Mouse Game
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Pounce on the Mouse is a game derived from Kay Laurence at Learning about Dogs, It teaches your dog to express self-control in order to get to chase and eat the 'mouse' (piece of food). This game may seem simple but it delivers a very powerfull lesson.
How this came can help:
- It teaches your dog to have impulse control
- It builds your dogs patience and self control
- It builds frustration tolerance and teaches your dog to disengage.
- It teaches the dog that there is value in NOT just grabbing what they want, without asking you first.
- It will help your dog learn how to resist temptations
How to play:
- Set up in an open area of the house or the backyard. with part of your dog's daily food rations.
- Allow your dog to see the food (MOUSE). put the mouse on the floor near you.
- If your dog charges the mouse lift it up (It runs back into its hole) or cover it with your hand (It hides)
- When your dog disengages with the mouse for a split second flick it (it runs) and the dog gets the pleasure of chasing and catching it
- When your dog orientates back to you repeat from step 1.
- Tips:
- If the dog is unable to disengage with the mouse at the start raise the mouse onto a surface that is the same height as your dog's nose, and try again. When your dog starts to show patience you can move the mouse onto the ground.
- When your dog gets really goo at the game you can even ask for some obedience behaviours or tricks like sit, down, wait and release the mouse as the reward.
Here are some videos from some other great trainers around playing the game with their dogs.
