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Easy Impulse Control Exercises To Teach Dogs Self-Control

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Self-Control Games For Dogs That Work

Self-Control Games for Dogs
supercat67/iStock

Controlling your behavior in certain situations is tough, so it’s easy to sympathize with dogs. Many dogs struggle to behave calmly in exciting situations because they haven’t been taught what to do. As pet owners, it’s our responsibility to teach dogs self-control at an early age. Never punish a dog for getting excited, knocking over furniture, jumping up on people or stealing food from your hand. Train your dog what to do instead. These fun and quick self-control games teach dogs to control their impulsive behavior to earn rewards.

What You’ll Need

You’ll need lots of pea-sized high value treats (i.e. chopped up hot dogs, cheese chunks), a dog training clicker (or verbal marker “yes”) and your dog. Each dog training session should last 1-2 minutes, so set a kitchen timer. Give your dog a break in between sessions, and practice again for 1-2 minutes. Practice once or twice a day for best results.

Self-Control Games for Dogs

Each impulse control exercise teaches your dog how to control her behavior to earn a reward. Basically, you’re teaching your dog that doing this, instead of that, will make a treat appear.

1. Touch

Many dogs get excited and nip or mouth hands, especially if hands are moving away really fast. During a game of “touch,” dogs learn to calmly and lightly touch their noses toward the palm of your hand rather than touching your hand with their teeth. This self-control game is fun and addicting for dogs, which is a good thing. Additionally, this game can be played anywhere and at anytime.

https://youtu.be/d-spTywRXEo

2. Leave It

During this self-control exercise, dogs learn that ignoring a treat makes it appear. To begin, hide a super yummy treat inside of your closed fist. Now, place your fist right in front of your dog’s nose and wait.

At first, your dog will lick at your hand in attempt to reach the treat. The moment you no longer feel your dog touching your hand, say “yes” and reward with the treat in your open hand. You’re rewarding your dog to leave your treat hand alone. Soon, your dog will turn her head away, or even remain seated when presented with a treat in your hand. Now that’s self-control!

3. Place

Teaching an energetic dog to settle in one spot is challenging. With this self-control game for dogs, you’ll teach your dog to lie down on a mat. In the beginning, you’ll teach her to place two paws on the mat, then place four paws, sit and finally lie down on the mat. Check out details for teaching the “place” behavior.

4. Sit

Usually, “sit” is the first dog behavior most puppies and dogs learn, which is a good thing. When your dog jumps up, runs out the door or gets super excited, ask her to “sit.” When your dog sits, reward her immediately and generously. Soon, your dog will learn to “sit” when guests come over, when food is on the counter or before she walks out a door.

https://youtu.be/5aaa7DxKDfo

5. Wait Before Eating

When it’s dinner time, dogs get excited! Mealtimes are a perfect time to practice self-control. When lowering a food filled bowl down for your dog to eat, wait for your dog to “sit” or back away from the food bowl. If your dog rushes toward the bowl, simply pick up the bowl. Once your dog sits or stands quietly back, lower the bowl again. Once the bowl is down, say “okay,” so your dog can enjoy her meal.

https://youtu.be/2jBFJ2fGiqA

Teaching Your Dog to Wait for His Food Bowl

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Teaching Your Dog Table Manners

Teaching a Dog to Wait for Food
Good boy! He’s waiting as the food bowl lowers.

Does your dog gobble his food down before you’re able to put his food bowl on the ground? Check out our tips and video focused on teaching dogs to wait for meals. Polite behavior is a good thing!

Why Does This Happen?

When you’re hungry, you’ll inhale your meal the moment the plate hits the table. Dogs are the same way plus they never read the pet parent guide for polite dog manners so let’s teach them. If your dog is a resource guarder, meaning he guards his food bowl, then teaching him to wait for meals is a huge plus. Not only is teaching dogs to wait for meals polite behavior, it also teaches hyper dogs how to calm themselves.

How to Teach Your Dog Table Manners

It’s pretty simple to teach. All you need is a food bowl with a few treats in it and your dog. Remember: When your dog tries to mug the food bowl, it goes away. When he waits, he’s rewarded with the bowl on the floor with treats.

  • Lower the food bowl slowly toward the ground. If your dog tries to get the treats, pick the bowl up so he can’t get the treats.
  • Try again and lower the bowl again. Same boundaries apply. If your dog mugs the food bowl, it goes away.
  • You’ll notice your dog sitting or lying down. This is not required, but he may choose to perform these behaviors instead. He’s trying to figure out what will make the food bowl lower. Plus, “sit” and “down” keep your dog’s nose out of the bowl so it’s a win-win.
  • Now, you can ask your dog to “sit” or “down” before lowering the food bowl. It’s up to you. Personally, I prefer the appearance of the food bowl as the cue for polite meal behavior.
  • Practice each meal and make sure the entire family is on board. Consistency is important.

Check out this video, which demonstrates how to teach Sobek, my Rottweiler, polite meal behavior. You’ll notice him hopping when I pick up the food bowl. He’s getting a tad frustrated and hence the hopping. This is the first time I taught him this behavior.

VIDEO: Teaching Dogs to Wait for Meals

READ ALSO: Keep Your Dog From Pulling

Supervised Dog Tethering

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Tethering Dogs

Supervised tethering is an invaluable dog training tool and can be used for potty training and teaching your dog new skills, such as calm behavior.

Dog Tether
What a good boy!

What is Supervised Tethering?

Tethering means to connect a dog to a stationary object (wall mount, your body or heavy furniture) using a 4- to 6-foot leash. Supervised tethering means you are always able to visually watch your dog.

  • Connect to dog. Attach tether to dog’s flat buckle collar or body harness. I prefer using a body harness so the dog is comfortable. Never use a slip collar, which can choke your dog.
  • Tether. Use non-chewable materials, such as cable cord or thin chain leashes with a snap on one end and hand loop on the other end. Long tethers (longer than six feet) are cumbersome, tangle easily and become caught on furniture.
  • Stationary Object
    • Wall mount. Chose an eye hook mount and drill in a wall. Always drill into a wall stud for maximum strength.
    • Heavy piece of furniture, especially useful if you are sitting on it, which provides additional weight.
    • Your body. Try leash around your waist or tether to a belt loop. I prefer to use a hands-free leash combo, which attaches the leash to a built-in belt designed to fit most people.

How to Use a Tether

You’ll need a clicker, lots of yummy pea-sized treats, your dog’s favorite chew stick or a food stuffed toy.

  1. Click/treat while snapping the tether to your dog’s harness. Your dog learns it’s fun to be tethered.
  2. Reward your dog when the leash is loose (he is not pulled against the tether).
  3. When tethered, always provide a favorite chew stick or food stuffed toy so your dog learns that tethering means yummy stuff!
  4. If your dog barks or whines while wearing his tether, ask him to sit instead and unsnap the tether. Never unsnap a tether when your dog is barking or whining. He will learn to bark and whine until you remove the tether. 🙂
  5. When your dog is tethered to you, call his name before you begin moving. This will teach your dog to focus attention (by using his name) and prevent you from pulling your dog around.

For safety concerns, never leave your dog alone when tethered (either indoors or outdoors).

  • When left alone, your dog can chew through the tether and escape.
  • Tethers can wrap around your dog’s body and cause major damage. I’ve witnessed dogs jumping over furniture and hanging themselves.
  • When leaving your dog alone, put him in his crate with a food stuffed toy.

When to Use Supervised Tethering

Potty Training

  • Pet owner learns puppy’s cue for “I need to potty”: If your puppy becomes squirmy or stares at you, bring him outside. Your puppy will learn to cue you by staring at you that he needs to potty.
  • Tethering provides supervision, which prevents your puppy from wandering off and pottying in inappropriate places.
  • Tether dog while everyone is in the same room, such as eating in the dining room or watching a movie in the family room. This prevents potty accidents, your dog wandering off and your dog chewing on inappropriate objects.
  • I recommend tethering in conjunction with crate training. When I leave, my dogs are in their crates. When I’m home and need to supervise a puppy, I tether him to me or furniture. This provides plenty of opportunities to learn calm behavior outside of his crate.
RELATED: Housebreaking a Puppy

Teaching Self-Control (It Pays to Be Calm)

  • When watching TV, tether your dog near you, preferably to the chair you are sitting in.
  • Click and treat when dog is calm, chews on his favorite chew stick or enjoys a food stuffed toy.
  • If your dog gets up and pulls on the tether, ignore him. When your dog stops pulling on the tether, click and give him a treat.
  • Every night, while watching TV, tether your dog, so he will learn to settle down while you are settling in for the night too. 

Multiple Dog Environments

  • One dog harasses the other dog: Tether the dog doing the harassing dog. This works perfectly for a young puppy, which constantly harasses an older dog.
    • Example: Sobek (large puppy) would chase Stella (small adult dog), trying to elicit a play session. Stella refused to play and preferred a nap instead. I tethered Sobek to my chair, provided him a wonderful food stuffed toy and clicked/treated when he did not pull on his tether. Sobek learned calm behavior is more rewarding than harassing Stella for a play session. Plus Sobek learned to enjoy being calming instead of relishing the excitement of hyperactivity!
  • Two hyperactive dogs: Tether both dogs. However, separate them by tethering them across the room from each other. Use visual barriers, so they cannot see each other. Examples of visual barriers could be furniture, a person sitting in between, etc.

More Tethering Options

  • Tether your dog while eating dinner. This will eliminate begging at the table.
  • If your dog likes to dash out an open door, tether him.
  • Your dog bugs you for attention, tether him.
  • Dog jumps up on guests, tether him.

Are Tethers Forever?

Nope! Tethers are a tool used to teach your dog polite behaviors. Once your dog learns how and can remain calm, then discontinue use of tethers. Dogs should earn privileges, which means if they remain calm, then no tether. If they begin harassing a resident dog or sneaking off and causing mischief, they are tethered until they learn calm behavior pays.

Now it’s your turn! How can you use tethering to teach polite behaviors? Comment in the section below. I want to hear from you!

You may also like: Puppy Biting
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