“Towards Me” is in the category of “Conversation Starter” games. This is like when humans meet and we say the niceties of “Hi, How are you?”, shake hands and maybe make a little small talk before we get to work. It’s a way to warm up and ask your dog “are you ready to work with me?”

Here's what you need:

• Some awesome treats (if your dog LOVES kibble, that's fine you use, but feel free to find their favorite treats).

• A quiet, familiar setting with very few distractions, like the kitchen or living room.

• A positive attitude, sprinkled with good humor. (This is play, not work!)

Instructions:

1. Toss a treat away from you onto the floor (you can do this standing or sitting, toss it, flick it, roll it!)

2. Wait for them to go get it.

3. The moment they turn towards you, even a little at first, it may just be an eye glance, mark the moment with a "yes" and toss another treat out.

What you DON'T have to do

• You do NOT have to wait for them to come back all the way, or sit, or down or do ANYTHING. Just turn a little towards you. It’s the easiest reward they can get!

• Don't nag your dog to "find the treat". If you threw it too far and they can't find it or it rolled under the table, toss another treat. Have patience. Let them use their brain to figure it out.

• Don't ask anything of them. It doesn't matter if your dog "knows" how to sit, stay, come, just play this for a bit. Toss a treat, they eat it, they turn back towards you and at that moment, mark with a “Yes” and toss another treat. This is a FUN starter game.

TIPS

• The moment they turn towards you, mark with YES, toss another treat in a different direction.

• Have patience. Your dog may not be used to "working" for treats and stare at you wondering what you're up to. Try a few treat tosses and if they don't want to play, stop. Try again later.

• Only play for 2-3 minutes or a handful of treats. Keep it short and fun.

Why is this useful?

• It's laying the foundation of orienting towards YOU for the next fun thing to happen.

• It's helping your dog learn to use their brain again and figure out the rules of a game (ie what do they need to do to get the reward), rather than being told what to do (and probably not listening).

• It's associating YOU with good stuff, not yelling or chasing or being overwhelmed around your dog.

That's it! Yes, there are other variations of this game and ways to advance it. For now, know it's our favorite “conversation starter” and we use it before almost every walk, car ride or new location as a way to start off in the right direction.

Visit the Casa Luna Canines semi-private, group dog training web page for information about Doggie Decorum where you can learn more (in person) about Towards Me and other games.