Ooops, I Forgot the Treats!

It’s happened to all of us, even me. We rush out the door with our dogs and realize we’ve forgotten the treats. What do we do? Embrace your inner squirrel. That’s right, be your dog’s squirrel! 

Be unpredictable. Change your pace. Speed up, jog, slow down. Change directions. Anyone who has avoided running over a squirrel with their car knows how great squirrels are at changing directions. It’s hard for your dog to ignore you when you are constantly changing directions and pace. 

Play hide and seek. Duck behind a car, telephone pole, or bush. Wait for your dog to find you, then have a surprise party! Excitedly praise your dog and scratch them in their favorite hard-to-reach spot. 

Be a forensic detective. Pretend you’re searching a crime scene and point to something on the ground. Ask your dog to investigate it and confirm your suspicions that the perp was Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick. 

Use your environment. Pick up a stick and drag it through the grass. Toss leaves. Encourage your dog to put two paws up on a tree, rock, or park bench. 

Finally, ask your dog to do behaviors he/she LOVES doing! One of the many fortunate things about training with positive reinforcement is that the cues themselves have a positive association with them! 

We don’t recommend leaving home without treats. But when it happens, we hope you embrace your inner squirrel to make your walks fun and rewarding! Don’t forget, these activities can also be used to spice up walks even when you remember to bring treats. Head snap, “Squirrel!”