How to Teach the Up-Down Pattern Game for Dog Focus and Reactivity

By Dr Duncan Houston.

The Up-Down Game is a simple reward-based exercise that teaches a dog to eat a treat from the ground and then voluntarily reorient towards their handler.

Developed by Leslie McDevitt as part of the Control Unleashed® pattern games programme, it can help create engagement, predictability and communication in distracting environments.

It requires no obedience cues, forced eye contact or physical corrections. Your dog looks down for the treat, then back up towards you. Down, up, repeat.

Quick Answer

To play the Up-Down Game:

Place a treat on the ground near your feet.
Allow your dog to find and eat it.
Wait quietly for your dog to lift their head and orient towards you.
Mark that moment with a clicker or a word such as “yes”.
Place the next treat on the ground.
Repeat for five to ten repetitions.
Use a clear phrase such as “all done” to finish.

Your dog does not need to stare directly into your eyes. A voluntary turn of the head towards you is enough when beginning.

What Is a Pattern Game?

A pattern game uses a simple and predictable sequence of events.

The dog learns:

What will happen next
How to earn reinforcement
Where the reward will appear
That they can pause or disengage
How to reconnect with their handler

Predictability can be particularly useful for dogs that feel uncertain, distracted or overwhelmed in busy environments.

The Up-Down Game comes from Leslie McDevitt’s Control Unleashed® programme, which uses structured exercises to support dogs working around environmental distractions.

What Can the Up-Down Game Help With?

The game may help a dog practise:

Voluntary orientation towards their handler
Recovering attention after eating
Working around mild distractions
Settling into a predictable rhythm
Communicating that an environment is becoming difficult
Waiting while another person, dog or vehicle passes
Entering unfamiliar locations
Engaging before a training session

It may be useful:

At home
In the garden
During training classes
Beside a quiet walking path
In a veterinary clinic car park
In a waiting area with adequate space
Before guests enter the home
During planned behaviour-modification sessions

The game should be taught in an easy environment before it is needed in a difficult one.

What the Up-Down Game Does Not Do

The Up-Down Game is not:

A cure for aggression
A way to force a dog to ignore fear
A substitute for appropriate distance
A method for suppressing barking or lunging
An emergency restraint technique
A replacement for veterinary assessment
A complete reactivity treatment plan

A dog performing the pattern may still be uncomfortable. Eating treats does not automatically mean the dog feels safe.

Continue watching their posture, breathing, movement and ability to disengage.

What You Will Need

Prepare:

Small, soft treats
A clicker or consistent verbal marker
A clean, safe surface
A comfortable harness and lead when outdoors
Enough space from potential triggers
A quiet environment for the first sessions

Choose treats that are easy to see and swallow. Avoid food that rolls away, crumbles excessively or blends into the ground.

Treats should be included within your dog’s daily calorie intake.

Choosing a Safe Training Surface

The ground should be:

Clean
Dry
Non-slip
Free from chemicals
Free from sharp objects
Away from animal faeces
Easy for the dog to search

Use a washable mat if the floor is dirty or slippery.

Dogs with neck, back, shoulder or mobility problems may find repeated bending uncomfortable. Place treats on a low platform or raised surface if your veterinarian or rehabilitation professional recommends it.

Step-by-Step: How to Play the Up-Down Game

Step 1: Begin Somewhere Quiet

Start indoors or in another familiar, low-distraction area.

Stand comfortably with your dog in front of you or slightly to one side. Your dog may stand, sit or lie down. A formal position is not required.

Step 2: Place a Treat on the Ground

Place or gently drop one treat close to your feet where your dog can easily find it.

Avoid throwing it a long distance. Consistent placement makes the pattern easier to understand.

Step 3: Let Your Dog Eat

Allow your dog to lower their head, find the treat and eat it.

Do not immediately call their name or ask for a cue.

Step 4: Wait for Voluntary Orientation

After eating, wait quietly.

Most dogs will eventually lift their head or turn towards the person holding the food.

Your dog does not need to make prolonged eye contact. Mark the moment they begin orienting back towards you.

Step 5: Mark the Behaviour

Use a clicker or say “yes” at the exact moment your dog lifts their head or turns towards you.

The marker tells your dog which behaviour earned the next reward.

Step 6: Place the Next Treat Down

After marking, place another treat on the ground in the same location.

This begins the next repetition:

Treat down → dog eats → dog looks up → mark → treat down

Step 7: Repeat Briefly

Complete approximately five to ten repetitions.

A session may last only thirty seconds to two minutes. Stop while your dog is still comfortable and interested.

Step 8: Finish Clearly

Say “all done” and transition into another suitable activity, such as:

Sniffing
A small treat scatter
Resting on a mat
Walking away
Drinking water
A calm chew

A consistent ending helps your dog understand when the pattern has finished.

Do You Need to Hold a Treat Near Your Face?

No. The goal is voluntary reorientation, not following a food lure.

Holding food near your eyes may produce a glance, but it can also teach the dog to watch the visible treat rather than independently reconnect with you.

Begin by placing the food on the ground and waiting. If your dog does not look back, the environment may be too distracting or the game may not yet be understood.

Make the situation easier instead of repeatedly waving food near your face.

Eye Contact Is Not Required

Some dogs find direct eye contact uncomfortable, particularly when they are fearful, poorly socialised or unfamiliar with the handler.

You can initially mark:

Lifting the head
Turning an ear towards you
Rotating the head in your direction
Briefly glancing at your body
Taking a step towards you

The criteria can develop gradually as the dog becomes more comfortable.

Never hold your dog’s head or demand prolonged staring.

How to Choose the Right Treats

At home, ordinary kibble or lower-value treats may be enough.

In more distracting locations, use something more appealing, such as:

Chicken
Cheese
Soft commercial training treats
Freeze-dried meat
A veterinary-approved food suitable for your dog

Treats should be:

Small
Easy to swallow
Appropriate for your dog’s health
Valuable enough for the environment

Dogs with food allergies, gastrointestinal disease, pancreatitis, kidney disease or prescription diets may need specific rewards selected with veterinary guidance.

How to Increase Difficulty Safely

Change only one factor at a time.

You can gradually increase:

Distance from home
Environmental movement
Background noise
Proximity to familiar people
Proximity to calm dogs
Session duration
Novelty of the location

A sensible progression may look like:

Quiet room
Different room
Hallway
Garden
Driveway
Quiet street
Park at a quiet time
Greater distance from a known trigger

Do not jump directly from the living room to a crowded dog park. That is less of a training progression and more of a surprise exam nobody studied for.

Using the Game Around Distractions

Once the pattern is fluent, introduce mild, planned distractions.

For example:

Begin playing at a safe distance.
Ask a helper to appear briefly.
Continue the established pattern if your dog remains comfortable.
Let your dog pause and observe if needed.
Resume only if your dog voluntarily reorients.
Increase distance or leave if stress rises.

The goal is not to prevent your dog from noticing the environment. It is to give them a familiar way to process what is happening and reconnect with you.

The Game as an Emotional Barometer

The Up-Down Game can provide useful information about your dog’s ability to function in an environment.

A comfortable dog may:

Eat normally
Move smoothly
Reorient easily
Maintain a loose body
Pause and then return to the game
Recover quickly after noticing something

A dog who is struggling may:

Refuse food
Grab food frantically
Stop reorienting
Freeze
Stare continuously at a trigger
Pant excessively
Pace
Crouch
Attempt to escape
Bark or lunge
Become unable to follow the familiar pattern

If the pattern falls apart, listen to that information. Increase distance, lower the difficulty or leave.

What If My Dog Will Not Look Back Up?

First, wait quietly. Do not repeat their name or add multiple cues.

If they still do not reorient, consider whether:

The environment is too distracting
The treat rolled away
Your dog is still searching for food
Your dog is frightened
They do not understand the pattern yet
The reward is not suitable
They are tired or uncomfortable
Pain makes lowering and lifting the head difficult

Return to an easier environment and rebuild the pattern.

You can initially mark a smaller response, such as lifting the nose slightly from the floor.

What If My Dog Will Not Eat?

Refusing food can indicate stress, but it can also occur because of:

Nausea
Dental pain
Low appetite
Recent feeding
An unsuitable reward
Environmental heat
Medication effects
Illness

Do not repeatedly place food closer to your dog’s mouth or use the game to push them through fear.

Move away from the trigger and offer recovery time. If reduced appetite continues outside training, arrange a veterinary examination.

What If My Dog Becomes Frantic Around Food?

Some dogs become highly excited when treats appear.

Try:

Lower-value food
Slower hand movements
Shorter sessions
Larger but less exciting pieces
Beginning after a small meal
Placing rather than throwing treats
Taking calm breaks between repetitions

If your dog guards food or becomes aggressive around dropped treats, seek professional guidance before continuing.

Using the Game for Reactive Dogs

For a reactive dog, distance remains your most important safety tool.

Begin far enough from the trigger that your dog can:

Notice it
Eat normally
Move comfortably
Respond voluntarily
Disengage
Recover

If the dog is barking, lunging, freezing or unable to eat, they are not in an ideal learning state.

Move farther away. Do not use food to lure the dog closer to something they fear.

Reactivity can be associated with fear, frustration, pain, previous learning or other behavioural and medical factors. The Up-Down Game should form part of an individual management and behaviour-modification plan.

Using the Game at the Veterinary Clinic

Practise at home before attempting the game at a clinic.

A gradual plan may include:

Playing beside the parked car
Playing in the clinic car park
Playing outside the entrance
Playing briefly inside during a quiet visit
Using the game while waiting at a safe distance

If your dog stops eating, freezes or attempts to leave, pause and provide more distance.

Speak with the clinic before arrival if your dog has significant fear or aggression. Medication prescribed before the visit may be appropriate for some patients.

When Not to Use the Up-Down Game

Do not continue if:

Your dog is over threshold
Another dog is approaching too closely
Your dog is guarding dropped food
The surface is unsafe
Your dog is at risk of eating foreign material
Bending appears painful
Your dog is nauseous
The situation requires immediate evacuation
The game is increasing frustration
You cannot maintain a safe distance

Management and safety come before training.

Safety Around Multiple Dogs

Do not scatter or drop food between unfamiliar dogs.

Food competition can trigger conflict, even in dogs that usually appear social.

When training multiple household dogs:

Work separately at first
Use barriers
Provide adequate space
Prevent one dog from stealing another’s food
Watch for staring, freezing or blocking access
Stop if tension develops

Individual sessions usually create clearer learning and safer reinforcement.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Calling the Dog Repeatedly

The game is designed to capture voluntary reorientation. Repeating the dog’s name changes the exercise and may weaken their response to that cue.

Requiring Prolonged Eye Contact

A brief orientation is enough. Forced staring may create social pressure.

Progressing Too Quickly

Fluency at home does not guarantee success beside a busy road or barking dog.

Using the Game Too Close to a Trigger

Pattern games do not cancel fear. Distance must still be appropriate.

Continuing When the Dog Stops Eating

Treat refusal may mean the environment is too difficult or the dog feels unwell.

Throwing Treats Unpredictably

Consistent placement creates the pattern. Food rolling under furniture or into grass can turn the game into a frustrating search.

Using Aversive Corrections

Lead jerks, shouting and physical corrections undermine the predictability and safety the game is intended to create.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends reward-based methods for dog training and behaviour modification. Read the AVSAB humane training position.

A Simple Seven-Day Training Plan

Day 1

Practise five repetitions in a quiet room.

Day 2

Complete two short sessions in the same room.

Day 3

Practise in a second room.

Day 4

Practise near an open doorway while remaining indoors.

Day 5

Practise in a quiet garden or enclosed outdoor area.

Day 6

Add one mild, controlled distraction at a comfortable distance.

Day 7

Practise in a quiet real-world location for less than two minutes.

Progress according to your dog’s behaviour, not the calendar. Repeat a stage whenever needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my dog need to sit?

No. Your dog may stand, sit or lie down, provided they are physically comfortable and able to participate.

Should I say “look” or call my dog’s name?

Usually not during the basic game. Wait for voluntary orientation and mark it.

How many repetitions should I do?

Five to ten repetitions are often enough. Short, successful sessions are more useful than long sessions that create fatigue.

Can puppies play the Up-Down Game?

Yes. Use tiny treats, clean surfaces and very short sessions.

Can senior dogs play?

Yes, provided they can comfortably lower and lift their head. Modify treat height for dogs with arthritis, weakness or spinal discomfort.

Can I use kibble?

Yes, if your dog finds it rewarding enough for the environment.

Will it stop my dog barking at other dogs?

Not by itself. It may support attention and communication, but reactivity requires appropriate management, distance and an individual behaviour plan.

What if my dog pauses to watch something?

That is acceptable. Give them time to observe. Mark and continue if they voluntarily reorient and remain comfortable.

Can I play without a clicker?

Yes. Use a short, consistent marker word such as “yes”.

How do I know when to stop?

Stop if your dog disengages, refuses food, becomes tense or cannot follow the familiar pattern. You can also finish after a few successful repetitions while your dog is still enjoying the activity.

Final Thoughts from Dr Duncan Houston

The Up-Down Game is simple, but its value lies in what it teaches: voluntary engagement, predictable reinforcement and clearer communication.

Practise it first when life is easy. Once the pattern is familiar, it can provide a useful point of connection when the environment becomes more challenging.

Let your dog choose to participate, watch their body language and remember that the game should support safety rather than replace it.

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About the author

Dr Duncan Houston

Veterinarian · Founder of ASK A VET

Every ASK A VET article is written and reviewed by qualified veterinarians.

About Dr. Duncan →drduncanthevet

How to Teach the Up-Down Pattern Game for Dog Focus and Reactivity