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This game reminds me of what I call SHAPING which can go something like this. The dog is taught a skill by being rewarded for increasingly difficult approximation. For example, let’s say the goal is to keep both front paws on a platform for at least 5 seconds. At first, he may be rewarded for simply looking in the general direction of the platform. Once that is consistent, now the dog has to take a step towards the platform before being reported. Once that is consistent now the dog has to touch the platform etc. The goal post continues to be moved from just simply touching the platform to 1 foot on the platform and then both feet on the platform and finally keeping both feet on the platform for at least five seconds. Activities like these are amazing. From the time I got my dog as a puppy, we regularly played these games and it has made a world of difference in his confidence, his problem-solving skills, his engagement with me, and his composure in difficult situations.
Hey @shanetruckdriver, thank you for your comment! You are absolutely right! 🙂 It’s fantastic to hear how well Shaping worked for you and your pup. Susan has had fantastic episodes regarding shaping since the early days of “Shaped by Dog”. Here are a few direct links to episodes for everyone who wants to know more about Shaping: #005: What is Shaping and How can Dogs Shape Us? - dogsthat.com/podcast/5/ #006: What is Shaping and How can Dogs Shape Us? - dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ #145: 10 Ways To Teach A Dog To Lay Down And How To Shape It Without Luring - dogsthat.com/podcast/145/ #171: Dog Training With Layered Shaping: Why Classical Conditioning Must Come First - dogsthat.com/podcast/171/ #175: Food Luring VS Shaping In Dog Training: How Science Changed How I Teach Dogs - dogsthat.com/podcast/175 #259: Use These Simple Shaping Hacks To Expedite Your Dog Training - dogsthat.com/podcast/259 #261: Common Misconceptions Around Shaping: Why You May Find Dog Training Frustrating - dogsthat.com/podcast/261 #262: Shaping Tips For High Drive, Frantic, Hyper Dogs To Stop Dog Training Frustration - dogsthat.com/podcast/262 #264: Shaping Tips For Timid, Shy, Softer Or Fearful Dogs To Create Enthusiastic Learners - dogsthat.com/podcast/264 All the best and happy shaping! :) (Daniel - DogsThat Team)
Yay! We did this game today, it was very cool to watch him thinking, and such a relief when he figured each step out! It was so hard to watch him get frustrated. I learned through this game that he gets frustrated very easily, which means he probably needs more chances to make decisions. I also learned through this game that he often shows me signs of frustration throughout the day, I just didn't recognize them before now. Thank you thank you!! This was awesome.
Grace and I have played this game and it's fun to watch her stop and think. The relaxation piece needs work for me. I have shared this with two friends and am looking forward to moving the" trash can "outside in warmer weather.
Henry, Malinois, caught on immediately. Once I moved the obstacle farther from me he started cutting in between...just in one direction so we waited for as long as it took for him to become re-engaged with the correct pattern. His waiting was revealing because he would watch me like a hawk for direction. He sat some of the time or laid down, again waiting and watching me to tell him what to do. It took a lot of waiting for both of us and several attempts to correct this one wrong pattern. At one point I did bring the obstacle closer to me to close the gap, practiced and then moved it farther away again. He still needs more practice and possible a new practice area completely devoid of any of the tiniest of distraction. We'll keep on keeping on it's a great game.
I learned this as “movement puzzles” but I have to say by listening to you go thru each step more in depth has opened up many more insights into my dogs and myself as far as “reading g” the dog in front of me as well as myself each training session. I’m so glad I am a member of this community!!!!❤❤❤🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾
This was an awesome experience with my older dog. He’s 9 and a primitive sight hound. Games haven’t always come easily for us but he rocked this. It was interesting watching his frustration signals. Pawing, barking, panting, scratching, sitting and finally dragging his rump 😂. But he really caught on and it stuck as we played again today and he picked it all right back up.
This was such a fun game thank you! It took a bit for both us too learn how to do it properly haha He normally doesn't eat things without permission, so at first he just kept sitting and looking at me even when I started with the "Search" warm up
Wow! That was fun! I used a box and slowly moved it out. For a few moments he couldn't figure out why the treats stopped. He layed down, he barked. I moved the box back to me and then he got it! I moved it way out and he did it right over and over and had fun doing it. That will be a fun game often!
someone in the HStD Facebook group suggested this to me when my dog was neutered. Soooo helpful! Now I often just feed him the kibble portion of his food this way
This was so much fun to try with my 2 Aussies. 5yo Josie got frustrated a few times and she backed up fast and barked at me. Typical frustration behavior for her, but quickly got back to work. She however, could NOT relax right after. That's clearly something we need to work on.
What a great game? Two sessions and both my dogs are getting it. One is much faster than the other. I love that there is so much motion. Can't wait to build in other obstacles. Thank you!
Love Love Love this game. This was my first time seeing this game and I immediately started playing it with my dog Duchess. She caught on really quickly and is really enjoying it. I can see her trying to figure out what she has to do in order to get the next cookie. Thank you for sharing the Vito Game
This was a 10/10 game for my Kaylee and I! It progressed similarly to how Susan described but also how someone else in the comments described. Kaylee kept waiting for a verbal cue to be allowed to take the treat (so amazing previous training). I used search cue longer until I got to the bowls then I phased out by looking and gesturing with my hand, then when she got it I phased that out too. I found the experience emotional because it was so sweet to see her go from unconfident to confident. It was also very calm so it was a great end game for training session
Played this with Eggo for the first time yesterday evening. It was so interesting to see her offering behaviours. Eventually, she went to her bed and lay down, looking at me for approval (I saw her peripherally). I will remove her bed before we play again. But man oh man! My heart lept when she finally figured it out! So hard to keep that excitement low key, but I did. The only thing I was wondering about was the fact that once I went silent and dropped the treats to reward her correct choices, it was clear to me that she was a bit confused...she was waiting for a release cue ("get it") so that she had permission to take the treat. Eventually, she took the treats without hesitation, but I am wondering if this will undo the training around not picking things up without our permission/cue words.
Thanks so much for this! The explanation about the relaxation portion was really helpful! I absolutely need to build in relaxation after training! I am planning to use this game to teach my Aussie stalking. The plan is to get him running around cones and then I kick a ball or toss a frisbee to him - getting him to hone in on the ball/frisbee should tap into his herding instincts…the explanation of the progression in this video was super useful. Thank you
This is so much fun! not so easy but we are slowly building up our skills and I can see us playing this at a higher level in a couple of weeks. Thanks for sharing!
I have a foster fail BC, kelpy, cattle dog mix who was on medication for anxiety while we worked to build confidence. He would be nervous of objects all around the house. I started incorporating Vito's game after seeing this episode a month ago, starting with objects to walk around that he wasn't nervous towards and building up slowly to objects he was a little nervous towards. We do it at least once a day for one meal. We're now on objects he was really nervous towards, but no longer is nervous!!! I feel like his confidence has grown exponentially. We've continued other confidence building exercises as well, but I feel Vito's game was a huge catalyst towards his success. He's nearly completely off all medications to help him with his anxiety and he's becoming Mr. Brave & Confident!! We now do Vito's with all our dogs and they absolutely LOVE IT. Thank you so much for sharing this; I'm definitely going to share it with the rescue organization we work with
Hi @Dubzy001, thanks for sharing the fantastic story! Woohoo!!! You got this. Check out our other confidence-building strategies here: th-cam.com/video/N_XO0jqxvBg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=mWtbz3rVcmSYNQNs and keep advocating for your dog! (Sarah - DogsThat Team)
This is super fun! And oh the antics she goes through when there’s no cookie for short cuts. 😂😂😂 I can almost hear the wheels turning in that little head. Thank you for sharing.
Just found the video and would love to try it. My dog wasn't well last year and lost interest in playing games. She used to love play fetch, but now she goes to her toy basket looks at it then goes to bed. Sad. Her diabetes is well controlled. But because of this she can't get any rewards or snacks between meals. I will have to arrange the training sessions around mealtimes. I think it is doable. Thank you❤
I’ve heard of this a few times, and I may have watched the video in your classroom once. But I have never played! I’d love to try, and it definitely would be fun to video this one. I will need to tape my mouth shut, for sure. I think I need to watch the videos one more time, and I also need to clear some space on my phone! 😅 Thank you for the encouragement. ❤
I have discovered that watching the game without sound makes me see all the nuance of the games Susan teaches. I watch a couple of times with audio and then turn off the sound for the demonstration segments. It is Amazing(!) how much more information I can pick up from this system. Love, love, love training my dog!
HA! Just yesterday I was trying to remember the name “Vito”-it finally popped into my head just as I was waking up, and I committed to adding it back into my dog’s games routine! Thanks for revisiting this game and all it offers!
Just tried the Vito game. I luv it and so did my dogs. Although they were a bIt hesitant to take the treat from the bowls without a command. Maybe because we have played the search and Chow game recently.
My sheltie pup started slowly, and offered many behaviors to earn treats, but I didn't help her and she figured it out! So proud of her. Then she did not want to stop and got frustrated when I ended with the cuddles.
We are Recallers and just barely getting "good" at IYC. Now I am conflicted (and so are my dogs) about dropping a cookie in the bowl and expecting them to get it without prompting or giving them permission. The boy finally started going back and forth but not sure if I've undermined all the IYC progress. Haven't started with the girl yet, in hopes I'll get some feedback to this IYC dilemma. Looking forward to doing this correctly! Looks like great entertainment! Kris and the Wigglebutts
I'm a recaller too (hi!) and was thinking the same thing. She has just got to the point where she won't touch anything I accidentally drop on the floor so I don't want to undo all the work we've done
@@tudorrose3443 - I think waht I did was just before I dropped the cookie, would give a cue which meant that they could have the cookie - like 'yes', or 'search' - but now to differentiate, I say 'chow' like Susan does (which means you can take food out of the bowl) - but I hope one of the trainers comment here - they will tell you for sure! Better still! Ask one of the trainers in your programme in recallers :)
Same here. We have been doing IYC and my Zuka thinks I am testing to see if she’ll take the treat if I don’t say Get it! or Search. Also Zuka has to wait to eat the food in her or any bowl/plate. Again I am conflicted along with her. I will ask in Recallers. Great idea!
@@joanneassaly9366 I reached out to one of the coaches I know and she said that you can give an indicator to have the cookie, such as yes or get it, whatever you use but as they get to understand the game gradually faze it out
I first learned this game in one of your programs several years ago and at the time I thought oh this is a weird game, but I have been using it a lot and I do it in my group classes in the class. I called things you can train from a chair, which works out great for people who have any kind of mobility struggle. I love this game so much for all the reasons you suggest and because they really help people see how their dogs think and work and for sure it's fun!
Love this idea! Haven’t figured out how to get this rescue dog to take treats inside the house yet, but when I do… Regardless, this approach reinforces for the human the choice aspects of training, so that I can bring that more consistently into my other training efforts with this verrrry anxious little soul of a dog.
I love the stills of Tater's face! 😂 I'm looking forward to playing this with my dog. I'm getting a run for my garden where we can focus on training and I'm definitely going to set it up for this game. 😊
This one is a challenge for my pocket bully. We've got the tossing left and right part down pat. After that, she stares at me and does 'look away', sit, down, or spin . This will take some time
I love playing the Vito game with my two... especially for exercise, ensuring they work at their own pace and both sides evenly. Its also great when you don't have time or are in perhaps not the best mood for interactive training/conditioning, so gives you something to do with them that's exclusively positive.
when I have time I like to add cavalettes, but in general I keep it simple - cone about 10-15 m away from me in the garden, so that the dogs (agility dogs) work on their acceleration, deceleration, and turning on both sides. A jump is nice but one thing I like about the Vito game is that it allows us to do a cardio fitness session without the hard impacts of jumping (or chasing a toy)... I've tried more complicated movement puzzles but ultimately the simplicity of the standard setup is what pulls me to play it in the first place
This is great! I’m in the process of a big move and downsizing so I’ve been feeling guilty about paying a lot less attention to my dogs. They are looking a little like zombies on the couch, so this is a quick but powerful way to commit to reconnecting with them at least once a day to engage their brains. Then, Voilà, guilt and boredom vanquished! Once again, it’s Susan to the rescue… thank you Susan!🧡
All I can say that was a so worth it game for the absolute laughs. My guy got the game super fast. My epoch fail was to use paper bowls. When I wasn’t as fast as he’d like he’d grab the bowl shake it and try to rip it apart 😂. He offered to stand on the little garbage can, roll it and knock it over😂. Can’t wait to play again!!! I’ll be smarter with the props next time tho.
This game will be perfect for my super smart standard poodle! I understand that it's important he understands the Search game first. Is there any other "game" he must know before trying this thinking game? I can't wait to play this with my dog!
@sandramaas-dp7yz You and your dog will have so much fun playing Vito's Game together!! Susan has a wonderful video with 5 Games for Puppies that you will find very helpful. Here is the link --> th-cam.com/video/Hxd1sVEQp2Y/w-d-xo.html (Julie - DogsThat Team)
So, I played with Riley today. She understood pretty quickly what was going on, but would not take the treats out of the bowls!! My questions: 1.) Is it because we practised "chow" before to eat what's in the bowl? 2.) Is it because they were MY dishes?? (Not allowed to touch my food!!) I recorded our session, but it's 6 mins and I stopped the game with "break".
I had similar issues I always had to say "chow" when he was in front of the bowl...I also tried to put the treats on the ground but then he would just stand there until I said "search" 😅
I wondered the same thing... now that I've taught my dog not to take food without permission, how do I tell her it's OK to get the food without permission? And then how do I tell her that when the game is over, she has to get permission again?
I think you could approach this dilemma in the same way that you'd teach anything else. Just break it down, step by step. Teach him to recognise that's you're playing 'that game' by setting it up physically and maybe associating it with a new cue word such as 'game'. Then, still within that physical environment, and only in that environment, just set a treat on the floor, say nothing, wait, respond either neutrally or positively for every look or movement towards that treat until he does eat it. You could reward for success in this step, but only for the first couple of times, just to help him figure out that is what you want in this particular situation. Remember to go back to the usual cue words for taking food in all other situations, just to keep this concept clear in the dogs mind. He'll be able to recognise the difference between 'game' treats and all other food rules easily.
Perfect! I think this is one of only a few engagement games that will work for any breed, and adaptable for almost any circumstance. Dogs with prey drive, or herding, hunting, chasing, searching, etc, are so easy to engage in such games. But what about Livestock Guardian breeds? Like the Great Pyrenees. They do not chase. They defend. They don't play with sticks or fetch balls or play tug or, really, play anything. We politely call them 'independent' because they are more like team mates who make their own decisions but are still in-sync with their owners. They work better off-leash than on. They don't like being pushed around. They like to take their time to decide if they're going to obey a command. They look at you exactly the same way no matter what they are feeling. An owner is forced to really pay attention to their body language and their environment as a whole to figure them out and learn how to create a balance of obedience and independence (which, by the way, the dog already knows and has probably been trying to teach you all along). Anyway, it may seem that this game would be impossible to engage a Pyr or similar breed. But once you get to the real 'thinking independently' part, it's the perfect winner! So, all you LGD owners out there, especially of non-working LGD's and mixes, this game is the one! I bet after 5 minutes my pyr would need at least an hour long nap! lol Absolutely perfect!! As a side note, I think this is also a beautiful way to work with an anxious dog. It distracts the mind from whatever is making them anxious, and works the mind enough to tire it out and allow for that relaxation. And I bet that after practise in those smaller spaces you could move that space outdoors (where a lot of anxious dogs become more anxious with more noise and distractions, etc). What miracles could happen then? How could we apply these techniques to shelter dogs? Or dogs with medical conditions that may prevent them from a lot of physical exercise? So many ways to apply this method! Thank you so much for sharing it!
Bentley ( Recallers student for 2 years now) has such a good IYC where he doesn’t touch food anywhere without being told a verbal cue. So I tried the Vito game, and he got so frustrated and offered so many other behaviours but wouldn’t touch the food in the bowl. Shake a paw, rollover, lie down, … I finally gave him the cue word search at the bowl too. He had no trouble doing all the other parts once he had the verbal cue “search”. Why is this ok to do without giving the permission to touch the food? Can I feed him from my hand? But even then I would have to say “cook” before he touches the food in my hand. We visit an elderly family member where pills are often on the floor so I don’t want to undo his great IYC. He can also relax easily in my lap.
I just tried Vito's game on my two border collies. The young er girl that I've had for barely a month got the game on the second session. 12 minutes of trying maybe all in all. The older on that's been with me for 6 years was mostly giving intense eye contact and waiting for a cue from me when I tried not doing "search". I guess it's a very different type of training then we usually do. Either she's following my cues or she's doing something more independent like search or puzzel toys. Her influencing my actions by her movements is novel and foregin. Interesting. I'll start from scratch I think and see where we get!
I can’t believe how quickly my little full on 12 month old Moodle picked this game up, so proud of her. She loved her cuddle afterwards ❤thank you Susan 👏🏻
"... their imaginary itch ..." ROFL! I Love playing this game with my pup and adult dog - excited now to progress it a bit further and include it in our agility training :) - if my adult dog gets frustrated, she barks at me, if my pup gets frustrated he sits down and looks at me, and makes sharky squeaky type noises lol My pup used to shut down very quickly when he had G.I issues for most of the first year of his life, most of the time not even engaging in the first place even in play, let alone be interested in food or treats or training - he would just run under the table :( - BUT he's all good now! He's a different dog thanks to a raw food, vet nutritionist but I digress lol :) AND I am super aware of keeping the balance between fun and challenge and super aware of how important it is for me to be clear, thanks to Recallers, and H360 etc ... :) - this podcast has given me nuances that I didn't have before that I can't wait to implement - so many excitements!
Must try! I predict my girl will pick up the pattern very quickly. But getting her to relax afterwards could be a challenge -- she is always so , " up" during training 😄🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪
>>> I Truly Appreciate The Detailed Explanation ,,, The Information That You Provide At The Various Stages Of Vito's Game Are On Point ,,, Healthy Treats Are My Preferred Substitute ,,, *for me* ,,, The Greatest Reward Is That Thinking Is Required
Hi! We'd love for you to join us for the Free Agility Masterclass!, Susan will share new insights about her training and will be joined by two other world champions ❤️ -> agility-nation.com/yt/agility-masterclass
My dogs were very confused by this game but I will try again. The only time they get to eat a treat is when we use the Search and Cook cues, and when they get reinforced for doing something I invite them to do (sit, down, a trick, etc.). It took a long time for my 7-year old to go for the treats and he never truly got over this hesitation. My 2-year old took them more readily. Both are highly motivated and food-loving corgis. I'm worried about undoing some of the work I have done with Search and Cook.
I'm having the same issue. My dogs are offering sits and downs instead of looking at or going after the bowls. Even if they "do it right" a few times, they'll stop in front of me and down, waiting for instructions.
My super smart border collie mix loved the “search” but then sat in front of me waiting for the next command when “search” ended. We tried a few more “search”es, then laid down and waited again. I looked at one of the bowls, she tried to get the treats in the bowl in my lap. Eventually, I stared at the bowl on my right, she went over to it and I put a treat in. Then she laid down in front and waited. I looked at the left bowl, she went to the right, eventually over to the left (I was silent but staring the bowl) and got a treat. We continued for several more minutes, with lots of lying in front of me waiting for a command. Never seemed to get the idea to do it on her own. I finally said her name, put the lid on the bowl of treats, pulled her in front of me to “relax”, she jumped up and was ready to play a game. I put everything away and thought we’d wait until tomorrow to try again.
We just tried this. She hasn't perfectly figured it out yet. Is too focused on where the food IS, rather than where it will be, but we also don't have any wide areas for the prep part of the game, so the pattern may not have been well set. She was thinking so hard, I could see steam coming out of her ears, though 😂 and she's now fast asnooze on her blankie on the couch. Will search for a location with a bit more space tomorrow.
Thank you Susan! Wondering if you have any games for playing with more than one dog at a time. I have two and my guys are good at taking turns with treat puzzle games. One sits quietly while the other completes the puzzle and then they switch. Is there something we can all do at the same time? I think many of us have more than one dog. Thanks again! Love your channel
My easily excited rescue has a tendency to run circles in excitement when we go out. I have to manage my position to keep her from wrapping up my legs with the leash. I think maybe this will give me a way to get her to focus while moving, which should help. And then I wonder what can be done with this kind of game while on leash.
Very interesting. Reminds of the things one does to promote independent thinking and problem solving in children. How young a puppy is this game suitable for?
Hi @hookstrpd it's a game suitable for puppies and one of the core games we play with them very soon after they become members of our family. For a guide for the development stages of puppies, Susan has a great video to help with ages and stages of a puppy's mental and physical growth - th-cam.com/video/BDmQBOA-bCA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=HFdlWv_JSpE5q4hJ
When he cut in and I withheld the treat, he thought I was playing Its Yer Choice, and he laid down to wait. If I start throwing treats ("search") or lift him up, won't I be diluting his IYC training? He's very good with that.
@GayleLB You can use IYC and the Vito Game together by keeping their contexts clear. Start with IYC to practice calm self-control, then transition into the Vito Game with a high-energy cue like "get it!" This teaches your dog to shift gears between impulse control and enthusiasm. Use distinct cues, short sessions, and clear resets to avoid confusion. If you haven't already signed up, get the step-by-step on how to play and grow Vito's Thinking Game in our limited-time FREE Pre-Cyber Event Party - dogsthat.com/y/cyberevent (Julie - DogsThat Team)
I was confident about recognizing the moment when the first decision is supposed to get made -- yet somehow had MISSED this key bit at 9:02: ". . . as soon as they LOOK towards that other bowl, you're going to drop a cookie in there." I made the mistake of looking to mark only a dead-obvious, gross motor movement, I guess expecting my dog to dance all the way over from Bowl #1 and instantly stuff his muzzle into empty Bowl #2 with gusto (probably along the way also issuing me an engraved invitation to observe and bring a plus one). My video shows him very clearly LOOKING at Bowl #2 on our first round. He understood! But I missed the moment to reward it. At that juncture, when the dog has eaten that very first treat from Bowl #1 . . . we're really just shaping, right? Are we looking to reward any clear spark of recognition and thinking? Could it be a look, a step, a body shift, or head turn? If we know the dog is thinking, "Hey, I should go to Bowl #2," does it matter how subtle their indication?
So i thought this was great. I have a Mal x Rotti. After her first try at the game she lay down exhausted & happy. I had seen her work through the confusion and demanding stages to understand. I could see it worked her brain. But she got the idea completly after the second round. Now she just goes through the motions, she will test a couple times not going around the box to the food. In the end she just walks away uninterested. Is there any value in continuing or increasing the value of food/treats offered?
@somethingfromk6816 Susan has some additional information in the following podcasts that you may find helpful with the treat challenge: Why Your Treats Aren’t Working for Your Dog - dogsthat.com/podcast/59/ Help For Dogs Refusing Treats: Case Study With Training Plan - dogsthat.com/podcast/179 (Julie - DogsThat Team)
I've used it ever since you first introduced it ummmm 15 years ago? .....I used to use it for everything agility to now hoopers and 'just' tricks. GREAT game
@dianethompson3221 If your dog 'mugs' you for treats or takes cheap shots, start by simplifying the game. Use one bowl, keep treats in your hand, and reward calm behavior. Focus on teaching patience and self-control step by step. (Julie - DogsThat Team)
This looks like fun and I'd like to try it with my pup. Stupid question, isn't giving so many years going to affect her weight? What kind of treats are people using?
@bernadettematos7614 Susan has a great podcast about feeding our dogs and keeping the balance between feeding meals and training: th-cam.com/video/vENpu_2_y20/w-d-xo.html (Julie - DogsThat Team)
I'm reading a lot of comments with the same issue as me: my dogs won't take the food from the bowl unless I give permission. They'll do the search game then stare at the treat bowl in my lap, but they won't look at the other bowls.
Same. We've built so much on IYC, on NOT chasing or grabbing food without permission, that my dog ended up frustrated and confused. So did I, for that matter. Hoping to find some help in the comments.
My dog hesitates before taking food from the bowls because I had trained him with ItsYerChoice to not pick up food from the ground unless released. How can I change that for this game without talking? Thanks
I have a question. I have played this with my dog twice now and is it ever fun! I do silent fist pumps in my head when he is first frustrated but then figures it out. My dog has lots of energy and enthusiasm. So my question is about the end - there is just no way I can hold him or even have him in a calm down stay in order to properly take a moment to relax. We are currently working on "settle" but is there anything else you can suggest that we could do at the end of this game?
Hi @TheJensarg we are so pleased you have been enjoying the awesome Vito's Game! Susan has a very insightful podcast episode that about her amazing relaxation protocol that will help --> th-cam.com/video/FRmLd4k5qGk/w-d-xo.html (Rachel - DogsThat Team)
I’ve worked so much IYC and Chow for food in bowl my puppy won’t take food from the bowls when I started playing this game. I know if I cue her that’s not right so not sure how long to out wait my dog
I did this with both my dogs and they picked it up quickly....my only question is how does a dog know the difference then about taking food out of a dish without permission like we teach in 'it's your choice'?
So my pup wouldn’t touch the treats without the “Search” command. Good boy! I don’t want to break his great performance in learning to avoid dropped edible items. Ideas?
Ok someone help! I tried this for the first time with my dog today and she did not get it AT ALL. As soon as I stopped tossing the treats and waited for her to look toward the other bowl she didn’t try at all, she just laid down and kept staring at me waiting for me to tell her what to do. I kept going back to doing more of the tossing on one side then the other to establish the pattern, then put a treat in the bowl, wait for her to look toward the other and again nothing. Nada. We did this several times and she never tried to problem solve, just laid down each time staring at me. How can I get her to realize she’s supposed to problem solve on her own!?
@danastrickland5215 You’re doing great! Just keep going with the process! Even if your dog doesn’t “get it” right away it takes time and repetition. Around the 9:10 mark of the podcast, Susan addresses what we do when the dog sits and stares at you: Wait till they look over, maybe take a step towards the other bowl. And you're just going to go back and forth. It's like a game of ping pong, but what we're doing is we're rewarding a choice the dog makes. I'm going to say that one more time.You don't watch your dog eat the cookie and the dog stops and looks at you and you put another cookie in the other bowl. That's not it at all. That would be rewarding the dog for staring at you. We want the dog to make a choice. So, if your dog just sits there and stares at you, maybe go back to more of that search game out in front and do more of that before you get closer to the bowls. We just want the dog to go from one hip, get a cookie, go in front of you to the other hip. And once they get that pattern, they're going to start going faster and faster. They're going to say, “This is fun.” (Julie - DogsThat Team)
My dog gets it until the cone moves about 24cm away, then she cuts through. I tried putting a treat down when she went around after cutting through, but I seem to teaching her that that is the move. If I just withhold from both sides until she does it correctly, she gets tired of the game and lies down. (She switches to the choice game) Clearky I’m doing something wrong. Can you help?
Hi @patriciaorourke9342 it's fabulous you are playing! 🧡 If you are enjoying our Pre-Cyber Party, checking out Part-3 of Vito's Thinking Game will be super helpful. You can also layer back then progress to moving the cone out. If you are in Agility Nation, Handling360 or Wag Nation, we have Vito's Thinking Game in our coaching programs, so you are super welcome to share a short video and we'll help out with strategies for you.
@pjtrant Vito's Thinking Games is perfect for dogs of all ages & skill levels, including puppies. You and your puppy will have so much fun :) (Julie - DogsThat Team)
My dog is so good at IYC that she won't look at a bowl on the floor unless told to, so she thinks she is doing right by ignoring the bowls. How to get past that with out spoiling her IYC?
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🐶 Any fun game you play with a dog is going to be relationship building! Check out our playlist on “Dog Training Games”: th-cam.com/play/PLphRRSxcMHy2TzttCtZVFwzwMGayAsaYehttps.html://th-cam.com/users/sgaming/emoji/7ff574f2/emoji_u1f389.png
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This game reminds me of what I call SHAPING which can go something like this. The dog is taught a skill by being rewarded for increasingly difficult approximation. For example, let’s say the goal is to keep both front paws on a platform for at least 5 seconds. At first, he may be rewarded for simply looking in the general direction of the platform. Once that is consistent, now the dog has to take a step towards the platform before being reported. Once that is consistent now the dog has to touch the platform etc. The goal post continues to be moved from just simply touching the platform to 1 foot on the platform and then both feet on the platform and finally keeping both feet on the platform for at least five seconds.
Activities like these are amazing. From the time I got my dog as a puppy, we regularly played these games and it has made a world of difference in his confidence, his problem-solving skills, his engagement with me, and his composure in difficult situations.
Hey @shanetruckdriver, thank you for your comment! You are absolutely right! 🙂
It’s fantastic to hear how well Shaping worked for you and your pup.
Susan has had fantastic episodes regarding shaping since the early days of “Shaped by Dog”. Here are a few direct links to episodes for everyone who wants to know more about Shaping:
#005: What is Shaping and How can Dogs Shape Us? - dogsthat.com/podcast/5/
#006: What is Shaping and How can Dogs Shape Us? - dogsthat.com/podcast/6/
#145: 10 Ways To Teach A Dog To Lay Down And How To Shape It Without Luring - dogsthat.com/podcast/145/
#171: Dog Training With Layered Shaping: Why Classical Conditioning Must Come First - dogsthat.com/podcast/171/
#175: Food Luring VS Shaping In Dog Training: How Science Changed How I Teach Dogs - dogsthat.com/podcast/175
#259: Use These Simple Shaping Hacks To Expedite Your Dog Training - dogsthat.com/podcast/259
#261: Common Misconceptions Around Shaping: Why You May Find Dog Training Frustrating - dogsthat.com/podcast/261
#262: Shaping Tips For High Drive, Frantic, Hyper Dogs To Stop Dog Training Frustration - dogsthat.com/podcast/262
#264: Shaping Tips For Timid, Shy, Softer Or Fearful Dogs To Create Enthusiastic Learners - dogsthat.com/podcast/264
All the best and happy shaping! :)
(Daniel - DogsThat Team)
Yay! We did this game today, it was very cool to watch him thinking, and such a relief when he figured each step out! It was so hard to watch him get frustrated. I learned through this game that he gets frustrated very easily, which means he probably needs more chances to make decisions. I also learned through this game that he often shows me signs of frustration throughout the day, I just didn't recognize them before now.
Thank you thank you!! This was awesome.
You’ve got this! What wonderful observations that you can action, @hannahschmidt583 🧡
It's exciting to see her in the" ah ha" moment that she understands! The brain is working overtime and she is thrilled to solve the game!
Just shared this. Can't wait to get a pup to try this out. Great for those smart smart breeds.
Grace and I have played this game and it's fun to watch her stop and think. The relaxation piece needs work for me. I have shared this with two friends and am looking forward to moving the" trash can "outside in warmer weather.
That freeze frame at 11:53 was pure gold!
Thanks Renee, Tater was really thinking hard ❤️
Henry, Malinois, caught on immediately. Once I moved the obstacle farther from me he started cutting in between...just in one direction so we waited for as long as it took for him to become re-engaged with the correct pattern. His waiting was revealing because he would watch me like a hawk for direction. He sat some of the time or laid down, again waiting and watching me to tell him what to do. It took a lot of waiting for both of us and several attempts to correct this one wrong pattern. At one point I did bring the obstacle closer to me to close the gap, practiced and then moved it farther away again. He still needs more practice and possible a new practice area completely devoid of any of the tiniest of distraction. We'll keep on keeping on it's a great game.
I learned this as “movement puzzles” but I have to say by listening to you go thru each step more in depth has opened up many more insights into my dogs and myself as far as “reading g” the dog in front of me as well as myself each training session.
I’m so glad I am a member of this community!!!!❤❤❤🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾
This is EXACTLY the deep dive I needed on Vito’s Thinking Game! Thank You Dogs That team!!!
This was an awesome experience with my older dog. He’s 9 and a primitive sight hound. Games haven’t always come easily for us but he rocked this. It was interesting watching his frustration signals. Pawing, barking, panting, scratching, sitting and finally dragging his rump 😂. But he really caught on and it stuck as we played again today and he picked it all right back up.
This was such a fun game thank you! It took a bit for both us too learn how to do it properly haha He normally doesn't eat things without permission, so at first he just kept sitting and looking at me even when I started with the "Search" warm up
Wow! That was fun! I used a box and slowly moved it out. For a few moments he couldn't figure out why the treats stopped. He layed down, he barked. I moved the box back to me and then he got it! I moved it way out and he did it right over and over and had fun doing it. That will be a fun game often!
@BamboozledUS Sounds like you and your dog had a blast with the game! (Julie - DogsThat Team)
This is good practise for people that want to do scent work with their dog. Not prompting is the hardest part for most handlers.
Perfect timing! Jupiter is recovering from his neuter so redirecting his more energetic play into calmer games. This is Perfect! Thank you.
someone in the HStD Facebook group suggested this to me when my dog was neutered. Soooo helpful! Now I often just feed him the kibble portion of his food this way
This was so much fun to try with my 2 Aussies. 5yo Josie got frustrated a few times and she backed up fast and barked at me. Typical frustration behavior for her, but quickly got back to work. She however, could NOT relax right after. That's clearly something we need to work on.
@christinefleischmann4627 it's fabulous you are playing and those are great observations 💚
What a great game? Two sessions and both my dogs are getting it. One is much faster than the other. I love that there is so much motion. Can't wait to build in other obstacles. Thank you!
Love Love Love this game. This was my first time seeing this game and I immediately started playing it with my dog Duchess. She caught on really quickly and is really enjoying it. I can see her trying to figure out what she has to do in order to get the next cookie. Thank you for sharing the Vito Game
Fascinating game.... it has my attention.... think I'll be trying it out.. also like the "relaxation" component to it.
This was a 10/10 game for my Kaylee and I! It progressed similarly to how Susan described but also how someone else in the comments described. Kaylee kept waiting for a verbal cue to be allowed to take the treat (so amazing previous training). I used search cue longer until I got to the bowls then I phased out by looking and gesturing with my hand, then when she got it I phased that out too. I found the experience emotional because it was so sweet to see her go from unconfident to confident. It was also very calm so it was a great end game for training session
11:53 when Tater stops, “Why did the cookies stop??? What happened to my PEZ dispenser???” 😂🤣😂🤣
I know right! LOL LOL
Played this with Eggo for the first time yesterday evening. It was so interesting to see her offering behaviours. Eventually, she went to her bed and lay down, looking at me for approval (I saw her peripherally). I will remove her bed before we play again. But man oh man! My heart lept when she finally figured it out! So hard to keep that excitement low key, but I did. The only thing I was wondering about was the fact that once I went silent and dropped the treats to reward her correct choices, it was clear to me that she was a bit confused...she was waiting for a release cue ("get it") so that she had permission to take the treat. Eventually, she took the treats without hesitation, but I am wondering if this will undo the training around not picking things up without our permission/cue words.
Yea, this whole thing is just weird and makes no real sense for me.
Love your detailed explanation. I learned this game previously but now understand new layers and variations - super useful, thank you!!!
Glad it was helpful, Laurie!
Thank you for sharing! Tried sitting against a couch at first, my pup, ran around me. Sat against a wall, she got it!
Thanks so much for this! The explanation about the relaxation portion was really helpful! I absolutely need to build in relaxation after training! I am planning to use this game to teach my Aussie stalking. The plan is to get him running around cones and then I kick a ball or toss a frisbee to him - getting him to hone in on the ball/frisbee should tap into his herding instincts…the explanation of the progression in this video was super useful. Thank you
This is so much fun! not so easy but we are slowly building up our skills and I can see us playing this at a higher level in a couple of weeks. Thanks for sharing!
Keep at it @mollysmoney You've got this! (Rachel - DogsThat Team)
I have a foster fail BC, kelpy, cattle dog mix who was on medication for anxiety while we worked to build confidence. He would be nervous of objects all around the house. I started incorporating Vito's game after seeing this episode a month ago, starting with objects to walk around that he wasn't nervous towards and building up slowly to objects he was a little nervous towards. We do it at least once a day for one meal. We're now on objects he was really nervous towards, but no longer is nervous!!! I feel like his confidence has grown exponentially. We've continued other confidence building exercises as well, but I feel Vito's game was a huge catalyst towards his success. He's nearly completely off all medications to help him with his anxiety and he's becoming Mr. Brave & Confident!! We now do Vito's with all our dogs and they absolutely LOVE IT. Thank you so much for sharing this; I'm definitely going to share it with the rescue organization we work with
Hi @Dubzy001, thanks for sharing the fantastic story! Woohoo!!! You got this. Check out our other confidence-building strategies here: th-cam.com/video/N_XO0jqxvBg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=mWtbz3rVcmSYNQNs and keep advocating for your dog!
(Sarah - DogsThat Team)
This is super fun! And oh the antics she goes through when there’s no cookie for short cuts. 😂😂😂 I can almost hear the wheels turning in that little head. Thank you for sharing.
This sounds great! I am looking forward to giving it a try later today. Thank you for this awesome information.
Just found the video and would love to try it. My dog wasn't well last year and lost interest in playing games. She used to love play fetch, but now she goes to her toy basket looks at it then goes to bed. Sad. Her diabetes is well controlled. But because of this she can't get any rewards or snacks between meals. I will have to arrange the training sessions around mealtimes. I think it is doable. Thank you❤
Love doing this with my 15 yr old girl. ❤ keeps her mind going!
Wonderful! Enjoy your girl.
Thank you! Your videos are very helpful. 😊
I’ve heard of this a few times, and I may have watched the video in your classroom once. But I have never played! I’d love to try, and it definitely would be fun to video this one. I will need to tape my mouth shut, for sure. I think I need to watch the videos one more time, and I also need to clear some space on my phone! 😅
Thank you for the encouragement. ❤
I have discovered that watching the game without sound makes me see all the nuance of the games Susan teaches. I watch a couple of times with audio and then turn off the sound for the demonstration segments. It is Amazing(!) how much more information I can pick up from this system. Love, love, love training my dog!
HA! Just yesterday I was trying to remember the name “Vito”-it finally popped into my head just as I was waking up, and I committed to adding it back into my dog’s games routine! Thanks for revisiting this game and all it offers!
Wilson and I LOVED this game !!!!
Just tried the Vito game. I luv it and so did my dogs. Although they were a bIt hesitant to take the treat from the bowls without a command. Maybe because we have played the search and Chow game recently.
My sheltie pup started slowly, and offered many behaviors to earn treats, but I didn't help her and she figured it out! So proud of her. Then she did not want to stop and got frustrated when I ended with the cuddles.
Thank you for the explanation of the game. We have enjoyed it in Wag nation.
We are Recallers and just barely getting "good" at IYC. Now I am conflicted (and so are my dogs) about dropping a cookie in the bowl and expecting them to get it without prompting or giving them permission. The boy finally started going back and forth but not sure if I've undermined all the IYC progress. Haven't started with the girl yet, in hopes I'll get some feedback to this IYC dilemma. Looking forward to doing this correctly! Looks like great entertainment!
Kris and the Wigglebutts
I'm a recaller too (hi!) and was thinking the same thing. She has just got to the point where she won't touch anything I accidentally drop on the floor so I don't want to undo all the work we've done
@@tudorrose3443 - I think waht I did was just before I dropped the cookie, would give a cue which meant that they could have the cookie - like 'yes', or 'search' - but now to differentiate, I say 'chow' like Susan does (which means you can take food out of the bowl) - but I hope one of the trainers comment here - they will tell you for sure! Better still! Ask one of the trainers in your programme in recallers :)
Same here. We have been doing IYC and my Zuka thinks I am testing to see if she’ll take the treat if I don’t say Get it! or Search.
Also Zuka has to wait to eat the food in her or any bowl/plate. Again I am conflicted along with her. I will ask in Recallers. Great idea!
@@joanneassaly9366 I reached out to one of the coaches I know and she said that you can give an indicator to have the cookie, such as yes or get it, whatever you use but as they get to understand the game gradually faze it out
Possibly using lids rather than dishes? Like a yogurt lid or sour cream - not exactly a dish or on the ground - just a thought....
Great explanation! This was the last game I played with my late Rain. Must move this into Gracie's life. 😊
This was such fun and so relaxing. It was wonderful to see the light come on for my rather meditative bouvier Auberon!
Can't wait to try this!
I love Vito’s game!
I first learned this game in one of your programs several years ago and at the time I thought oh this is a weird game, but I have been using it a lot and I do it in my group classes in the class. I called things you can train from a chair, which works out great for people who have any kind of mobility struggle. I love this game so much for all the reasons you suggest and because they really help people see how their dogs think and work and for sure it's fun!
Love this idea! Haven’t figured out how to get this rescue dog to take treats inside the house yet, but when I do…
Regardless, this approach reinforces for the human the choice aspects of training, so that I can bring that more consistently into my other training efforts with this verrrry anxious little soul of a dog.
Definitely going to try this! Thank you 😊
I love the stills of Tater's face! 😂
I'm looking forward to playing this with my dog. I'm getting a run for my garden where we can focus on training and I'm definitely going to set it up for this game. 😊
I can't wait to play this especially the relaxation
This one is a challenge for my pocket bully. We've got the tossing left and right part down pat. After that, she stares at me and does 'look away', sit, down, or spin . This will take some time
I love playing the Vito game with my two... especially for exercise, ensuring they work at their own pace and both sides evenly. Its also great when you don't have time or are in perhaps not the best mood for interactive training/conditioning, so gives you something to do with them that's exclusively positive.
when I have time I like to add cavalettes, but in general I keep it simple - cone about 10-15 m away from me in the garden, so that the dogs (agility dogs) work on their acceleration, deceleration, and turning on both sides. A jump is nice but one thing I like about the Vito game is that it allows us to do a cardio fitness session without the hard impacts of jumping (or chasing a toy)... I've tried more complicated movement puzzles but ultimately the simplicity of the standard setup is what pulls me to play it in the first place
This is great! I’m in the process of a big move and downsizing so I’ve been feeling guilty about paying a lot less attention to my dogs. They are looking a little like zombies on the couch, so this is a quick but powerful way to commit to reconnecting with them at least once a day to engage their brains. Then, Voilà, guilt and boredom vanquished! Once again, it’s Susan to the rescue… thank you Susan!🧡
16:19 I like the relaxing part , they need to learn to chill
All I can say that was a so worth it game for the absolute laughs. My guy got the game super fast. My epoch fail was to use paper bowls. When I wasn’t as fast as he’d like he’d grab the bowl shake it and try to rip it apart 😂. He offered to stand on the little garbage can, roll it and knock it over😂. Can’t wait to play again!!! I’ll be smarter with the props next time tho.
🤣 That must have been fun! Great observations and learning for next session, keep playing 💕
This is AWESOME!!! Thank you🙂
This game will be perfect for my super smart standard poodle! I understand that it's important he understands the Search game first. Is there any other "game" he must know before trying this thinking game? I can't wait to play this with my dog!
@sandramaas-dp7yz You and your dog will have so much fun playing Vito's Game together!! Susan has a wonderful video with 5 Games for Puppies that you will find very helpful. Here is the link --> th-cam.com/video/Hxd1sVEQp2Y/w-d-xo.html (Julie - DogsThat Team)
So, I played with Riley today. She understood pretty quickly what was going on, but would not take the treats out of the bowls!! My questions:
1.) Is it because we practised "chow" before to eat what's in the bowl?
2.) Is it because they were MY dishes?? (Not allowed to touch my food!!)
I recorded our session, but it's 6 mins and I stopped the game with "break".
I had similar issues I always had to say "chow" when he was in front of the bowl...I also tried to put the treats on the ground but then he would just stand there until I said "search" 😅
I wondered the same thing... now that I've taught my dog not to take food without permission, how do I tell her it's OK to get the food without permission? And then how do I tell her that when the game is over, she has to get permission again?
I think you could approach this dilemma in the same way that you'd teach anything else. Just break it down, step by step. Teach him to recognise that's you're playing 'that game' by setting it up physically and maybe associating it with a new cue word such as 'game'. Then, still within that physical environment, and only in that environment, just set a treat on the floor, say nothing, wait, respond either neutrally or positively for every look or movement towards that treat until he does eat it. You could reward for success in this step, but only for the first couple of times, just to help him figure out that is what you want in this particular situation. Remember to go back to the usual cue words for taking food in all other situations, just to keep this concept clear in the dogs mind. He'll be able to recognise the difference between 'game' treats and all other food rules easily.
Perfect! I think this is one of only a few engagement games that will work for any breed, and adaptable for almost any circumstance. Dogs with prey drive, or herding, hunting, chasing, searching, etc, are so easy to engage in such games. But what about Livestock Guardian breeds? Like the Great Pyrenees. They do not chase. They defend. They don't play with sticks or fetch balls or play tug or, really, play anything. We politely call them 'independent' because they are more like team mates who make their own decisions but are still in-sync with their owners. They work better off-leash than on. They don't like being pushed around. They like to take their time to decide if they're going to obey a command. They look at you exactly the same way no matter what they are feeling. An owner is forced to really pay attention to their body language and their environment as a whole to figure them out and learn how to create a balance of obedience and independence (which, by the way, the dog already knows and has probably been trying to teach you all along). Anyway, it may seem that this game would be impossible to engage a Pyr or similar breed. But once you get to the real 'thinking independently' part, it's the perfect winner! So, all you LGD owners out there, especially of non-working LGD's and mixes, this game is the one! I bet after 5 minutes my pyr would need at least an hour long nap! lol Absolutely perfect!!
As a side note, I think this is also a beautiful way to work with an anxious dog. It distracts the mind from whatever is making them anxious, and works the mind enough to tire it out and allow for that relaxation. And I bet that after practise in those smaller spaces you could move that space outdoors (where a lot of anxious dogs become more anxious with more noise and distractions, etc). What miracles could happen then? How could we apply these techniques to shelter dogs? Or dogs with medical conditions that may prevent them from a lot of physical exercise? So many ways to apply this method! Thank you so much for sharing it!
Great thinking! We love applying things outside the box here in Do-Land!
Bentley ( Recallers student for 2 years now) has such a good IYC where he doesn’t touch food anywhere without being told a verbal cue. So I tried the Vito game, and he got so frustrated and offered so many other behaviours but wouldn’t touch the food in the bowl. Shake a paw, rollover, lie down, … I finally gave him the cue word search at the bowl too. He had no trouble doing all the other parts once he had the verbal cue “search”. Why is this ok to do without giving the permission to touch the food? Can I feed him from my hand? But even then I would have to say “cook” before he touches the food in my hand. We visit an elderly family member where pills are often on the floor so I don’t want to undo his great IYC. He can also relax easily in my lap.
I just tried Vito's game on my two border collies. The young er girl that I've had for barely a month got the game on the second session. 12 minutes of trying maybe all in all. The older on that's been with me for 6 years was mostly giving intense eye contact and waiting for a cue from me when I tried not doing "search". I guess it's a very different type of training then we usually do. Either she's following my cues or she's doing something more independent like search or puzzel toys. Her influencing my actions by her movements is novel and foregin. Interesting. I'll start from scratch I think and see where we get!
I can’t believe how quickly my little full on 12 month old Moodle picked this game up, so proud of her. She loved her cuddle afterwards ❤thank you Susan 👏🏻
So awesome, Julie! Keep having fun together ❤️
"... their imaginary itch ..." ROFL! I Love playing this game with my pup and adult dog - excited now to progress it a bit further and include it in our agility training :) - if my adult dog gets frustrated, she barks at me, if my pup gets frustrated he sits down and looks at me, and makes sharky squeaky type noises lol My pup used to shut down very quickly when he had G.I issues for most of the first year of his life, most of the time not even engaging in the first place even in play, let alone be interested in food or treats or training - he would just run under the table :( - BUT he's all good now! He's a different dog thanks to a raw food, vet nutritionist but I digress lol :) AND I am super aware of keeping the balance between fun and challenge and super aware of how important it is for me to be clear, thanks to Recallers, and H360 etc ... :) - this podcast has given me nuances that I didn't have before that I can't wait to implement - so many excitements!
Love this game !!!❤️💕♥️
Must try! I predict my girl will pick up the pattern very quickly. But getting her to relax afterwards could be a challenge -- she is always so , " up" during training 😄🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪
Brilliant!
I tried it. Good ❤
>>> I Truly Appreciate The Detailed Explanation ,,, The Information That You Provide At The Various Stages Of Vito's Game Are On Point ,,, Healthy Treats Are My Preferred Substitute ,,, *for me* ,,, The Greatest Reward Is That Thinking Is Required
Love ❤ Love ❤ LOVE this game❤
Love playing this game! Can you share how you use it for some agility foundations that you eluded to early in the podcast.
Hi! We'd love for you to join us for the Free Agility Masterclass!, Susan will share new insights about her training and will be joined by two other world champions ❤️ -> agility-nation.com/yt/agility-masterclass
Hi! The link is in the description under the video, resource #25. Happy training!
My dogs were very confused by this game but I will try again. The only time they get to eat a treat is when we use the Search and Cook cues, and when they get reinforced for doing something I invite them to do (sit, down, a trick, etc.). It took a long time for my 7-year old to go for the treats and he never truly got over this hesitation. My 2-year old took them more readily. Both are highly motivated and food-loving corgis. I'm worried about undoing some of the work I have done with Search and Cook.
I'm having the same issue. My dogs are offering sits and downs instead of looking at or going after the bowls. Even if they "do it right" a few times, they'll stop in front of me and down, waiting for instructions.
I was surprise to see how he was reacting....he work that out better than I thought!
So awesome, Linda! 💕
My super smart border collie mix loved the “search” but then sat in front of me waiting for the next command when “search” ended. We tried a few more “search”es, then laid down and waited again. I looked at one of the bowls, she tried to get the treats in the bowl in my lap. Eventually, I stared at the bowl on my right, she went over to it and I put a treat in. Then she laid down in front and waited. I looked at the left bowl, she went to the right, eventually over to the left (I was silent but staring the bowl) and got a treat. We continued for several more minutes, with lots of lying in front of me waiting for a command. Never seemed to get the idea to do it on her own. I finally said her name, put the lid on the bowl of treats, pulled her in front of me to “relax”, she jumped up and was ready to play a game. I put everything away and thought we’d wait until tomorrow to try again.
We just tried this. She hasn't perfectly figured it out yet. Is too focused on where the food IS, rather than where it will be, but we also don't have any wide areas for the prep part of the game, so the pattern may not have been well set. She was thinking so hard, I could see steam coming out of her ears, though 😂 and she's now fast asnooze on her blankie on the couch.
Will search for a location with a bit more space tomorrow.
It's so cool to see them thinking ❤️
I have played this game before but, didn’t know it even had a name. I did not do the relaxation part though. I agree it creates a bond with my dogs. 😃
Thank you Susan! Wondering if you have any games for playing with more than one dog at a time. I have two and my guys are good at taking turns with treat puzzle games. One sits quietly while the other completes the puzzle and then they switch. Is there something we can all do at the same time? I think many of us have more than one dog. Thanks again! Love your channel
Love this!
Love this game!
My easily excited rescue has a tendency to run circles in excitement when we go out. I have to manage my position to keep her from wrapping up my legs with the leash. I think maybe this will give me a way to get her to focus while moving, which should help. And then I wonder what can be done with this kind of game while on leash.
OMG, are you kidding me? This is how I taught my dog how to search the blinds in Schutzhund in 1993!!!!! I used it in Obedience, Herding and Agility.
That's awesome!
Loved the game. My girlie didn't want to touch the cookie in the bowl without my permission! (IYC alumnus, lol)
Very interesting. Reminds of the things one does to promote independent thinking and problem solving in children.
How young a puppy is this game suitable for?
Hi @hookstrpd it's a game suitable for puppies and one of the core games we play with them very soon after they become members of our family. For a guide for the development stages of puppies, Susan has a great video to help with ages and stages of a puppy's mental and physical growth - th-cam.com/video/BDmQBOA-bCA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=HFdlWv_JSpE5q4hJ
@@DogsThat Thanks!
Love this game Susan thank you this!
How do you stop dog from focusing on treat's in the bowl on your lap? Mine just sits and stares.
When he cut in and I withheld the treat, he thought I was playing Its Yer Choice, and he laid down to wait. If I start throwing treats ("search") or lift him up, won't I be diluting his IYC training? He's very good with that.
@GayleLB You can use IYC and the Vito Game together by keeping their contexts clear. Start with IYC to practice calm self-control, then transition into the Vito Game with a high-energy cue like "get it!" This teaches your dog to shift gears between impulse control and enthusiasm. Use distinct cues, short sessions, and clear resets to avoid confusion. If you haven't already signed up, get the step-by-step on how to play and grow Vito's Thinking Game in our limited-time FREE Pre-Cyber Event Party - dogsthat.com/y/cyberevent (Julie - DogsThat Team)
My pup did this for 5 mins then headed off outside. Lol. Think I need to up my treats!
I was confident about recognizing the moment when the first decision is supposed to get made -- yet somehow had MISSED this key bit at 9:02: ". . . as soon as they LOOK towards that other bowl, you're going to drop a cookie in there." I made the mistake of looking to mark only a dead-obvious, gross motor movement, I guess expecting my dog to dance all the way over from Bowl #1 and instantly stuff his muzzle into empty Bowl #2 with gusto (probably along the way also issuing me an engraved invitation to observe and bring a plus one). My video shows him very clearly LOOKING at Bowl #2 on our first round. He understood! But I missed the moment to reward it. At that juncture, when the dog has eaten that very first treat from Bowl #1 . . . we're really just shaping, right? Are we looking to reward any clear spark of recognition and thinking? Could it be a look, a step, a body shift, or head turn? If we know the dog is thinking, "Hey, I should go to Bowl #2," does it matter how subtle their indication?
Tater’s problem solving face 😂😂😂😂😂😂 sooo good
He has the best facial expressions 😊
So i thought this was great. I have a Mal x Rotti. After her first try at the game she lay down exhausted & happy. I had seen her work through the confusion and demanding stages to understand. I could see it worked her brain. But she got the idea completly after the second round. Now she just goes through the motions, she will test a couple times not going around the box to the food. In the end she just walks away uninterested. Is there any value in continuing or increasing the value of food/treats offered?
@somethingfromk6816 Susan has some additional information in the following podcasts that you may find helpful with the treat challenge:
Why Your Treats Aren’t Working for Your Dog - dogsthat.com/podcast/59/
Help For Dogs Refusing Treats: Case Study With Training Plan - dogsthat.com/podcast/179
(Julie - DogsThat Team)
I've used it ever since you first introduced it ummmm 15 years ago? .....I used to use it for everything agility to now hoopers and 'just' tricks. GREAT game
What do you do for a dog that mugs you for the treats on your lap or takes cheap shots for the treats on your lap as he goes from bowl to bowl?
@dianethompson3221 If your dog 'mugs' you for treats or takes cheap shots, start by simplifying the game. Use one bowl, keep treats in your hand, and reward calm behavior. Focus on teaching patience and self-control step by step. (Julie - DogsThat Team)
This looks like fun and I'd like to try it with my pup. Stupid question, isn't giving so many years going to affect her weight? What kind of treats are people using?
@bernadettematos7614 Susan has a great podcast about feeding our dogs and keeping the balance between feeding meals and training: th-cam.com/video/vENpu_2_y20/w-d-xo.html (Julie - DogsThat Team)
Thank you, will check it out.
@@DogsThat My dog eats raw food so it will be difficult to use for treats.
Hi @bernadettematos7614 Susan has a video to help with using raw food for training - th-cam.com/video/6mtqNQa-J3M/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ckPRt_7BpXx5qpxf
I'm reading a lot of comments with the same issue as me: my dogs won't take the food from the bowl unless I give permission. They'll do the search game then stare at the treat bowl in my lap, but they won't look at the other bowls.
Same. We've built so much on IYC, on NOT chasing or grabbing food without permission, that my dog ended up frustrated and confused. So did I, for that matter. Hoping to find some help in the comments.
My dog hesitates before taking food from the bowls because I had trained him with ItsYerChoice to not pick up food from the ground unless released. How can I change that for this game without talking? Thanks
I have a question. I have played this with my dog twice now and is it ever fun! I do silent fist pumps in my head when he is first frustrated but then figures it out. My dog has lots of energy and enthusiasm. So my question is about the end - there is just no way I can hold him or even have him in a calm down stay in order to properly take a moment to relax. We are currently working on "settle" but is there anything else you can suggest that we could do at the end of this game?
Hi @TheJensarg we are so pleased you have been enjoying the awesome Vito's Game! Susan has a very insightful podcast episode that about her amazing relaxation protocol that will help --> th-cam.com/video/FRmLd4k5qGk/w-d-xo.html (Rachel - DogsThat Team)
I’ve worked so much IYC and Chow for food in bowl my puppy won’t take food from the bowls when I started playing this game. I know if I cue her that’s not right so not sure how long to out wait my dog
I did this with both my dogs and they picked it up quickly....my only question is how does a dog know the difference then about taking food out of a dish without permission like we teach in 'it's your choice'?
At first, I thought she meant to say, "Nothing..."! 😂
So my pup wouldn’t touch the treats without the “Search” command. Good boy! I don’t want to break his great performance in learning to avoid dropped edible items. Ideas?
Ok someone help! I tried this for the first time with my dog today and she did not get it AT ALL. As soon as I stopped tossing the treats and waited for her to look toward the other bowl she didn’t try at all, she just laid down and kept staring at me waiting for me to tell her what to do. I kept going back to doing more of the tossing on one side then the other to establish the pattern, then put a treat in the bowl, wait for her to look toward the other and again nothing. Nada. We did this several times and she never tried to problem solve, just laid down each time staring at me. How can I get her to realize she’s supposed to problem solve on her own!?
@danastrickland5215 You’re doing great! Just keep going with the process! Even if your dog doesn’t “get it” right away it takes time and repetition. Around the 9:10 mark of the podcast, Susan addresses what we do when the dog sits and stares at you:
Wait till they look over, maybe take a step towards the other bowl. And you're just going to go back and forth. It's like a game of ping pong, but what we're doing is we're rewarding a choice the dog makes. I'm going to say that one more time.You don't watch your dog eat the cookie and the dog stops and looks at you and you put another cookie in the other bowl. That's not it at all. That would be rewarding the dog for staring at you. We want the dog to make a choice.
So, if your dog just sits there and stares at you, maybe go back to more of that search game out in front and do more of that before you get closer to the bowls. We just want the dog to go from one hip, get a cookie, go in front of you to the other hip. And once they get that pattern, they're going to start going faster and faster. They're going to say, “This is fun.” (Julie - DogsThat Team)
My dog gets it until the cone moves about 24cm away, then she cuts through. I tried putting a treat down when she went around after cutting through, but I seem to teaching her that that is the move. If I just withhold from both sides until she does it correctly, she gets tired of the game and lies down. (She switches to the choice game) Clearky I’m doing something wrong. Can you help?
Hi @patriciaorourke9342 it's fabulous you are playing! 🧡 If you are enjoying our Pre-Cyber Party, checking out Part-3 of Vito's Thinking Game will be super helpful. You can also layer back then progress to moving the cone out. If you are in Agility Nation, Handling360 or Wag Nation, we have Vito's Thinking Game in our coaching programs, so you are super welcome to share a short video and we'll help out with strategies for you.
Can you teach this to puppies?
@pjtrant Vito's Thinking Games is perfect for dogs of all ages & skill levels, including puppies. You and your puppy will have so much fun :) (Julie - DogsThat Team)
My dog is so good at IYC that she won't look at a bowl on the floor unless told to, so she thinks she is doing right by ignoring the bowls. How to get past that with out spoiling her IYC?
My dog is doing the same thing. I’m assuming my dog needs more shaping exercises to encourage her to think.