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How to build impulse control around movement

Impulse-control games, a clear release cue, relaxing on a mat with movement far away, and preventing chase rehearsal. Lowest-confidence skill; read the gaps.

At a glance

Base difficulty
3/5 (before adjusting for breed, age and size)
Source agreement
2/5 · limited (how well the sources agree, not a clinical trial)
Sources cited
10
Session length
No numeric minutes found.
Research updated

Step by step

  1. Build the foundations from impulse-control games: ItsYerChoice (treat in closed hand; dog backs off; progress to floor treats and walking past) and Crate Games. 1,2,4,9
  2. Teach a clear release/permission ('get it', 'free'); doorway wait: door cracked, dog pauses -> release cue; practise interior doors first, then crate/car/exterior with leash. 7,8,9
  3. For dogs excited by moving prey/cars/skateboards: first teach relaxing on a mat while very small movement happens far away, then reduce distance in small approximations. 3
  4. Prevent rehearsal of chasing (squirrels, bikes, kids): management matters because rehearsals make recall harder. 5
  5. Reward calm/engagement around movement (check-ins), keep sessions short; Garrett: waiting turns while others move - tolerate, manage or train. 3,6

When to move to the next step

  • Dog can pause at a door/hand for 1 second before widening8,9

Difficulty by age

Difficulty is on a 1-5 scale, estimated for 50 breed and mixed-breed size profiles. Breed adjustments are generalisations capped at ±1 level, because breed explains only about 9% of behavioural variation; your individual dog matters more.10

Age groupTypical difficultyRangeSuitable for
Puppy
8-16 weeks		3/53-550 of 50 profiles (50 with cautions)
Adolescent
4-18 months		3/53-550 of 50 profiles (50 with cautions)
Adult
~18 months-7 years		2/52-450 of 50 profiles (49 with cautions)
Senior
7+ years (giants often from ~6)		2/52-450 of 50 profiles (48 with cautions)

What changes at this age

  • Puppy: Games only.
  • Adolescent: Harder.
  • Adult: Same.
  • Senior: Same.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the dog rehearse chasing5

Troubleshooting

  • Herding nipping at people/children: escalate to behaviourist

Known gaps in the evidence

  • No source on herding-breed specific movement control read beyond general impulse-control games; lowest-confidence routine

Sources (10)

Source weight (1-5) averages the source's renown and the evidence quality of the specific page; see How plans are made. How plans are made

  1. Susan Garrett blog – ItsYerChoice vs Leave It · weight 4.5
  2. DogsThat (Susan Garrett) – ItsYerChoice game · weight 4.5
  3. YouTube: Kikopup – How to train your dog to RELIABLY come when called · weight 4.5
  4. YouTube: Kikopup – Impulse Control Game with WATER · weight 4.5
  5. YouTube: Dogs That – The Recall Myth: Why Your Off Leash Dog Isn’t Coming When Called And How To Fix It #302 #podcast · weight 4.5
  6. Susan Garrett blog – Wait Watch Work · weight 4.5
  7. Karen Pryor Academy – Teaching a Release Cue · weight 4.5
  8. AKC – Wait at doorways · weight 4
  9. Best Friends – Teach a dog to wait at the door · weight 3
  10. Morrill et al. 2022 Science – Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics (PMC)