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Sample Hierarchy - Guarded Items

For these exercises, tethers or gates are often necessary to keep the dog near the item, or the item away from the dog, or simply for safety purposes.  In each case, you will be give the item to the dog for various durations, approaching from different distances, locations and angles.  Remember to vary time intervals between trials.

1.  Practicing exchanges with an unguarded item

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  • Add Distance:  Approach from nearby (5’), take it away, treat, give back, walk away.  Then repeat this exercise from midway and farther distances (10’-15’)

  • Add Touch**:  Approach from midway, touch dog’s back for 1 second, take it away, treat, give back, walk away. 

  • Repeat the above step, adding 5 seconds duration to the touch.

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2.  Practice exchanges with a guarded item

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  • Give your dog the item, but do not let go, gently remove, treat

  • Do the same, letting go very briefly, take it back, treat   

  • Add duration:  give the dog the item, wait 1, 5, 10, 20 seconds, take it back, treat.   

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3.  Add Distance

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  • Give your dog the item, walk back 5’, wait 1s, approach, take it, treat, give it back. 

  • Repeat this from midway and far.

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4.  Add Duration (initially reducing distance)

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  • Repeat #3 above, but wait 5, 10, 20, 30s before approaching first from near

  • Repeat this from midway and far.

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5.  Leave the room (initially reducing duration)

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  • Give your dog the item, leave the room, wait 5s, approach, take it, treat, give it back

  • Repeat, increasing duration to 10-60s

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6.  Leave object in the room for him to take possession (add duration)

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  • Approach, take it, treat, give it back

  • Wait 30s, approach, take it, treat, give it back

  • Repeat, increasing duration to 1-2 minutes

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7.  Add Touch**  - when adding touch, remember to initially decrease distance and duration.

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8.  Practice Cold Trials 

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9.  Repeat all exercises with increasingly higher valued items.

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10.  Generalize with different object varieties, people, and locations.

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**  If your dog is touch sensitive, you must D&C to touch prior to adding it to any hierarchy.

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