Engage Disengage Game PDF (Patreon)

Hey Friends! 

Today I published a video on how to use the engage/disengage game to help your dog feel more comfortable and confident around triggers. While the game was developed for anxious, fearful or reactive dogs, I find that this game works really well for creating an auto-engagement pattern for pet and service dogs when they see potential distractions like people or dogs. You can find that video here: https://youtu.be/M5OANGG342Y

Attached is a wonderful PDF and "cheat sheet" that you can bring with you when working with your dog. This PDF was created by Alice Tong with influences from Leslie McDevitt's Look at That game. I highly recommend you read the full description on Alice's website here: https://www.choosepositivedogtraining.com/single-post/2014/07/01/the-practice-of-selfinterruption-the-engagedisengage-game

Please also watch out for a separate post/video showing the entire first engage/disengage training session with 4 month old golden retriever and a novel dog. His handler then took this game on the road to agility practice and out walking and had really wonderful results of increased focus around distractions. 

Remember to take it slow. Your dog will likely need many rounds of this game to solidify their understanding, especially for those that have been practicing a specific behavior for longer. If you've got a young puppy, start this game now :) 

Happy Training Ya'll!