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How to teach your dog Middle – Dog Training

how to teach your dog middle

Teaching your dog the “middle” command has several practical benefits. This command essentially means for your dog to position themselves between your legs or at your side which can come in handy in many different situations. Here is why teaching “middle” is one of the best things you’ll ever do with your dog:

Priceless bonding

Imagine how you feel when you hug someone or hold their hand… safe? Happy? Connected? That is what “middle” will do for your dog. It also means they can communicate with you. If they are worried or scared and deploy the “middle” position without being asked, you know something is up. How cool is that!

Reliable recall

As your dog starts to learn that being in “middle” reaps rewards, it will become their happy place and will never pass up the chance to be there! This is fun and useful for your recall games and practice. It’s also very handy should it become time to put the lead back on.

Managing sticky situations

“Middle” is unbelievably useful when it comes to managing a nervous or reactive dog. By getting them to adopt the “middle” position you can distract them from the dog/person/thing they are scared of and help them to focus on something positive. It can also help to give wildlife the chance to escape an otherwise exhausting or potentially traumatic chase. Calmly call “middle” and spin around to face another direction – crisis averted!

Calmer vet visits

Get ready to become “teachers’ pet” at the vets with “middle”. Remember, by this point, “middle” is a calm and happy place for your dog to relax so you can patiently wait your turn. The real magic with “middle” is during your appointment. By being in the “middle” position, you can reassure your dog and help build a positive association with the vets using positive reinforcement while giving the practitioner a calm patient to vaccinate or examine. Gold star for you!

Control in crowded areas

When your dog knows how to “middle,” they can walk or stand close to you in crowded places, ensuring they don’t get tangled in the legs of people or other dogs. This is especially helpful in busy parks, markets, or public events.

Anti-Theft

Sadly, thefts are at an all-time high at the moment and “middle” should be your weapon of choice should you be confronted or intimidated. Even if you meet someone asking strange questions… “middle!”

Tip-top dog training tool

When you start a training session all parties want to get “in the mood” and how better to start than with some quick wins. You’ll be setting the tone and warming up their brain ready for work.

Preventing Jumping

Dogs that have a tendency to jump on people can be trained to “middle” when greeting others. This keeps them from jumping on people and maintains a more controlled and polite greeting.

How to teach your dog Middle

  1. Take a high value treat in both hands
  2. With one hand lure your dog behind your legs
  3. With the other hand use the treat to lure them through so that they are standing between your legs
  4. When they are standing or even sitting nicely between your legs, say “middle” and feed them a few treats in a row… yum yum yum!
  5. Hold your dog’s collar or say, “leave it”, throw a treat out in front of you and say ‘OK’ to release them
  6. Repeat frequently to master but always end on a high, don’t wait for you and your dog to get tired or distracted

When teaching your dog the “middle” command, use positive reinforcement and practice in a variety of environments and situations to reinforce the behavior. It’s a versatile command that can improve your dog’s behavior and safety, making it a valuable addition to your dog’s training repertoire.

Fiona Whelan ~ Pet Behaviourist

Fiona has been working at the Training and Behaviour Centre as a behaviour specialist since 2002, and previously ran her own training and behaviour establishment in Lincolnshire for seven years so has a wealth of experience as a behaviour counsellor.