Philosophy
This program is built on one principle borrowed from the best in the game — Michael Ellis, Larry Krohn, Nate Schoemer, Jacob at Yorkshire Canine Academy: drive and engagement come before obedience.
You don’t start by telling a dog what to do. You start by making the dog want to do things with you. Then you add structure. Then the structure becomes the skill.
Tug → Fetch → Walking isn’t arbitrary. It’s a dependency chain:
Structured Tug (foundation)
→ builds drive, focus, out command, handler engagement
→ enables Solid Fetch (needs out, return, drive)
→ enables Loose Lead Walking (needs engagement, check-ins)
Each phase gives Melon something she needs for the next one.
The Progression
Phase 1: Structured Tug
What you’re building: Drive, focus, impulse control, the out command, and the idea that you are the most interesting thing in any environment.
Stages:
- Building Drive — Get her interested, build intensity, make the game valuable
- Rules & Structure — Out command, re-engagement, handler controls the game
- Obedience Integration — Sit/down earns tug, obedience becomes the on-ramp to play
Bonus games: 1-2 supporting games per stage that reinforce the core skill
Phase 2: Outdoor Fetch
What you’re building: A reliable exercise outlet that channels drive into something practical — chase, grab, return, out, repeat.
Stages:
- Foundations — Indoor retrieve mechanics, two-toy method, building the return
- The Structured Game — Complete fetch with rules, impulse control between reps
- Going Outside — Transferring the game to the real world with distractions
Phase 3: Loose Lead Walking
What you’re building: Engagement on the move. Walks as communication, not conflict. Melon checking in because she wants to, not because she’s being corrected.
Stages:
- Engagement Outdoors — Check-ins, name response, focus outside the house
- Leash Communication — Pressure and release, turns, pace changes, the conversation
- Real World Walking — Structured walks with increasing distractions, proofing
Session Design
Every session follows the same structure. See Session Blueprint for the full breakdown.
Length: 5-10 minutes. That’s it. Short sessions done consistently beat long sessions done occasionally. If you only have 5 minutes, that’s a session.
Frequency: Daily is the goal. 5 days out of 7 is reality. Miss a day, don’t sweat it. Miss a week, drop back one stage.
Timing: Whenever works. The old program was built around a fixed schedule — this one isn’t. After work, before work, on a day off. The best time is the time that actually happens.
Equipment
Tug Toys
You need at least two. Different textures help build drive variety.
- Firehose/French linen tug — durable, good grip for both of you
- Fleece tug — softer, good for dogs still building drive
- Avoid: rope toys (fray and get ingested), anything too small to grip safely
Fetch Toys
- Two identical balls — the two-toy method requires matching toys
- Tennis balls work but consider rubber balls (ChuckIt) for durability
- Size appropriate — big enough she can’t swallow, small enough to carry comfortably
Leash & Collar
- 6-foot leash — standard, gives enough room for communication
- 15-20 foot long line — for outdoor work before you trust off-leash
- Flat collar or well-fitted harness — whatever she’s comfortable in for now
Treats
- High-value, small, soft — she should be able to eat them in under 2 seconds
- Use for marker conditioning and obedience reps, not as the primary reward (play is the reward)
- Treat pouch on your hip so they’re accessible but not in your hand
Marker Tools
- Your voice. That’s it. See Marker System.
What About Down? What About the Old Program?
The original 90-day program and the Teaching Down progression aren’t gone — they’re absorbed. Down gets taught through the obedience integration in Phase 1. Duration and impulse control get built through the structure of tug and fetch. The games-based cycles were fun but scattered; this focuses the same principles into functional skills.
If you want the universal duration protocol for any behavior, it’s still here: Adding Duration to Any Behavior.
Melon’s Starting Point
| Skill | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sit | Solid | Reliable, can build on this |
| Down | Needs work | Inconsistent, will rebuild through play |
| Break/Free | Functional | Release cue works, implicit stay needs building |
| Impulse control | Naturally decent | Good temperament foundation |
| Marker response | Unknown | Need to sharpen YES/GOOD distinction |
| Tug drive | To assess | First sessions will tell us |
| Retrieve drive | To assess | Build through two-toy method |
| Outdoor engagement | Needs work | Foundation for everything in Phase 3 |
First step: Start Phase 1, Stage 1. The first few sessions are assessment and training — you’ll learn what you’re working with while you build.