Impulse control is one of the most important skills you can teach your dog, especially if they struggle with excitement, frustration, or reactivity. But my philosophy is always that training should be fun for all, and games are a fantastic way to build self-control while keeping your dog engaged and having fun! Below are two of my favorite impulse control games that teach important impulse control skills while still being fun.
This is a game I made up called alternate sits. Stormy has a nasty habit of snatching treats that are intended for a different dog, and then sometimes fights break out and it's just bad news. Luckily this is easily managed, but here's a good game working on this exact scenario.
I ask my dogs for a sit, toss a treat for one of the dogs, and then reward the sitting dog for staying seated. In the beginning of this video, I make this game really easy by holding a treat in front of the seated dog's nose to keep their attention. The other dog chasing their treat is really just a mild distraction. But then as they get better at the game, you can ask the seated dog to stay or leave it, toss the treat for the other dog, and then reward your seated dog with a treat from your pocket instead. This teaches patience, delayed gratification, and that everyone gets their turn - she doesn't have to steal treats when her own is coming next.
I really love my flirt pole, and Stormy really REALLY loves it. This is her favorite game of all time and an easy way to wear her out quickly (be careful though - injuries can occur if the dog gets out of hand). This is also an excellent way to practice impulse control, specifically with prey drive. This satisfies her natural prey drive of chasing and 'killing' without prey actually being hurt. (Read the full blog on this here: https://scaredydoglv.podia.com/blog/flirt-pole-prey-drive ).
Because this is a high-energy exercise, it's good practice for drop it, leave it, and stay, but you will want to have a solid foundation these before trying with a flirt pole. A quick note on drop it, leave it, and stay: you'll want to use drop it if your dog already has something in his mouth, leave it if you want him to do anything except chase the toy, and stay if you want him to stay right where he is. There is some overlap, but you can practice with all three of these cues.