Target Training with a Stick

With target training with a stick, keep criteria simple and raise difficulty only when success is consistent. Step-by-step training flow with practical repetition cues.

Target Training with a Stick is easier to maintain when exercise, rest, and meal routines are predictable—not only during formal practice.

Practical tips

For Target Training with a Stick, keep criteria clear and celebrate small wins.

• Say the cue once; repeating teaches your dog to wait for a louder version.
• Reward the instant the behavior happens, not after your dog walks away.
• If progress stalls, simplify the step before adding distractions.
• End target training with a stick while your dog still wants more.