Targeting 101

1. Hold your hand in front of the dog’s nose. You may need to shape the behavior a little bit so if your dog even looks at your hand, mark and reinforce. Repeat about 3 times, and then ask for more.

2. If your dog’s head moves towards your hand, mark and reinforce. Repeat about 3 times, and then ask for more.

3. If your dog’s nose touches your hand, mark and reinforce.

4. Repeat, repeat, repeat. When you dog is reliably touching your hand, name it. “Touch” is a common name. Don’t name it until the dog is doing it correctly, you don’t want your dog to think that stare at me, stare at my hand is “touch”.

5. Start moving your hand around a little bit, off to each side, up, down and further away. As your dog is touching your hand with her nose, say “touch”.

6. When your dog is chasing you all over the yard, going through your legs, behind your back, etc., then say “touch” and hold out your hand.

Do this for about 5 minutes a session.

Be really, really, really happy! “Touch” is a cue that can be used to get your dog’s attention, for some reason, most dogs really love this game, so make it the most fun that you can.

-Virginia Wind

Both Neka and Patchs can do this ... I actually trained it with small peices of "Beggin' Strips" between my middle and ring finger.

Im taking this training one step further with Patchs. She likes to run by me at full speed when we are in the yard. She also jumps into the air sometimes when she passes by me. So I'm taking a treat in my hand and when she jumps and touchs my hand she gets the treat. The name I have given it is: "PUNCH IN" ...

Punch In, thats a good idea Does she jump out of excitement?

Steven_L wrote:

Punch In, thats a good idea Does she jump out of excitement?

Yes, she is "such" a spaz sometimes ... she get excited and just jumps into the air as she runs by!!!

Betterdog4u wrote:

Steven_L wrote:

Punch In, thats a good idea Does she jump out of excitement?

Yes, she is "such" a spaz sometimes ... she get excited and just jumps into the air as she runs by!!!

Hehe yes my pooch used to do that too, he's gotten better about it...although sometimes he tends to paw at us when he get home and gets our pants dirty.lol.