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Targeting is the first thing I teach my dog. It’s also one of the first things I help a client teach their dog. It’s easy to train, dogs love the exercise, and once trained there are myriad of uses in daily life. But what is targeting?
When I describe the goal of targeting – teaching your dog to touch their nose to the palm of your hand – a puzzled look usually appears on the face of the client in front of me. But once I explain the real life uses, they love it, too.
Targeting has many uses: helping a shy or timid dog gain confidence, an effective technique to position your dog wherever you want him to get your dog off of anything (bed, sofa, coffee table) or on anything (the scale at the veterinarian’s office), aids in training your dog to come, an effective lure to use in order to obtain a new behavior to keep your dog busy and less stressed at the veterinarian’s office, to turn a light switch on or off, open or close a cabinet door, and many more.
I always begin teaching a dog to touch his nose to the palm of my hand. Since dogs are naturally curious and like to sniff our hands, it’s easy to get the behavior.
With your dog in front of you, encourage the dog to touch his nose to your hand by placing your hand (fingers together and pointed down or to the side, palm facing the dog) one inch in front of the dog’s nose. Your dog will likely lean forward to investigate and then touch his nose to your palm. The moment you feel his nose touch your palm, say “Yes!” and give him a treat from your other hand, then return your target hand to your side. Repeat the sequence four or five times. When the dog is eagerly touching your palm, you can begin to add the verbal cue “nose.” Say “nose,” then present your target hand close to your dog’s nose, and when he touches it, say “Yes.” Repeat five to 10 times.
When your dog is responding reliably to the cue, move your hand to different places so he learns to move toward the target when it’s farther away, when it’s in motion, and when it’s above or below his nose level.
Practice makes all things possible. Happy targeting.
Lisa Lyle Waggoner is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer, Faculty for the Victoria Stilwell Academy of Dog Training and Behavior, the founder of Cold Nose College, and the author of The Original Rocket Recall: Teach Your Dog to Come. www.coldnosecollege.com and www.rocketrecall.com.