Toss → Back to You
This is one of the simplest — and most useful — patterns you can play.
Toss → Back to You is a short, repeatable loop that builds re-engagement after movement. The dog leaves you to get a treat, then immediately turns back to reconnect. No cues. No setup. Just a clean pattern that rewards choosing to come back.
It’s a foundational game you can use as a warm-up, a reset, or a low-pressure way to practice engagement in everyday life.
What You’ll Need
An open, quiet space
Small, tasty treats
A dog who is comfortable eating food off the ground
How to Play It
Toss a treat away from you.
Let your dog eat the treat.
When their head comes up off the treat, mark and toss the next treat away— 🚫 no treat to mouth.
Repeat
As your dog understands the pattern, gradually increase the distance between you and the bowl so they travel farther each time.
3 in 3 Breakdown
Skills
Re-engagement after reinforcement
Your dog practises finishing the food and immediately turning back to you, building the habit of reconnecting once reinforcement is gone instead of disconnecting or lingering.
Recall foundations (choice-based)
Without calling or prompting, your dog learns that coming back to you is the next step in the pattern. This supports recall skills without pressure or formal cues.
Clean transitions
The game teaches smooth movement between “go away” and “come back,” helping your dog switch gears without hesitation.
Enrichment
Problem solving (mental stimulation)
Your dog tracks the pattern, remembers what comes next, and stays engaged in the loop. It’s simple, but it still requires focus and thinking.
Social enrichment
You’re actively doing this together. It’s real one-on-one time that feels more like fun than work, building communication, cooperation, and connection.
Confidence building
The predictability of the game creates fast, easy wins. Your dog knows what’s coming and how to succeed.
Movement
Functional movement
Repeated trips away from you and back again add purposeful movement without requiring space, equipment, or a long session.
Controlled starts and stops
Each rep includes acceleration, deceleration, and turning — useful for building coordination in a low-impact way.
Body awareness
Each repetition asks your dog to shift weight, turn their body, and change direction smoothly, helping them practise coordinated movement through space.
