2 Food Game

[silentchild]

Can anyone please explain to me what is the 2 food game and what is its purpose? From what I understand it's just throwing food in two directions close to you but I'm not sure what it's supposed to teach the dog other than getting the dog to eat and run fast lol.

I've also heard it can be used to teach a running drop but not sure how? Is the dog supposed to drop to eat the treat?

Any insight appreciated, thanks! :)

[The Spotted Devil]

I love this game

I use it to build motivation for a start - awesome warm up before going in the ring and for training. Perfect for puppies. It teaches the dog not to ferret around for food because as soon as they put their head up you throw another piece of food. As for sits and drops on the run it's brilliant - as the dog turns and comes sprinting back you occasionally throw in a sit/drop. If the dog responds fast enough for your criteria, verbal marker and release to another piece of thrown food. It's about FAST responses NOT duration. If they don't respond quickly enough "ah well", stop the game and then have another go. I never practice proper drop on recalls and my Em can whistle sit at a 100m.

[silentchild]

Thanks TSD, that makes sense. :) Is there a reason why you don't practise your drops on recalls, or is it because you only like to practise them with the game?

[Tassie]

Not TSD - but another one here who loves the 2 food game and its variations, And another one who doesn't do formal drop on recall (well very rarely) - reason being - I've seen it slow too many dogs down - they start anticipating that they're going to be told to drop, so they start creeping in. Not a good look. If I do the odd formal one in practice, I'll also do several high energy flat recalls to maintain the speed and enthusiasm.

Another use of the 2 food game is to help get beautifully fast enthusastic recalls. You play the game side to side for a while, increasing the distance and speed and then after one throw, turn to face the dog as you would for a recall, and highly reward the dog for a good front. As TSD says - great for encouraging real enthusiasm and fun.

I also use a variant for drop - drop the dog, mark then throw a treat a little distance away - as the dog gets to the treat, drop them again, mark, throw treat ... rinse and reward - in tiny increments, increase the distance away from you.

[sheena]

I started doing drop recalls with my girl....slowed her right down before I realised what I was doing.

[silentchild]

Thanks Tassie, that makes so much sense re. the drops on recalls! Luckily I've never done that yet, I normally finish formal recalls with a sit in front of me and a bit of a reward party if she does it perfectly. My girl has brilliant whiplash recalls so I definitely don't want to ruin it.

I also use a variant for drop - drop the dog, mark then throw a treat a little distance away - as the dog gets to the treat, drop them again, mark, throw treat ... rinse and reward - in tiny increments, increase the distance away from you.

Do you mean you tell the dog to drop before it gets to eat the reward, then throw out another reward again, so it eats the first reward after release from drop and straightaway run to the second? Or drop after getting the first reward?

Also I'm guessing for this game you would need to use quite large or visible chunks of food...? I can just imagine using the normal small clicker training sized treats and having them lost in the grass lol.

Edited October 28, 2013 by silentchild

[Tassie]

I'm not sure I have the timing quite right - someone else might explain better, but I give the next drop just as the dog is eating the treat, mark (verbal or clicker, and throw the next treat - usually in a somewhat different direction. As the dog gets to it and eats it, cue the drop.

And yes - slightly larger than usual visible - cubes of cheese (I use the 50% fat tasty cheese from Bega) are good.

[paddles]

hmmm... more asking about the drop on recall stuff (so much to learn) how do you use the 2 food game to teach it? I know the 2 food game, and use it, but can't see how to put a drop in there?

[sheena]

I'm not sure I have the timing quite right - someone else might explain better, but I give the next drop just as the dog is eating the treat, mark (verbal or clicker, and throw the next treat - usually in a somewhat different direction. As the dog gets to it and eats it, cue the drop.

And yes - slightly larger than usual visible - cubes of cheese (I use the 50% fat tasty cheese from Bega) are good.

Probably best done on the carpet indoors (if you have a big enough room). but on the grass, I know someone who taught their dog a recall drop by throwing out a target which was one of those old computer mats you use for the mouse, & the dog would run & drop on the target, click & then they stepped in & threw a treat into the mouth of the dog (catch) Then maybe they faded the target ??

[Kavik]

You can just add their drop cue as they are running towards you in the 2 food game, then reward the drop by throwing the food in the direction they were going.

[Tassie]

Yes - you can do that too - the target thing. The two food/drop game teaches the dog to give a quick and neat response to the drop cue, wherever he is - hence good for quick drops in heeling, and drop on recall - and because it'snot done in the context of the DOR, doesn't carry the risk of the smart dog anticipating and starting to creep.

One of the problems (or nice things) about DOR, is that the judge has such a range of possibilities for where they're going to drop the dog.

[The Spotted Devil]

Ziggy started anticipating the drop after ONE DOR run through - but he is like that :laugh: So I only play the 2 food game with him and he does lovely DOR in the ring. You can also throw the treat over their head behind them to keep them guessing on occasion. I only do one out of four or five food throws - on grass I use cheese cubes broken into quarters.

[silentchild]

Do you say anything when playing the game? For example when you throw a treat do you say 'Get it!' or anything like that?

Thanks everyone for all the info, very helpful. :)

[Tassie]

You can say 'get it' - sometimes you don't need to :D .

[becks]

For drop on recall, I just say dogs name, never add 'come' so they know the different exercises. Also dog told what exercise they are about to do. Food is thrown behind dog so it doesn'tlearn to creep forwards.

Food circuit does fast recalls, we throw food between our legs so dog used to running up fast