Free game instructions

Find a game you can set up and try.

Browse all 30 activities below, or narrow the choice by your dog, available space, and supplies. Each guide explains an easy first round and when to stop.

Find a game for my dog Browse all instructions

Start with a small collection

Indoor brain games for a small, quiet spaceFive indoor dog games with a room setup, household supplies, and simple ways to reduce the challenge.Puppy brain games with very easy first roundsFour puppy game starting points for sniffing, gentle toy play, and voluntary focus, with simple setup and stop signs.No-treat games using toys and time togetherThree clearly described no-food variations for dogs who enjoy toys or social play. Choose a reward your dog actually wants.Calm focus games without a busy training setupFour quiet games for voluntary check-ins and mat practice, with guidance for keeping the challenge manageable.

Browse by activity

Focus7 game guides Scent3 game guides Impulse control5 game guides Leash2 game guides Reactivity4 game guides Puppy1 game guides Enrichment4 game guides Tricks4 game guides

All game instructions

These are research-based guides, not records of a hands-on test. Read the setup and safety limits before using a new activity.

Focus

Dog touching a trainer's hand target in a bright living room.

Preschool 2-4 min Level 1

Target Train

Teaching your dog to touch a target so later skills feel like puzzles, not pressure.

basic focusconfidence

Dog calmly making eye contact with an owner holding treats.

Preschool 1-3 min Level 1

Eye Contact Game

Building the habit of checking in with you before distractions take over.

attentionbonding

Owner using a treat to practice the airplane focus game with a dog.

Preschool 2-3 min Level 1

Airplane Game

Making attention on you more rewarding than grabbing at the treat hand.

focus around foodimpulse control

College 3-5 min Level 2

Shell Game

Encouraging your dog to use nose and focus rather than random pawing.

attentionscent discrimination

Dog solving a shaping puzzle with a target object on the floor.

University 3-5 min Level 3

Hot and Cold

Letting your dog learn through feedback and problem-solving instead of luring every move.

confidenceshaping

Dog choosing a named toy from a small group of toys.

Graduation 4-8 min Level 4

Name Recognition

Teaching your dog to discriminate between named objects.

toy namescognitive work

Dog stepping into a low cardboard box during shaping practice.

Shaping games 3-5 min Level 2

Get in the Box

Teaching your dog to offer small choices and learn through shaping.

confidencebody awareness

Scent

Dog sniffing for hidden treats around safe living room objects.

Elementary School 3-8 min Level 1

Treasure Hunt

Giving your dog a calm sniffing job that burns mental energy without frantic movement.

boredomrainy day

Owner hiding behind a sofa while a dog searches happily.

University 3-8 min Level 2

Hide and Seek

Making coming to you feel like a rewarding search game.

recallbonding

Dog calmly sniffing kibble from a snuffle mat.

DIY enrichment 3-10 min Level 1

Snuffle Scatter

Replacing bowl feeding with a slower nose-work routine.

rainy daymeal enrichment

Impulse control

Owner pausing play so a dog can settle calmly on a mat.

High School 3-5 min Level 2

Jazz Up and Settle Down

Teaching your dog that excitement can switch back into a calm behavior.

overexcitementjumping

Dog waiting calmly as an owner opens an interior door.

College 3-5 min Level 3

Open Sesame

Teaching patience around open doors before real-life doorway excitement.

door mannersbolting

Dog standing calmly on a training mat in a home.

College 3-6 min Level 2

Magic Carpet

Creating a portable place cue for calmer household moments.

mat workcalm station

A small bowl of counted training treats beside a calm dog.

Manners games all day Level 1

Treat Countdown

Helping owners notice and reward calm moments before unwanted behavior starts.

good choiceshouse manners

Dog waiting calmly before a supervised flirt pole chase game.

Impulse games 3-6 min Level 3

Flirt Pole Pause

Turning chase into a structured start-stop game instead of uncontrolled arousal.

chase driveimpulse control

Leash

Graduation 4-8 min Level 4

Serpentines and Spirals

Teaching your dog to follow your movement changes without leash pressure.

walking focusbody awareness

Owner practicing loose leash walking while holding a cup of water.

Walking games 3-6 min Level 3

Loose Leash Water Walk

Making loose-leash walking visible: if the leash surges, the water tells you.

leash pullinghandler awareness

Reactivity

Dog calmly noticing another dog at a safe distance during training.

University 1-5 min Level 3

Look at That

Changing trigger-watching into a structured check-in routine.

barking at dogswindow triggers

Dog eating a dropped treat and looking back up at the handler.

Real-world reset 1-3 min Level 2

Up-Down Pattern

Giving a dog a predictable ground-to-handler rhythm when the environment feels too big.

overarousalnew places

Real-world reset 1-3 min Level 2

1-2-3 Treat Pattern

Creating a predictable count-and-reward pattern during mild distractions.

trigger passingwalk rhythm

Reactivity games 1-5 min Level 4

Engage-Disengage

Rewarding a dog for noticing a trigger and then turning away from it.

reactivitybarking at dogs

Puppy

Puppy games 1-3 min Level 1

Puppy Toy Trade

Redirecting teeth to an allowed object before play gets frantic.

puppy bitingclothing bites

Enrichment

Dog solving a muffin tin puzzle with tennis balls and kibble.

Elementary School 3-6 min Level 1

Muffin Game

Turning food into a small puzzle so your dog works slowly and thinks.

meal enrichmentproblem solving

Dog searching for treats in a shallow ball pit enrichment bin.

Elementary School 5-8 min Level 2

Ball Pit Game

Combining movement and searching in a controlled, playful setup.

energy outletconfidence

Dog nudging a safe treat bottle puzzle on the floor.

High School 4-8 min Level 2

Bottle Game

Letting your dog work out how movement releases food from a safe object.

problem solvingmeal pacing

Dog gently bobbing for floating treats in a shallow bowl.

High School 3-6 min Level 2

Bobbing for Treats

Introducing water in a playful way while giving the dog an easy puzzle.

water confidencesummer enrichment

Tricks

Dog weaving slowly through an owner's legs during trick training.

Graduation 4-8 min Level 4

Leg Weaves

Building follow-the-hand focus and controlled movement close to you.

coordinationbody awareness

Einstein 5-10 min Level 5

Tidy Up

Turning toy pickup into a useful problem-solving trick.

advanced tricksretrieval

Dog placing a large ring onto a safe stacking toy.

Einstein 5-10 min Level 5

Ring Stackers

Building careful mouth control and problem-solving through a complex trick.

precisionadvanced shaping

Dog pressing a toy piano key with one paw.

Einstein 5-10 min Level 5

Play the Piano

Turning paw targeting into a fun performance trick.

advanced trickspaw targeting

More help with your setup

Household materials and setupPrepare towels, boxes, cups, or a muffin tin for a supervised game. Puppy brain-game guideKeep the first rounds short and easy. Safety guidanceKnow when a game is not the right next step.