Chair game is a pattern game that you can do anywhere there is a raised surface to use as your starting point. You can use a chair, or any other raised surface that can be distinguished from the other targets such as the bumper of a car, a step, a rock, or a bench. This pattern helps your dog understand they can go out in the environment with the knowledge that we are always going back to the home base of the chair. The predictability of the pattern between the chair and the environment provides comfort to your dog.
In the beginning we use targets to help the dog learn the game. Once they understand the game you don’t have to use the targets, although you still can. However, you always need a raised surface to be your “chair” for this game.
How to Teach:
- Build value for the chair by placing a treat on the chair, when your dog looks up at you, click, and put another treat on the chair
- Do this 10X so your dog understand the chair is a good place to be.
- Your dog giving you eye contact continues the pattern.
- If your dog is slow to give you eye contact then assess the environment to see if it needs to be changed in a way to make it easier for your dog.
- Next we will expand the pattern to include the targets (starting with the target closest to the chair).
- Place a treat on chair, when your dog gives you eye contact, click, then move to the first target and place a treat on it.
- When your dog looks up at you after eating the treat on the first target, click and the two of you move together back to the chair, place a treat on the chair.
- Repeat the pattern between the chair and the first target several times.
- Continue back and forth to the first target until you have fluency with the pattern and no latency with your dog offering eye contact.
- Once your dog is comfortable doing the pattern between the chair and the first target, increase the distance of the pattern by playing the game between the chair and the second target in the line (skipping over the closest target)
- Repeat steps 3 & 4 at this new target distance.
- Once your dog is comfortable going between the chair and the second target, change the pattern to go between the chair and the third target.
- Again repeat steps 3&4 for this distance between the chair and the target.
- As you move to the targets that are further from the chair, you can help your dog keep moving with you dog by having your feet facing the direction you are moving so they understand where you are going.