why I LOVE TARGET training...

The majority of all tricks and OBEDIENCE cues actually, that I teach my guys...are all based on the same foundation skills..which include MATwork & the TOUCH cue! (special thx to Leslie McDevitt for all her crazy awesome mat & give me a break games)

Targeting a place (MATwork) and nose touching something (touch cue)also come into play when teaching polite walking with a loose leash, meet and greets, stays, recalls, retrieving.  Even IMPULSE CONTROL issues like; chasing bikes, people, cars, ...you name it! Who would think those two simple cues...can open up a means by which to communicate and teach behaviours!

ie. TARGETing a skateboard...then shaping them to ride it...the skateboard itself is place to target just like targeting a mat!





I had put the skateboard away and forgot all about it until tonight when trying to think of something fun for Daisy to do that wouldn't involve too much racing around. I'm still careful about not over doing it with the collar on and her still not completely healed.

ie.RETRIEVING games....when you think of it, there are a lot of steps involved in retrieving!  Nose touch an object, take it in your mouth and hold it, then bring it to me...and drop it in my hand.  Great thing about retrieving is you can get them to help you around the house!!!



Not only limited to things that shouldn't be laying around in the first place...but also....


Daisy normally lays quiet while I eat on a mat, but tonight, she was full of beans! I could have told her to go lay down, but really, truly...when they choose to communicate with you, enjoy that moment! She had shear happiness in her bouncy step bringing me the shoes and with her and Keegan relaying the toilet paper. All I need to do is say "thank you" and then just go back to eating...and they go back to their mats and snooze :)

The POWER of letting someone be HEARD, and then going back to what you were doing in the first place....is surprisingly effective in dog training too!