How To

🐾What you need: two bowls, a stool or cone, non-slip flooring

We use the marker word, “Dish!” to mean the pet should take the treat from the bowl.

1. Place two bowls in front of you, with treats in both hands.

2. Say “Dish!” and place a treat in the bowl for your pet to eat. 

3. As soon as your pet finishes eating, say “Dish!” and place a treat in the other bowl.

4. Continue alternating between the two bowls, saying “Dish!” first, and then placing the treat in the bowl.

5. Slowly start moving the bowls further apart. Move one bowl while your pet is eating from the other. 

6. Once your pet anticipates moving to the other bowl as soon as they get their treat from the first, you can introduce an object between the bowls.

7. Place the stool or cone directly between the bowls. Continue playing as before.

8. Gradually move the object further away from you while the pet is eating. Your pet should be going around the object to get to the next bowl. Say “Dish!” just as they are going behind the object so they know that is the behavior you’re marking.

9. Continue adding distance. You can add in further obstacles so they learn to navigate around multiple objects. 

Watch Points

1. If your pet starts getting too wound up, go back to something easier or take a break. Very often, fatigue or pain may actually show up as overarousal. 

2. Your pet may move differently or have less stamina as they recover. Don’t push for too much too fast.

3. Try to support your pet solving the puzzle on their own. If they get stuck, arrange the environment so they can consistently make the right choice. For example, if your pet cuts between the object and bowl instead of going around the object, move the object closer for a few reps so that going around the object is automatically the right choice.