Luring

Luring is a training method where you use a treat or toy to guide your dog into a position or movement. The dog follows the lure with their nose, and their body follows their nose. Once the dog is reliably following the lure into the right position, you add a verbal cue and start removing the food from your hand.

Luring is often the first method new owners try, because it gets fast results. Hold a treat above a dog's nose and move it back over their head, and most dogs will sit without any pushing or pulling needed.

A typical luring sequence for "sit" looks like this:

1. Hold a treat at the dog's nose.
2. Move the treat slowly up and back over their head.
3. As their head tilts up, their bottom lowers to the floor.
4. Mark the moment their bottom touches down, then reward.

The tricky part is fading the lure. If you keep using food as a visual signal for too long, the dog learns to respond to the food rather than to a cue. The usual approach is to empty your hand after a few successful reps, keep making the same hand motion, and reward from the other hand or a pouch instead. This moves the dog from following food to following a hand signal, which can then be paired with a verbal cue.

Owners sometimes lure for months without ever fading the food out. This creates a dog who only responds when they can see a treat. Fading early, usually within the first few sessions, avoids this becoming a habit.