Game-Based Puppy Training: 10 One-Minute Fun Games for Recall, Drop It, Leave It

Turn Playtime Into Powerful Puppy Training Over the Next Few Weeks

Calling a puppy in from the garden or off a beach walk can feel like a coin toss. Will they race back or keep sniffing that perfect seaweed, chasing a gull, or watching a jogger go by? Reliable recall, Drop it, and Leave it are the skills that keep your puppy safe and help you both enjoy relaxed walks, from quiet kitchens to busy parks and Irish beaches.

Those skills do not grow from long, serious lessons. They grow from tiny, fun moments you repeat every day. Game-based puppy dog training uses one-minute play drills that plug into what puppies already love: chasing, grabbing, running, and checking in with you. Across late-winter afternoons and brighter spring evenings, you can slot these ten games into your day, indoors or outdoors, and gently build up to real-life distractions over the next couple of weeks.

Foundations First: Rewards, Set-Ups, and Safety (Week 1 Focus)

Before we get into the games, we need to talk about rewards. A “proper reward” is something your puppy truly cares about, not what we think they should like. This might be:

• Soft, tiny food treats that are easy to eat

• A favourite toy, like a tug rope or ball

• Short bursts of play, such as chase or gentle wrestling

• Sniff breaks or a chance to explore a spot they enjoy

Payment matters. When your puppy does something hard, like leaving a dropped chip or coming away from another dog, they are making a choice. We want that choice to feel worth it. That is why we use rewards often and generously at the start.

Across the first week, focus on getting this reward system right.

Set your puppy up to win. Use:

• Leads and long lines outdoors

• Baby gates and pens indoors

• Quiet rooms with fewer smells and sounds

This way, you can control what your puppy can reach, which lets you teach calmly instead of constantly stopping problems. Timing also matters. Mark the exact moment your puppy gets it right with a clicker or a happy “Yes!”, then reward quickly. The clearer the pattern, the faster they understand.

Keep sessions short. Aim for 3 to 5 one-minute drills across the day instead of a long block. In February, use hallways, kitchens, and sheltered gardens when the weather is wild. As spring days brighten, take the same games outside to the garden, a quiet lane, then new walking routes over the coming weeks.

One-Minute Recall Games That Make You Magnetic (Weeks 1, 2)

Recall is not just a word. It is an emotion. We want your puppy to feel that running to you is the best game in reach.

Game 1, Ping-Pong Puppy

Two people sit or stand several metres apart indoors. Take turns calling the puppy once in a cheerful voice. When the puppy reaches you, mark and reward with treats or a short play burst. Let them bounce back and forth like a little tennis ball. Over the first week, progress by:

• Standing further apart

• Moving into the garden

• Practising at a quiet park on a long line

Game 2, Run Away, Puppy Chases

Show your puppy a treat or toy, say your recall word once, then turn and jog away a few steps. Puppies love to chase. When they catch you, mark and reward. Keep it light and fun, not a sprint. To progress during week 2, run past a dropped toy on the floor or practise outside on a long line, keeping distractions low at first.

Game 3, Middle Position

Stand still. Call your puppy and gently guide them to come between your legs from behind, facing forward. Mark and reward. This “middle” spot becomes a safe home base in busier places, like paths with bikes or children. Later in the second week, ask for middle while a family member walks past, then near a quiet path where cyclists or joggers move at a distance.

Use the same recall word every time, reward all early responses, and avoid repeating yourself. One clear cue, then a party when your puppy chooses you.

Drop it Games That Turn Letting Go Into Fun (Week 2)

Drop it is about teaching your puppy that giving things up makes good things happen. This keeps sticks, tissues, and random finds from turning into battles and helps prevent guarding habits.

Game 4, Trade-up Tug

Play tug for a few seconds. Then hold the toy still and place a higher-value treat right by your puppy’s nose. When they let go, calmly say “Drop it”, feed the treat, then restart the tug game. Progress by waiting a second before restarting the game, keeping it fun and upbeat.

Game 5, Treasure Swap

Gently roll a low-value toy or safe object away. When your puppy picks it up, walk over calmly. Offer a treat at their nose, say “Drop it” as they release, then roll the item again as part of the reward. Over time, move to slightly more interesting objects, but keep the success rate high and your tone cheerful.

Game 6, Moving Drop it

On lead, let your puppy carry a toy as you walk. Say “Drop it”, offer a treat, then praise and invite them to pick the toy up again and keep walking. This moving pattern is great for real life, such as sticks on Westport beaches or finds on country lanes. When they are steady, add mild distractions like people at a distance or calm dogs they can see but not reach.

Leave it Games That Protect Your Puppy Outdoors (Week 2+)

Leave it means “look away and disengage from that thing”. It is not just “do not eat it”; it is “make a different choice and I will pay you for it”. That keeps your puppy safe around dropped food, rubbish, or wildlife.

Game 7, Hand Snack Refusal

Put a treat in a closed fist. Let your puppy sniff and explore. The moment they move their nose away or pause, mark and reward with a different treat from your other hand. Progress by opening your hand a little. Only reward when your puppy chooses to look away from the visible treat or look back to you.

Game 8, Floor Temptation

Place a treat under a clear plastic container on the floor. When your puppy backs away or glances at you, mark and reward from your pocket. They learn that ignoring the item makes rewards appear. Progress to uncovered food, then non-food items like dropped tissues or wrappers, always paying for the choice to leave them.

Game 9, Walking Leave it

Scatter a few low-value bits along a short route. Walk your puppy on lead. As you near a piece, say “Leave it” in a calm, steady voice. When your puppy glances up at you, mark and reward, then carry on. Later, practise near real-world temptations like outdoor seating areas, setting it up so your puppy cannot reach the item even if they try.

Keep Leave it positive. It is a clear request followed by a reward, not a scolding.

From Quiet Kitchen to Busy Park: Distraction Plan for Two Weeks

Think of training like a ladder. The bottom rung is a quiet room. Then:

• Garden or yard

• Driveway or very quiet lane

• Calm park or open field

• Busier paths, parks, and beaches

  
  

If your puppy struggles, step down a rung and make it easier again.

Game 10, Distraction Ladder Mix

Over the next couple of weeks, pick one recall game, one Drop it game, and one Leave it game. Play each for one minute in your easiest spot, such as the kitchen. Then repeat outside on a long line. When that feels smooth, move to a new environment like a different walking route. You are teaching your puppy that the game rules stay the same, even when the world changes.

Think about “distraction budgets”. In a brand-new place with birds, dogs, and smells, lower the difficulty of the game and raise the value of your rewards so your puppy can still succeed. As late winter shifts into early spring and you get out more, play a couple of one-minute drills at the start and end of walks. That way, your puppy practises listening when they are excited and when they are starting to tire.

It can help to keep a simple weekly log: which games you played, where you played them, and how your puppy did. This makes progress visible and keeps you purposeful with training, rather than guessing day to day.

Reliable recall, Drop it, and Leave it do not appear out of nowhere. They grow from tiny, playful moments that repeat, day after day, until choosing you feels like the best game in town.

At Paws Academy Dog Training, we use positive, reward-based, game-style work in our online programmes and our in-person classes in Westport and Ballycroy, so puppies learn to listen with happy, relaxed bodies.

Ready for the Next Step?

If you would like a clear plan for the next few weeks, our Online Puppy Club continues these ideas with structured lessons, feedback from a qualified dog behaviourist, and fresh seasonal challenges that fit into real life, from rainy afternoons to bright spring walks. Join our online puppy club to get week-by-week guidance, support, and new games to keep your puppy progressing.

Help Your Puppy Grow Into A Confident, Well-Behaved Dog

If you are ready to set good habits from the very start, our tailored puppy dog training programmes at Paws Academy Dog Training are here to support you. We focus on practical, everyday skills that make life easier for both you and your pup. If you have questions or would like guidance choosing the right course, simply contact us and we will be happy to help.