Switch!

Ever have to cross the street and walk on the “wrong side” where your dog is on the outside, next to traffic? Ever have to walk past another dog and wish your dog could be on the “other side” so that you’d have more room between you and the unknown dog? He can! Teach him to switch and you’ll have a great skill that your dog will see as a fun game.

When walking your dog, make sure he’s focused on you. When he looks at you, toss a treat—try something white like string cheese on pavement or grass and something dark, like hot dogs or steak, on cement so it’s visible to your dog—slightly ahead of you and to the opposite side so that your dog has to cross in front of you to get it. Finally, reward your dog close to your side on the side he has crossed over to. Dogs love this game; some will run back and forth and some will jump from one side to the other;

You hand signal will become the same motion you use to toss the treat—your hand sweeping across and in front of you. Once your dog is watching you and waiting for you to toss the treat, say, “Switch” before you toss the treat. Soon after, you’ll be able to fade the treat and only reward when your dog has crossed over to the other side. And, after that, you’ll randomly reward, if at all, since this game is so self-rewarding to most dogs.

Play this game on your everyday walk before you need it. I work on this through parking lots where we have lots of space to Switch back and forth. Practice enough without any distractions and you’ll be able to first add some low-level distractions, such as grass, and then higher level, such as an approaching dog, and still get the safety benefits of Switch.