For some dogs, the world can be an overwhelming place. People, bikes, skateboards, other dogs… there’s a lot out there to take in. Whether your dog is frightened, worried, or just overly excited by these things, the Watch the World game is a wonderful way to help her deal with them.
Photo by Lori Greig
The Watch the World game teaches dogs to look at their owner when they see someone or something that would usually trigger them. This game is wonderful for any dog who is overly interested in novel stimuli, regardless of the reason for their interest.
In order to play this game, start with especially delectable treats. While I usually use the dog’s food to train him, this is a case where the “wow” value is important. Choose stinky, slimy treats such as roast beef, chicken, peanut butter, or blue cheese. If you use low-value treats for this game, it will take much longer to work or may not be effective at all.
Bring your dog to a quiet area where he will occasionally see the trigger. For example, a dog who is frightened or overly excited by strangers can be taken to a relatively low-traffic parking lot. The goal is for the dog to occasionally see the trigger with breaks in between.
Sit next to your dog in your car, with your dog crated or on a leash. Sit quietly and ignore him or her until your dog sees the trigger. As soon as your dog sees the person, skateboard, dog, etc, start feeding him treats regardless of what he does. Even if he barks or growls, it is important that the appearance of the trigger predicts good things. Continue feeding treats as quickly as your dog can eat them until the trigger is out of sight. Once the trigger is gone, put the treats away and go back to ignoring your dog.
Repeat this game once or twice a week. Within 2-4 weeks, you should see a remarkable shift in your dog’s body language. Instead of reacting negatively when he sees the trigger, he will begin to light up, turning to you for his reward. Now your dog is getting into the game! Once he starts “pointing out” triggers to earn his reward, you’ll know that he’s got it.
This game is so effective because it reframes the appearance of the trigger for the dog. Instead of predicting fear, excitement, or protectiveness, the trigger now predicts wonderful stuff from you. This is known as “classical conditioning” and is a very powerful means of permanently changing behavior.
Once your dog knows the game, begin gradually moving to busier areas. Eventually you can move out of your car with your dog on leash. When you do this, start back in a quieter area. If you move to a busier location and your dog regresses, you may have pushed the envelope too much: just move back to the last location where your dog was successful, and continue to build on that success.
Have you ever played the Watch the World game with your dog? What changes did you see? Did you encounter any problems? Please share your stories in the comments section!
My BC rescue was obsessing over cars coming towards her or from behind her whenever we were crossing over a bridge while we were walking. I started this game with her and now whenever we are going over a bridge and a car appears, she immediately looks at me waiting for her treat and no longer watches the cars at all. It’s a wonderful game.
Yes, I have used this game with Oreo. We’ve used it with many things including people & dogs. I have also used it with kids skating, bikes, etc.She is afraid of anything new & novelty. This game has helped SOO much. I worked with a professional trainer and got to practice at home, parks, parking lots, and at reactive dog class every weekend (so helpful!). She now automatically looks at me when she is scared of something (car, people, dogs). We have been able to take more frequent walks without worrying as much. She still has a thresholdwith otherh dogs, but we can pretty much walk right by people and she will be fine (I still carry treats with me!). GREAT for any scared, reactive, or obsessive dog!
Always a fantastic option for helping fearful or over-excited dogs. I love your methods. Takes time, patience and consistency but the results are so worth it. Great post.
I love barking at cats in our lane, but we can’t take the car there. Can you give me some ideas so I can get my person to start playing this game with me? *wag*
Twiglet, I would ask your person to put you on a leash and stand as far away from the lane with the cats as possible to start.
This is a great game! I “play” it with all of my dogs, not just fearful or reactive ones. I started the essence of this when I had a puppy who would react to other dogs who were barking or acting exuberantly. Fast forward 6 years… this dog is one of the most stable dogs I’ve ever had. And she’s been in alot of highly charged situations. Her “default behavior” in a reactive situation is to look confidently and happily at me. But as I say… I think this is a great game for ALL dogs. I have a new puppy now, who has a stable temperament. This game works for him, too. He’s going to puppy class now, and one of the puppies alarm barks during class. This can be disturbing to any puppy, so I’m helping him to cope with the game.
One word: geese.
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