Benefits:

• Proprioception

• Builds Confidence & Independence working away from the owner

• Improves Problem Solving

• Depending on your set-up you can work on your dog’s:

  • Proprioception

  • Cardio Endurance

  • Flexibility

Equipment:

• 2 Bowls, Snuffle Mats or Lick Mats

• 1-2 Cones

• Food or treats

• I most often just use Luna’s regular food

• Set-Up:

1. Back to wall or something solid

2. One bowl on each side of you

3. Cone right in front of you - NO gaps between your person and the cone

How To:

1. Place one or 2 treats in one bowl just to set them up on one side of you. Don’t say anything.

2. Stare straight ahead.

3. If your dog pauses or seems unsure you can look at the other bowl. Don’t give eye contact because for some dogs eye contact is a cue in itself

1. At first, if the dog makes ANY kind of movement towards the opposite bowl - REWARD

2. As your dog’s understanding increases, slowly wait for the dog to move more independently from side to side.

3. Once your dog is fluidly and confidently moving between the 2 bowls, start to move the cone ever so slightly away from you. 

4. If your dog ever tries to cut between you and the cone to ‘shortcut’ their way to the bowl, do NOT reward and bring the cone back closer to your body. 

5. Work up to the cone being 6 feet away from you.

6. The dog should be Trotting - NOT racing around the cone.

Goal:

1. Have the dog trot back and forth between the 2 bowls fluidly. 

2. Remember to keep sessions short and sweet (less than 5 minutes) - especially when your dog is first learning this game. 

VITO Game Troubleshooting

• If your dog is racing around the objects…

• Go back to the Level 1 set-up. Sometimes the frantic, racing behavior you see is over-arousal with the equipment you have set-up. 

• Add a lick mat or snuffle mat. Foraging and licking are ways dogs self-soothe and can lower their arousal.

• Keep sessions VERY short. Don’t let their arousal increase too much in the first place. After 2-4 good reps, stop. Move on to something else. Some dogs if you have them do the same thing for too long, become frustrated because they think there must be something more to it. 

• If your dog is a bit slower to go around the objects…

• Use their meal and practice at their dinner time when they’re naturally a bit more hyped.

• There’s also nothing wrong with the dog being more methodical and thoughtful. Just progress slower to keep their success rate up and to foster confidence. Keep the set-up simple with just 1 or 2 cones.

• LOTS of praise and rewards when they finally do get to the bowls. 

• If your dog disengages with you…

• Stop the session and try again another day. Something is overwhelming your dog. Try again the next day. Or even sometimes take a break from this exercise for a week or two.

VITO Game Level 2

1. Once your dog is Trotting fluidly and confidently from bowl to bowl with the cone far away, add a second cone.

2. Go back a few steps and place the 2 cones close to your body again. Remind your dog of the game. Once your dog understands they must go around the 2 cones, then begin moving the cones farther apart from each other and away from your body. If your dog ever tries to cheat, then go back a step or two where your dog was consistently successful.

VITO Game Level 3

1. Add 1 long or 2 short, stable objects in between the cones. You should move closer to the objects to remind your dog of the game and to prevent them from cheating at first.

2. As your dog’s understanding and confidence increases you can begin moving farther and farther away from the objects in front of you.

3. Remember:

1. Your dog should always maintain a steady Trot. No racing. 

2. Keep all objects used STABLE for a long time before introducing any unstable objects

3. Once you do add Unstable objects, be thoughtful about their placement and stability. You don’t want your dog to accidentally flip the object as they trot over it.