Linking several individually trained behaviours together into one longer sequence, cued by a single command.
Chaining is a training method where several individual behaviours are linked together into one longer sequence, cued by a single command. Each behaviour in the chain acts as the cue for the next one, so the dog moves through the whole sequence with just one instruction from the handler.
A good example is a retrieve: the dog runs out, picks up the item, turns, returns, and drops it into the handler's hand. Each of those steps is trained separately before being linked into one flowing sequence.
Chaining is usually built in one of two directions.
Forward chaining teaches the first step first, then adds the next step once the first is solid, building the sequence in the order the dog will actually perform it.
Backward chaining teaches the last step first. For the retrieve example, you'd start by teaching the drop into hand, then add the return, then the pick-up, then the run out. The dog always ends the sequence on a step they already know well, which tends to build confidence faster.
Each behaviour still needs to be trained to a reliable standard on its own before it's added to the chain. Trying to link unreliable steps together usually causes the whole chain to fall apart partway through.
Adding a new step before the rest of the chain is solid is the main pitfall. It's worth keeping each individual behaviour strong before combining it with the next one.
Shaping builds a single behaviour gradually from small steps. Chaining links several already-trained behaviours together into one longer sequence.
Neither is universally better. Backward chaining often builds confidence faster because the dog always finishes on a familiar step, but forward chaining can feel more intuitive for owners to teach.
There's no fixed limit, but longer chains take longer to build and are more likely to break down if any individual step isn't solid. Most practical chains for pet dogs involve two to four steps.
