In dog training school, I was introduced to this game: 101 things to do with a box. This game was used to teach dogs to participate in training by offering behavior. Any behavior that involved the box was used to shape different behaviors, such as placing a toy in the box, getting into the box, moving the box to a new location, placing only two paws in the box, opening the box, closing the box, etc. There is so much you can teach a dog to do with a box. But my favorite element of that game is what it teaches the person. Just as it teaches the dog to offer behavior, it teaches the trainer to be creative in what they shape the dog to do and how they get to each goal behavior. This development of skills that this game offers is why I also like to play a different version of this game, 101 Things to Target. Touch (nose-to-hand target), as you may know by now, is one of my favorite things to teach a dog of any age because it can be used to teach all kinds of other behaviors, including come, sit, and heel. In 101 Things to Target, I teach dogs to get creative in using their targeting skills to the max! Here is how you play the game.
What You Will Need
Treats and treat pouch.
A trained nose-to-hand target behavior
Trained “beginning of game/end of game” cues.
Your dog
Teach the Game
Before you start, your dog must be at least familiar with the targeting concept. In other words, it must know how to touch something with its nose. This skill is needed, not necessarily for the nose target itself, but so that your dog will already be familiar with the concept of targeting. Before your dog can play this game, they must learn to target something new, and that process goes much faster if you have already trained at least one targeting skill. To teach the game, I like to use sticky notes. First, take the nose-to-hand target skill that your puppy knows and transfer that skill to a new target, sticky notes! Here is how to do it!
Step 1: Practice the regular nose-to-hand target a few times to get your dog on the same page as you. Next, place a sticky note on your palm. Hold out your palm to cue the nose target, click, and treat when your dog touches the sticky note. This first nose-to-sticky note target will be an accident. Due to the placement (sticky note on your palm), your dog will have to touch the sticky note to complete the target it already knows (touching your palm). Some dogs may hesitate at first when they see the sticky note, that’s okay; just be patient. If your dog is really confused, start with a small sticky note. If they figure it out with a small sticky note, keep using that because using a small sticky note will come in handy later.
Step 2: Practice until your dog targets the middle of the sticky note on your hand at least nine out of ten times in a row. (Note: the cue for touching the sticky note will end up being whatever you use to cue your dog to touch your palm. To ensure that the other behavior’s cue still works, try to move through steps 2 and 3 pretty fast, as you will separate the two behaviors with two cues).
Step 3: Next, take the sticky note off your palm, close your fist, and place the sticky note on your fist. Practice with that sticky note, returning to your original training plan if needed (the one you used to train the nose-to-palm behavior) until your dog targets the sticky note rather than your hand. Next, test it by placing the sticky note somewhere else on your body and see if your dog figures it out; if it does, yay! Practice having your dog target the sticky note in various places on your body until you are sure it knows what it is doing. If it does not target the sticky note, practice more with it on your fist, then gradually add the location change (e.g., move the sticky note down your arm gradually). (Note: at this point, you will make sure that your nose-to-palm target and sticky note target have different cues. The nose-to-hand target cue should be whatever cue you used before. The cue for nose targeting the sticky note should just be the presentation of the sticky note. Practice the two by alternating between them).
Step 4: Next, it is time to place the sticky note somewhere not on you. I use a wall, but note that your dog may begin to target the wall when you are done, so if you don’t want that happening, a cardboard box or something else like that can also be a good idea. Place the sticky note on the wall and see what your dog does. Be ready to click any movement towards the sticky note, as some dogs will test their idea out by moving towards it initially without touching it. If they do test it out with a small movement, you will have to do some quick shaping again, but it probably won’t take as much as when you first trained the nose-to-hand target.
Step 5: Next, Practice! Practice until your dog will touch the sticky note on the wall without hesitation, at least nine out of ten times in a row.
Step 6: Move the sticky note to a different part of the wall and repeat step 5.
Step 7: Next, change the sticky note to various objects around the house (that are safe for your dog to interact with) and practice having your dog target the sticky note no matter where it is located.
Step 8: Now, you want to practice having your dog start targeting independently without being cued by the sticky note. Get a pile of objects and place them in a training area. Make sure your dog has learned a “start” cue and an “end of session” cue. Do the “start” cue, then place a sticky note on an object. Click and treat your dog for targeting the sticky note. Each time you move the sticky note, tear off part of it to make it smaller. As it gets smaller and smaller, your dog will eventually end up with no sticky note. May dogs will hesitate when the sticky note is completely gone. Just wait and see what your dog does. If it offers a nose target, yay! Click and treat, and then wait again. If it offers a nose target again, yay! Click and treat. Keep doing this until it is clear your dog knows you want it to target without the sticky note cue.
Step 9: Now, make it a bit harder. Each time your dog targets something, click and treat, then remove and hide that object. Wait for your dog to target something else in the pile. The first few times you take an object away, you may have to help your dog by giving it some hints. But make sure you don’t give it too much help. You want it to think things through. If it isn’t getting it, use the sticky note again, placing it on new objects as you remove the old one.
Step 10: Having a “time to choose” cue can be helpful. This cue can be added by doing the hand signal or saying something like “Pick one” right before your dog makes contact with the new object (only do this when you get to the stage where your dog is independently targeting a new object each time). Do this about ten times, then gradually back up the cue to see what your dog will do. Give the cue, then wait. When your dog picks a new object, click and treat! Practice the cue, making sure that your dog picks something new each time. (Note: pay attention, is your dog following a pattern? If you really want your dog to think through this and have to problem solve, use new objects each time so your dog can’t always pick things in a specific order each time you play the game. It can also help if you mix up the optional objects each time before you cue your dog to pick a new one).
Play the Game
Now your dog knows how to play the game! I recommend playing this with a pile of objects at first. Using a pile of objects for your dog to interact with will help your dog know that the game only happens when a pile of objects is presented. You can also go around the house and play this game on the move, though your dog may need to play it in a few different rooms before it gets the hang of it. That being said, make sure you follow the important note below!
Important Note
For this game, it is essential that your dog has a clear “start” cue and a clear “end of session” cue, or in this case, “beginning of game/end of game” cues. These can be environmental, such as opening the curtains, then closing them, and vice versa. Or they can be contact cues, such as putting a second collar on your dog and then taking it off when the game ends. Something that tells that dog, “We are playing the game now so you can touch things,” and something that tells the dog, “Now we are done, so please don’t go around the house touching things willy nilly.” These cues will not guarantee your dog does not just start targeting things when it wants your attention, but it does help your dog know when the game is being played and when it is not. To make sure your dog knows these cues, use them every single time you play the game! So, if you play the game both inside and outside, make sure the “start” and “end of session” cues are things you can bring with you (like the collar or something similar). Also, please do not teach your dog to target things you do not want it to target or things that are unsafe for it to target. Also, please do not teach it to target other animals. If your dog targets something it should not target, redirect and ask it to do a completely different behavior before reinforcing it. And as always, have fun!