of his toys' names, ask him to retrieve them by name, waiting for the requested toy to return before throwing any of the others that he returns in the process. Avoid giving him praise for returning the wrong toys, and encourage him to collect the one you specifically requested. That's the goal! Sometimes this takes a while to sink in. Tanner had to understand that I was only going to toss again after he returned the toy I requested. Tough concept, but once he got it, it was super easy and fun to watch.
• If your dog doesn't know toy names, try this version: Give the Fetch command and wait to toss the toys a 2nd time until after ALL of the toys have been returned to you. This is a completely different skill that is very tough because their ADD gets in the way. As your dog heads out to pick up a toy, he'll see another one in his peripheral vision, dropping the first and heading after the 2nd. These momentary lapses of keeping the eye on the goal will keep him from learning this game for quite a while. It's a great challenge, and after he successfully completes the return and  you toss the toys again, he'll begin to understand the goal. Be patient and give lots of praise for his efforts. While you watch your dog learning, you'll also be learning a good deal about his ability to focus and what his distractions are. Enjoy this!

Let me know how your dog does with these games. I'd love to learn from you. Do you have any creative versions of Fetch that you can share? The comment link is open. See you again next week for another version of the Weekly Wag, when I share tips and strategies for bonding with your dog.

Join us each week for the Weekly Wag bonding series, held during the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The hop is hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping! 

Bonding by the Names: Toy Identities!

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
You Said 'Gator', Right?

"Yes, Tanner. That's right boy." This is a game we've enjoyed greatly over the years. Tanner has at times known the names of upwards of a dozen toys. Currently, not so much. I think I've let this game slide in favor of newer experiments.

You may enjoy bonding with your dog over this game, just as we did. Start with a favorite toy, one that your dog frequently brings out on his own. Here's how I began to teach Tanner the names:

• I took his favorite toy and placed it on the floor within sight, making sure that the floor was clean of other toys to distract him while first learning.
• I asked Tanner to get the toy, giving it a simple name that could not easily be confused with other words in his vocabulary. It's important to make it an intuitive name for you also, so YOU won't forget the name. 
• If your dog doesn't immediately pick up the toy, motion to it or offer it to him. When he takes it, reward, praise and throw a party, repeating the name of the toy frequently.
• Continue this reward system until your dog understands what the name of the toy is and will go and get it when you place it farther and farther away from him.

It's that easy; honest! Just remember to keep it fun and go at your dog's own pace. Stick with one toy at a time until he's 100% accurate each and every time you request the toy.

Until then, do not move to another toy.

Once your dog gets to know a few of his toys' names, you can start the real fun. Place the toys in various locations in a room, asking him to fetch one by name. Praise as soon as he responds by heading toward the correct toy. This is a terrific brain game as well as a nice rainy day activity. Don't forget to let Fido know how proud you are of his new skills!

Thanks for joining us for the Weekly Wag where I share tips and inspiration on bonding with your dog each Saturday. I encourage you to share your own experiences and we do a quarterly drawing from comments as an incentive to share your dog's adventures. June 30 is right around the corner. The comment link is open!

Happy tails,

Join us each week for the Weekly Wag bonding series, held during the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The hop is hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping!