In Touch Dog Training: Mastering the Basics and Beyond

In Touch Dog Training is a holistic approach to teaching your dog basic obedience and beyond. It's based on the idea that dogs thrive on clear communication and physical connection with their owners.

This method emphasizes the importance of physical touch, such as gentle petting, stroking, and even massage, to help your dog feel more relaxed and receptive to learning. By using touch as a primary tool, you can build trust and strengthen your bond with your dog.

In Touch Dog Training also highlights the significance of body language, teaching owners to recognize and respond to their dog's nonverbal cues. For example, if your dog tucks their tail or lowers their head, it's likely a sign of stress or anxiety.

By mastering the basics of In Touch Dog Training, you can lay the foundation for more advanced training and strengthen your relationship with your dog.

To start training touch, hold your flat hand, palm out, an inch or two away from your dog. This will allow them to sniff your hand easily.

Use a clicker or marker word like "Yes" or "Good" to communicate to your dog exactly what they're doing right. A clicker or marker word can be extremely helpful in this process.

Click at the exact moment your dog's nose makes contact with your hand, then praise and reward them with a treat directly in front of your open palm. This placement of the reward emphasizes to your dog the position they're being rewarded for.

Repeat the process until your dog is enthusiastically bumping your palm with their nose. Train in different locations to keep distractions to a minimum.

A verbal cue like "Touch" can be added once your dog has a reliable nose target from a few inches away. Say the cue right before presenting your hand, then click, praise, and reward when your dog touches your palm.

You can also use exciting treats and lay on the praise to help build enthusiasm in your dog. Selectively rewarding the most enthusiastic nose bumps and ignoring the tentative ones can also be helpful in this process.

The touch cue is a simple yet powerful tool in your dog training arsenal. It can be used to get your dog's attention and redirect their focus away from distractions.

To teach your dog to touch your hand, start by holding a flat hand, palm out, an inch or two away from your dog. When your dog sniffs your hand, click at the exact moment their nose makes contact. Then praise your dog and offer them a treat directly in front of your open palm.

With repetition, your dog will learn that the word "touch" means to find that target hand. This step is helpful when using the touch cue as a come-when-called alternative or when using it to redirect attention from distractions.

You can expand the behavior to objects once your dog has the basic idea. A clicker or marker word like “Yes” or “Good” can be extremely helpful to communicate to your dog exactly what they’re doing right.

Here are some useful ways to use the touch cue:

The touch cue can be a great alternative behavior to teach a dog to do when greeting people. Practice first teaching your dog to touch your outstretched hand before practicing with other people.

To build enthusiasm for touch training, use exciting treats and lavish praise. This will help your dog associate the behavior with rewards.

Use a smelly treat to lure your dog in if they're struggling, and rub your palm with it for the first few repetitions. This will guarantee they'll lean in to smell your hand.

A flat hand can be a powerful cue, and with patience and consistency, your dog will learn to run across the yard for it.

Training with a clicker or marker word like "Yes" or "Good" can be extremely helpful in communicating to your dog exactly what they're doing right.

Use exciting treats and lay on the praise to help build enthusiasm in your dog. This will make the training process more enjoyable and rewarding for both you and your dog.

If your dog is struggling, try rubbing your palm with a smelly treat for the first few repetitions. This will guarantee they lean in to smell your hand.

To teach your dog to nose target, start by holding your flat hand, palm out, an inch or two away from your dog. When your dog sniffs your hand, click at the exact moment their nose makes contact.

Here are some useful ways to use the "touch" cue:

To troubleshoot if your dog just isn't showing interest in your hand target, try moving it a bit closer to them or wiggling your fingers to entice them to sniff it. You can also place a treat in between your fingers to give your dog a delicious smelling target.

Putting on harnesses can be a challenge for many dog owners. Using a hard target can make the process easier for both you and your dog.

A hard target, such as a toy or a stick, can be held just beyond the harness opening to guide your dog's head through. This is especially helpful for over-the-head style harnesses.

Many dogs will shy away or become too wiggly to easily put their harness on, but with a hard target, they'll learn to put their head through the harness for you.

Teaching specific commands is a crucial part of in touch dog training, and it's amazing how quickly your dog can learn with the right approach. You can start by teaching your dog to touch your hand with their nose, which is a fundamental behavior that can be used as a foundation for other commands.

To teach your dog to touch your hand, hold your flat hand out, palm up, an inch or two away from your dog, and wait for them to sniff it. As soon as their nose makes contact, click and reward them with a treat. Repeat this process until your dog is enthusiastically bumping your palm with their nose.

Once your dog has mastered the basic touch behavior, you can add a verbal cue like "Touch" and use it to get their attention in different locations and with various distractions. You can also use touch to teach body positions, such as standing or lying down, and even to redirect their attention from distractions like other people or noises.

Here are some useful ways to use the "touch" cue:

Teaching your dog to nose target is a fun and rewarding experience that can be used in a variety of situations. This behavior is incredibly easy to learn and can be a great way to get your dog's attention.

To start, hold your flat hand, palm out, an inch or two away from your dog. When your dog sniffs your hand, click at the exact moment their nose makes contact. Then praise your dog and offer them a treat directly in front of your open palm.

Repeat this process until your dog is enthusiastically bumping your palm with their nose. Train in different locations, keeping distractions to a minimum. This will help your dog learn to focus on the task at hand.

Once your dog has a reliable nose target from a few inches away, you can add a verbal cue like "Touch." Say the cue right before you present your hand, then click, praise, and reward when your dog touches your palm.

To add distance, start by moving your hand a few inches farther away. Build up to several feet. Try moving your hand higher or lower, closer to your body or farther away, etc. This will help your dog learn to perform the behavior in different situations.

With repetition and patience, your dog will learn to nose target with ease. This behavior can be used in a variety of situations, from obedience training to agility training.

Here are some useful ways to use "touch" in everyday life:

By following these steps and tips, you can teach your dog to nose target and use this behavior to improve your relationship and communication with your dog.

If you're working on building up your dog's come-when-called behavior, the touch cue can be a great alternative to use in the meantime. This cue is incredibly useful because of its simplicity, making it perfect for various situations.

In fact, using the touch cue as a come-when-called alternative is a great way to get your dog's attention in a public setting, such as a park or on a walk. You can use the "touch" cue to get your dog to come to you, making it easy to grab them if necessary.

To make this work, practicing adding distance to the behavior is essential. Start by targeting your hand from a few feet away, then across the room. This will help your dog learn to associate the touch cue with coming to you, even when you're not right next to them.

Here are some specific steps to follow:

By following these steps and using the touch cue as a come-when-called alternative, you can help your dog learn to come to you in a variety of situations, even when you're not right next to them.

As you progress with your dog's touch training, it's time to add some distance and variety to keep things interesting and challenging for both you and your furry friend.

Obedience training with nose targeting can be used to teach body positions, such as standing from a sitting position or lying down by touching a target under a stool or your outstretched legs.

To add distance, start by holding your hand further away from your dog's face, increasing the distance by an inch or two at first. This will require your dog to take a small step to touch your hand target.

When your dog successfully touches your hand, click or say "yes!" and give them a treat. Move your hand to the other side of their face and repeat the process.

As you practice, increase and decrease the distance your dog has to move to touch your hand target. This will help them learn to adapt to different situations and environments.

You can also add variety by changing the position of the target, such as moving it behind your dog or to a different location. This will challenge your dog to problem-solve and think critically.