The power of a pattern

Repetition and predictability are essential to dog training, especially behaviour modification. When you’re trying to change a dog’s emotional response to something – another dog, a person, a cat, cars, whatever – the dog needs to know what to expect. By repeating something many times in a way that’s predictable, the dog can start building new associations without the stress or anxiety of surprise.

"Repetition can help transform short-term memories into long-term memories."

Learning by repetition means you, your dog, anyone, will remember better and retain that knowledge for longer. Note that repetitive learning works best when done regularly, but not ‘crammed’, so it’s better to take a little and often approach. 

Learning through predictability occurs when the brain builds patterns. This helps to reduce stress, allowing the mind to focus energy on new information and skills rather than anxiety. Implementing visual cues and verbal signals help build this predictability, even when you change the environment or up the ante in terms of the trigger. 

“Predictable routines offer a sense of security and stability, providing confidence to explore the world and develop new skills.”

This is where the idea of pattern games came from. Developed by well-known US dog behaviour consultant Leslie McDevitt in the mid-2000s, pattern games are “safe, predictable, repetitive, voluntary and normalising”. Leslie says in her book Control Unleashed, Reactive to Relaxed, that:

“It’s easier to countercondition a dog while he is already engaged in a predictable, safe pattern when he is exposed to the trigger. He can process the trigger from the context of being in his happy place. Presenting the trigger in a pattern game context, rather than merely trying to associate the trigger with treats, makes counterconditioning ridiculously easy.”

Like with any training, the pattern games have to be trained initially in a distraction-free environment, i.e. at home or in the garden. As I prefer to train ‘on the go’, I start teaching pattern games in the park, but WITHOUT the dog’s triggers present. 

For reactive dogs I have two pattern games I love for getting past other dogs or people they don’t know. The first is 1,2,3 which comes directly from Leslie McDevitt. The second is a version of her Super Bowls game mixed with ‘find it’. Here’s what they look like. 

1,2,3

In a low-distraction area, I set up two cones about 10 metres apart. I start with the dog on a lead at one cone. I say ‘ready’; this will be the cue for the game. Then, as we walk towards the other cone I say 1,2,3 and on 3 I use a high ‘fun’ sounding voice and give the dog a treat. At this stage they don’t need to look at me or do anything in particular. 

We then repeat this several times in the same area, walking between the cones. I’ll repeat at this level, i.e. everything the same, over the course of the next few sessions. 

Next I’ll repeat everything, but the location will change. I’ll repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Over time, I’ll be looking for eye contact when I say ‘3’ or even before I say it. 

I’ll change the location a few more times and add some distractions like people and dogs very far away, before phasing out the cones. 

Then I’ll add harder distractions. If all is well, we’ll take it to the streets. 

Find it

In a low-distraction area, I set up six cones in a line about one metre apart. I start with the dog on a lead at the first cone and say the word ‘ready’ to cue them for the game to begin. We will walk towards the first cone where they’ll get a treat. I’ll throw a treat at each cone as we pass it. The dog will learn to associate the cones with the treats. After a few repetitions I’ll add in the words ‘find it’ before reaching the next cone. 

We then repeat this several times in the same area. I’ll repeat at this level, i.e. everything the same, over the course of the next few sessions. 

Then we proceed in the same way as for 1,2,3. I’ll repeat everything, but the location will change. I’ll add in some easy distractions like people and dogs far away.

I’ll get rid of half the cones first, then all of them. I’ll then just throw a treat on the ground for the dog to find. 

Next I’ll add harder distractions. If all is well, we’ll take it to the streets. 

These two games are useful for all kinds of situations. They’ll also help to tire your dog out as they’re having to use their brain a bit more, particularly for ‘find it’. Give them a go and let me know what you think.