How Vito’s Thinking Games Will Transform Your Dog Training #281

Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett

DogsThat

Education, Puppy, Recallers, Animalbehaviour, Dogs, Kids & Family, Pets, Dogtraining, Dogsthat, Petmanners, Susangarrett, Pets & Animals

4.8 • 679 Ratings

🗓️ 16 August 2024

⏱️ 18 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Visit us at shapedbydog.com

Want an easy, fun way to boost your dog's skills, strengthen your bond, and lay the foundation for advanced training while having fun? Look no further than Vito's Thinking Game! I'm sharing how to play and why it has so much power. Whether you're a seasoned dog trainer or a first-time puppy or rescue dog owner, this game is perfect for dogs of all ages and skill levels.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Vito’s Game builds your dog’s focus and confidence.
• A step-by-step guide to playing Vito’s Game with your dog.
• The benefits of letting your dog make training decisions.
• Tips to adapt Vito’s Game to any dog’s personality.
• How Vito’s Game reduces the need for your constant intervention.
• Why Vito’s Game is perfect for every dog and trainer.
• How one easy game gives your dog multiple skills.

Resources:

1. Podcast Episode 151: How Location Specific Reinforcement Markers Will Improve Your Dog Training! - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/151/
2. Podcast Episode 174: Dopamine In Dog Training: Anticipation, Rewards, And The Transfer Of Value - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/174/
3. YouTube Playlist: Dog Training Games with Susan Garrett - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLphRRSxcMHy2TzttCtZVFwzwMGayAsaYe
4. Podcast Episode 276: What No One Tells You About The Best Place To Train Your Puppy Or Rescue Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/276/
5. Podcast Episode 191: Get Your Dog To Calm Down With This Common Sense Protocol For Relaxation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/191/
6. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/tIEhIhQOWyI

Transcript

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0:00.0	In 2010, I was teaching a agility seminar in Italy and I was introduced to a man who is in the
0:08.0	audience by the name of Vito Sica. Now, I might be butchering his name. However, Vito would be
0:16.1	the originator of a game that I believe is changing the dog world for the better all over the world.
0:23.6	The game I'm Susan Garrett. Welcome to Shape by Dog. The game I labeled as Vito's Thinking Games.
0:41.3	And my friend Martina Magnoli Klimsova came to Canada in 2011, just six months later, and actually
0:48.9	taught a bunch of Canadians this game and it caught on like wildfire. Today, the game goes by many games from
0:57.6	Martina now calls it special games. I've heard it called movement games or movement puzzles. It is
1:05.2	such a revolutionary way to give our dogs autonomy. And let me tell you all the benefits to playing this game with
1:13.5	your dog are. First of all, any game you play with a dog is going to be a relationship building
1:18.5	game. But this one is special because you don't necessarily do the training. You just do the
1:24.0	reinforcing and the environment does the training. It's a game that can be the foundation
1:30.0	of so much progression. For example, there are three difficult skills in the sport of agility
1:36.1	that I actually teach using Vito's thinking game. And these skills are pretty complex skills.
1:46.0	Why would anybody who has zero interest in dog agility or dog sports want to play these games? Number one, we're giving
1:50.4	our dogs autonomy. We're giving them the power to control the game. Their motion controls the
1:57.6	game. We will set them in motion and they will keep being in motion because they
2:02.8	want to play the game. They learn to problem solve in motion. What about when a dog's out
2:08.6	away from us? They're in motion. We need them to be of a mindset that they can think.
2:14.5	And so this is just the kickstart to getting that kind of them making
2:20.9	choices away from you, making choices without prompts from you, making choices all on their
2:26.9	own. We are giving our dogs agency in the purest sense of the word. And what you're going to
2:32.2	find happens is the dogs focus for work strengthens
	...

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