Hey {{first_name}} , it's Oscar.
Luring is how I teach every dog sit, down, and heel.
It's simple. It's effective. It works on puppies, adult dogs, even dogs who "hate training."
But here's the problem: if you don't fade it fast, your dog will never listen without food in your hand.
He'll sit when you hold the treat above his head. But the second you don't have food? He looks at you like you're speaking a foreign language.
Here's what we actually said.
In today's issue:
How to lure the right way (most people get this wrong)
Why rewarding intensity matters more than compliance
When to fade the lure (and how to do it)
What I'd do differently now (6 years later)
What Luring Is (And Why It Works):
Luring is using food (or a toy) to guide your dog into a position.
You hold a treat in your hand, your dog follows it, and you manipulate him into a sit, down, heel position - whatever you're teaching.
I first learned this from watching Michael Ellis and Forest Micke's videos. It's been around forever in dog training because it works.
But here's the key: it's a tool to get started, not a permanent solution.
The Right Way to Lure:
Here's how you do it:
Step 1: Use a good-sized treat. Not tiny kibble that falls all over the place. Cut-up hot dogs, cheese, something the dog can't easily drop.
Step 2: Cover the treat with your thumb. Don't hold it with your fingertips or you're gonna get bit if you have a very food-motivated dog.
Step 3: Let the dog dig in. You want him pushing into your hand, not just licking it.
Step 4: When he's following well, mark with YES and release the treat.
In the beginning, keep it short. I only want the dog following for a few seconds before I reward. I don't want to do a whole ton of luring before I pay him. I want to make a believer out of the dog and create some hope that you're going to give them the reward right away.
Eventually you can make it longer. But in the beginning? Short sessions. High reward rate.
Teaching Sit and Down with the Lure:
Once your dog is following the lure consistently, you can guide him into positions.
For the sit:
Lure up (above his head)
His butt naturally goes down
Mark with GOOD (duration marker)
Reward him in position
Release with OKAY
For the down:
Lure down (toward the floor)
He'll go down with his front paws first (that's okay, reward it)
Eventually ask for more (full down before reward)
Mark with GOOD
Reward in position
Here's the critical part: add the word AFTER the dog is already doing the behavior.
Don't say "SIT" when the dog has no idea what sit means. Say it when he's already sitting because he's following the lure.
So it goes: lure up → dog sits → say "SIT" → GOOD → reward.
Over time, the dog associates the word "SIT" with the action of sitting.
“I want the dog pushing into my hand, trying to get that treat. That's intensity.”
Rewarding Intensity vs. Just Compliance:
When I worked with Pete (a Shar-Pei Cocker Spaniel mix who was new to luring) he was licking my hand, not digging in.
That's not what I want.
I want the dog pushing into my hand, trying to get that treat. That's intensity.
So I added more movement to my hand to get him to dig in. Yes. A little more movement. Yes.
Why does this matter? Because intensity = engagement. A dog that's intensely focused on you is easier to train than a dog who's casually interested.
The Biggest Mistake: Not Fading the Lure
Here's where people screw this up:
They lure for weeks. Sometimes months.
The dog learns to follow the hand. But the dog doesn't learn the command.
So you end up with a dog who sits when you hold food above his head but ignores you completely when you don't have food.
That's not training. That's bribery.
You have to fade the lure early. That means after 3-5 sessions, you start doing the motion WITHOUT food in your hand.
You make the hand gesture. The dog sits. You mark it with GOOD. Then you reach into your pocket and pull out the reward.
The reward still comes. But it's not in your hand guiding him anymore.
This is how you transition from luring to actual obedience.
Rewarding Intensity vs. Just Compliance:
When I worked with Pete (a Shar-Pei Cocker Spaniel mix who was new to luring) he was licking my hand, not digging in.
That's not what I want.
I want the dog pushing into my hand, trying to get that treat. That's intensity.
So I added more movement to my hand to get him to dig in. Yes. A little more movement. Yes.
Why does this matter? Because intensity = engagement. A dog that's intensely focused on you is easier to train than a dog who's casually interested.
The Biggest Mistake: Not Fading the Lure
Here's where people screw this up:
They lure for weeks. Sometimes months.
The dog learns to follow the hand. But the dog doesn't learn the command.
So you end up with a dog who sits when you hold food above his head but ignores you completely when you don't have food.
That's not training. That's bribery.
You have to fade the lure early. That means after 3-5 sessions, you start doing the motion WITHOUT food in your hand.
You make the hand gesture. The dog sits. You mark it with GOOD. Then you reach into your pocket and pull out the reward.
The reward still comes. But it's not in your hand guiding him anymore.
This is how you transition from luring to actual obedience.
Common Mistakes I See:
Using tiny kibble that falls everywhere. The dog learns to scavenge the floor instead of following your hand.
Rewarding licking instead of intensity. You want the dog digging in, not casually licking your hand.
Luring for too long without fading. If you're still luring after 2-3 weeks, the dog is dependent on the food in your hand, not the command.
What I'd Do Differently Now (6 Years Later):
I used to lure for weeks. Now I fade it after 3-5 sessions max.
The longer you lure, the harder it is to get the dog off it.
I also learned to pay way more attention to intensity. Dogs that lick vs. dogs that dig in? There's a huge difference. The dogs that dig in learn faster, engage harder, and retain more.
So now, if a dog is just licking my hand, I add movement. I make him chase it a little. I create that intensity before I reward.
And one more thing: I used to think luring was just for pet dogs. But I use it in sport training too. The difference is I fade it FAST. Like, session 1-2 fast. Because in competition, you don't have food in your hand. You have to build obedience, not food dependency.
Your Action Step This Week:
Pick one behavior (sit or down) and practice luring.
Cover a treat with your thumb
Let your dog dig in
Guide him into the position
Mark with GOOD
Reward in position
Do 10 reps. That's it.
And here's the important part: if you've already been luring for a while, start fading it this week. Do the hand motion WITHOUT food. Reward after the dog does the behavior.
That's how you build real obedience.
FOUNDATION TO FUNCTION - COURSE LAUNCH!
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NEXT WEEK:
I'm breaking down place training. The one command that makes your dog easier to live with. If you've got visitors coming over or you take your dog to public places, this one's essential.
THAT'S A WRAP
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Until next week,
- Oscar Mora
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