How to Play the Airplane Game for Dog Training

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Want your dog to pay better attention to you – even when distracted by food, loud noises, or squirrels?

I have good news for you – you can improve your dog’s obedience by playing games with your dog.

One of those games is the Airplane Game – below, in the video and PDF, we’ll learn how to play:

Table of Contents

How to Play the Airplane Game

To play the Airplane Game with your dog, you will need a treat that your dog finds highly valuable. Start by holding the treat above your dog’s head and moving it around in different directions, such as up, down, left and right. As you move the treat, say your dog’s name to get its attention.

Your dog should follow the treat with its eyes and ears, while ignoring any other distractions around it. If your dog successfully follows the treat, give it the treat as a reward.

As your dog gets better at the game, you can gradually increase the level of distractions around you. For example, you can play the game in a park with other dogs and people around, or you can add in other noise distractions.

Remember, the key is to keep the game fun and positive for your dog. If your dog is having trouble focusing, take a break and try again later. With practice and consistency, your dog will learn to focus on you and ignore distractions.

Supplies You’ll Need

To do some of the exercises about, you’ll need a clicker – here’s an inexpensive one we found on Amazon:

You’ll also need some cookies or treats – here’s what Adrienne recommends:

If you’d like more from Adrienne, after the guide and the video, check out some other videos from her:

About Adrienne

Adrienne Farricelli has been working professionally with dogs for more than a decade. She got her start in 2006 working in an animal hospital, and in 2007 she started volunteering at the local shelter, where she fostered and trained pets in need of temporary homes.

She is currently a certified dog trainer and behavior consultant. She holds dual certification in dog training. In 2010, after undergoing more than 200 hours of apprenticeship under a master dog trainer, she became certified by the Italian Association for Dog Trainers and Canine Consultants. After teaching basic and advanced obedience classes in Missouri and spending the summer teaching Canine Musical Freestyle, she obtained certification by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KA®) in the United States.

Ms. Farricelli is a force-free trainer using scientifically based training methods focused on the rewarding world of positive reinforcement training. CCPDT requires her to continue her education, so she is often attending seminars to keep up-to-date with the latest dog training and behavior-modification trends.

Adrienne publishes a dog blog on PetHelpful and her work has appeared in such online publications as: Daily Puppy, Nest Pets, Paw Nation, eHow, and several print publications such as USA Today, Everydog magazine and the APDT Chronicle of the Dog. Recently she contributed a chapter to the book Puppy Socialization: An Insider’s Guide to Dog Behavioral Fitness, by Caryl Wolff, which includes contributions from renowned experts Dr. Ian Dunbar, Dr. Carmen Battaglia, Dr. Ed Bailey, Dr. Michael Fox, and Peter and Nancy Vollmer.

Adrienne currently lives in Arizona with her beloved Rottweilers, Petra and Einstein, and her husband, Alex.