Follow Me is a fun and easy exercise. The value of this activity, besides teaching your dog to stick close by, is that it helps to build your dog’s focus and attention on you. This will be of enormous value in real-life situations.
Ensure that you are animated and unpredictable when you play this game.
You become this wonderfully exciting person; the puppy should never know what will happen next, which way you will go, what wonderful surprise he may receive.
Ensure that you are animated, unpredictable, and that you don’t lose your pup’s attention, even for a split second! There can be many variations of this game, where you play it, what you use as a toy or treat. Another variable is the number and level of distractions that are present.
Play Follow Me to help teach your puppy how to walk with you, to stick close to you, and to pay attention to you.
This is a great game to help build the Recall. Insert the word come to excite the pup to follow you. You will not need to repeat it over and over; just when you move off in opposite directions and the pup is in hot pursuit of you.
Armed with toys and treats, you want your puppy to chase you.
Run and walk in different directions.
Squeal with delight and tantalize the pup with your silliness and excitement.
Dart left, then right, stop, whip out a toy, and play a game (retrieve, hide and go seek), end it after a few seconds.
Then off you go again, stop, have the pup sit, and reward him with a tasty treat.
Walk slowly and keep that pup focused on you.
Stop. Have the puppy lie down and give him a good belly rub if that is something he loves.
Take off again, this time running around a tree or a dining room table.
Stop, pull out a juicy bone for the pup to gnaw on, and let them chomp on that for a few minutes.
Take the bone away, and off you go again….
GET IT!
Once again, take the basic principles of this game and make them your own. Be sure to use the rewards that are especially appealing to your pup. Have fun!
- If your pup starts to jump and bite, bring your excitement level down a notch.
- If your puppy is easily excited, you may never need to tear about and act excessively excited, this will entice the pup to get too wild and jump and bite at you.
- Remember to end this game before the pup loses interest.
- Try not to let the pup get left behind. If they are interested and not keeping up, you may be moving too quickly. Slow the pace down a little.
- This is a good game for a puppy not interested in coming to you. Use a squeaky toy or drag a 4-5 foot tug on the ground for the puppy to chase.
