How do I teach my dog to initiate play? Tired of calling, coercing, or begging your dog to play with you? Let them choose you. In the video below, I’m going to teach Applejack that SHE has the power to initiate The Game with a simple look in my direction. For me, there’s no emotion—no anger or fake happiness/excitement. At the end of the video is the finished product with my border collie Miriya. You can start this game in a small, clear space like a hallway in your house and then build up to new public places with distractions including other people and other dogs, with toys lying around. It takes some patience and it feels strange at first, but you will become a keen observer of your dog’s behavior as you watch. This will also work with food.

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