Playful Obedience: Spontaneous Learning

What you're seeing

Simon, Shawn's white German Shepherd, meets a tunnel tube for the first time. Within a few tries, he is running through it on command, and his reward is affection, praise, and a game of tug with his favorite toy. It is a small moment, just over a minute long, and it shows something important about how a well-trained dog learns new things: quickly, happily, and without anyone reaching for a treat bag.

Why play belongs in obedience

Once a dog is reliably obedient on and off leash, a whole new world of learning opens up for both of you. New tricks, new sports, new places and new people stop being a battle and become a game, because the dog already understands who leads and trusts that following is worthwhile. Owners often assume the fun has to come before the obedience, that a dog must be won over with play before it will listen. It is the other way round. Obedience comes first, and then the fun is possible, because a dog that listens can be taken anywhere and shown anything.

What the reward is

Simon is not paid in food. The reward is the relationship: Shawn's approval, a game of tug, and the toy he loves, offered at the moment he earns it. That is not a philosophical point; it is practical. A dog that works for its person will work anywhere, including places where you have no food with you. A dog that works for kibble will work until it is full, or until something more interesting than kibble comes along. Play is one of the most powerful rewards, once the dog is in a state of mind to earn it.

Get this with your dog

This is what training looks like once the foundation from our off-leash dog training program is in place. Read Our Dog Training Philosophy to see the benchmarks we work toward, or get a free phone consultation.