How to Teach Your Dog “Between”

The Between command teaches your dog to move between your legs, stay centered underneath you, and move with you.

The secret to teaching it is simple: Slowly build up. Don’t push your dog too far. Consistently take ground.

In the beginning, keep your dog on a leash and make the position extremely easy to understand.

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1. Guide Them Into Between

Start somewhere with minimal distractions.

Keep your dog on a leash and have food or treats ready.

1. Bring your hand down between your legs.

2. Say “Between.”

3. As soon as your dog moves into position, immediately reward them.

4. Take a couple steps forward while they’re still trying to eat the reward.

5. Continue rewarding during those steps.

In the beginning, only expect your dog to stay in Between for a couple seconds.

Your first goal is simply teaching them to be comfortable with the position.

2. Slowly Build Duration

Once your dog understands the basic position, begin adding a little more time.

Run with the philosophy: “What’s the difference?”

What’s the difference between:

• 4 seconds and 6 seconds

• 6 seconds and 8 seconds

• 8 seconds and 10 seconds

• 10 seconds and 20 seconds

etc.

Not much.

But eventually, those small increases turn into your dog holding Between for much longer periods.

Don’t jump too far too quickly.

Keep taking small amounts of ground.

Slowly Bring Your Hand Higher

For the first couple days, your hand may need to stay directly at your dog’s nose... that’s okay.

You’re helping them understand the position.

Once they’re consistently following your hand and staying in Between, slowly start bringing your hand a little higher.

Eventually, instead of having food directly at their nose, your dog should begin looking up toward your hand while continuing to move with you.

But don’t be afraid to go back down if your dog starts getting confused.

Going back to the basics doesn’t mean the training failed — sometimes that’s exactly what helps the dog understand the next step.

But keep the philosophy the same: The more they give you, the more you give them.

If your dog is doing an incredible job staying centered, looking up, and moving with you… make that worth something.

3. Keep the Leash On Until You Don’t Need It

In the beginning, they should have a leash on.

The leash gives you a way to guide them and add accountability if they break the position.

But the goal isn’t to depend on it forever.

As your dog gets better, you should notice that you’re using the leash less and less.

That’s when you can slowly begin graduating off of it.

Don’t rush that part.

If you’re still constantly using the leash to keep the position clean... they’re probably not ready to work without it yet.

Add Accountability Once They Understand It

Once your dog clearly understands Between, you can start adding accountability.

If they break position or stop moving correctly with you:

• Say “No.”

• Give a tug of the leash.

• Guide them back into the correct position.

• Then continue moving.

Don’t stop the whole exercise and turn it into a big event.

• Correct it.

• Put them back into the Between command.

• Keep going.

• Then, once they’re doing it correctly again… reward them.

Side Note:

In the beginning, your dog may be heavily dependent on your hand, food, or leash guidance.

That’s okay.

Your first goal is to make the dog comfortable with the position and help them clearly understand where they’re supposed to be.

The secret is not making massive jumps.

It’s consistently taking small amounts of ground.

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Key Takeaway

Teaching Between is all about gradual progression.

Start with:

1. A leash on.

2. Your hand at your dog’s nose.

3. Guide them between your legs.

4. Say “Between.”

5. Immediately reward.

6. Take a couple steps while continuing to reward.

7. Slowly build duration.

8. Gradually bring your hand higher.

9. Slowly graduate off the leash once you’re no longer using it.