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Nothing Game

What is the Nothing Game?

The Nothing Game teaches your dog that when nothing is happening, nothing needs to happen. Instead of scanning the room, pacing, or waiting for the next cue, your dog learns that settling down is its own reward. It's one of the simplest exercises we teach at Wiggle Butt Academy, and one of the ones our clients tell us made the biggest difference at home.


Who it's for

  • Dogs that are always "on" — watching every movement, jumping up at every sound

  • Adolescent dogs who struggle to switch off after play or a walk

  • Anxious or reactive dogs who need a reliable way to come down from arousal

  • New puppies learning that quiet time is part of the routine

  • Any dog whose family wants a calmer companion in the living room, at the vet, or on the patio at a restaurant


Why it works

Most training rewards a dog for doing something: sit, down, come. The Nothing Game flips that. You reward the absence of behavior — a relaxed body, a sigh, a head resting on the floor. Because calm gets reinforced, calm becomes the default. Over time your dog stops needing you to manage the environment for them; they learn to manage themselves.




The Nothing Game was originally developed by Sue Sternberg. We've adapted her exercise for the dogs and families we work with at Wiggle Butt Academy.


How to play

  1. Get set up. Walk your dog on leash to your spot, put the towel or mat at the foot of a chair, and sit down.

  2. Shorten the leash. Fold it in your hand so your dog has about 12 to 18 inches between the collar and your hand.

  3. Check out. Rest your hands (still holding the leash) between your knees and disengage completely: no looking, talking, or petting. Your dog may fuss or protest at first. Ignore all of it.

  4. Reward the down. When your dog lies down (and they will, eventually), place a treat on the ground between the front paws. If they stay down, drop another treat between the paws right away.

  5. Reset if they get up. No correction, no comment. Just wait until they lie down again, then treat. As long as they stay down, keep the treats coming, up to five in a row.

  6. Add duration. Once your dog is settling reliably, start spacing the treats out. After they lie down, count to one, then treat. Count to two, treat. Work up to a ten count, then start mixing in random counts so your dog never knows when the next treat is coming and gets comfortable just hanging out doing nothing.


Making it harder

Once your dog settles quickly and easily in your quiet spot, start raising the bar. Change only one thing at a time.

  1. Change the location. Move to a different room, then the backyard, then the front porch. Each new spot is a fresh start, so expect to drop back to quick, frequent treats for the first session or two.

  2. Add distractions, slowly. The order below runs from easiest to hardest. Don't jump ahead; if your dog can't settle at one level, go back a step.

    • Another person in the room, sitting still

    • The TV on

    • Another pet in the room

    • People or pets moving around

  3. Stretch the time between rewards. Whether you're paying with treats or with attention, keep lengthening the gap. The end goal is a dog who lies down and stays relaxed with only an occasional treat, or none at all.

If your dog pops up more than a couple of times at a new level, that's your signal the jump was too big. Make it easier, get a few wins, and try again.


Tips for success

  • Start somewhere boring. The first sessions should be in a quiet room with no distractions, not the backyard.

  • Keep sessions short. Five minutes is plenty. End before your dog gets restless.

  • Reward quietly. A treat placed calmly between the front paws keeps the energy low. No praise parties.

  • Watch for real relaxation, not just stillness. A dog holding a down while staring at the door isn't relaxed yet.

  • Practice when you don't need it. If you only play the Nothing Game when your dog is already wound up, it won't be there when you need it.


Common mistakes

  • Talking to the dog. The point is that you're doing nothing too.

  • Moving too fast to busier locations before calm is solid at home.

  • Ending the session because the dog got up. Just wait; calm comes back.


Need help?

If your dog struggles to settle even in a quiet room, that's often a sign of something bigger than a training gap — and it's exactly what we work on in private sessions and our board-and-train program for fearful and anxious dogs. Meet our team or contact us to talk it through.

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