How to Teach Your Dog to Pull a Jenga Block Without Toppling the Tower

Before you can turn your pup into a Jenga prodigy, you’ll need to gather a few essential supplies. Having everything ready beforehand will make your training sessions smooth, fun, and effective. Think of this as setting the stage for success!

• A Jenga Set: A standard wooden Jenga set is perfect. You can also use any similar non-toxic wooden blocks. If you have a larger dog, consider a giant Jenga set for easier targeting, but be mindful of the weight if it topples.
• High-Value Treats: This is a challenging trick, so you’ll need to break out the good stuff! We’re not talking about their everyday kibble. Think small, pea-sized pieces of boiled chicken, cheese, hot dogs, or their absolute favorite store-bought training treats. The smellier, the better!
• A Clicker (Optional, but Recommended): A clicker is a fantastic tool for marking the exact moment your dog does something right. This precision is key for a delicate task like this. If you’re not using a clicker, a consistent verbal marker like a sharp “Yes!” works too.
• A Quiet Training Space: Choose a comfortable, distraction-free area. A carpeted floor is ideal as it can soften the blow (and the noise) when the tower inevitably falls, which might spook a sensitive dog.
• A Whole Lot of Patience: This is a marathon, not a sprint. Your dog won’t learn this in one session. Celebrate small progress, keep it positive, and remember that the goal is to have fun together.

Expert Tip: Cut your treats up into tiny pieces before you start. You’ll be delivering a lot of rewards, and you don’t want your dog to fill up too quickly or consume too many calories.

You can’t build a house without a solid foundation, and you can’t teach Jenga without a few core skills! Before we even build a tower, we need to teach your dog the basic mechanics of the game in a way they can understand. These foundational behaviors are the building blocks of the final trick.

Step 1: Teach a ‘Nose Target’ (The ‘Touch’ Command)

The ‘touch’ command is the cornerstone of this trick. You’re teaching your dog to touch an object with their nose on cue. It’s a simple, fun game that most dogs pick up quickly.

1. Hold a single Jenga block in the palm of your hand.
2. Present your hand to your dog, about nose-level. The moment their nose touches the block (even by accident at first), click your clicker or say “Yes!” and immediately give them a treat from your other hand.
3. Repeat this several times. Your dog will quickly realize that touching the block with their nose makes a treat appear!
4. Once they are reliably touching the block in your hand, you can add a verbal cue like “Touch” or “Target” right as they move to touch it.

Step 2: Transition to a ‘Gentle Nudge’

A simple touch isn’t enough; we need a controlled push. Now, we’ll shape that ‘touch’ into a ‘nudge’.

1. Place a single Jenga block on the floor.
2. Give your ‘Touch’ cue. When your dog touches it, reward them.
3. Now, wait a little. Don’t reward a simple tap. Wait for them to apply a tiny bit more pressure—a slight push or nudge that moves the block even a millimeter. The moment you see that extra effort, click/”Yes!” and give a jackpot of treats (several treats at once).
4. Practice this until your dog understands that pushing the block is what earns the big reward. We’re looking for a gentle, controlled nudge, not a frantic pawing or aggressive shove.

Keep it Positive: If your dog tries to paw at the block or pick it up with their mouth, simply ignore the behavior. Don’t scold them. Reset the block and wait for the correct nose nudge. Only reward the behavior you want to see!

With the foundation laid, it’s time to bring in the tower! This is where patience is truly a virtue. We will build up the difficulty so gradually that your dog barely notices. Remember to keep sessions short (5-10 minutes) to prevent frustration for both of you.

1. Start with a ‘Tower’ of Two: Create the simplest tower possible—just two layers of one block each. Place a third block on the bottom layer, but have it sticking out halfway. This is the ‘target’ block.
2. Cue the Nudge: Point to the protruding block and give your ‘Touch’ or ‘Nudge’ cue. Since your dog already knows how to push a single block, this should be a familiar task. The moment they successfully nudge the target block out, throw a party! Give lots of praise and a jackpot of treats.
3. Build a Small, Easy Tower: Now, build a 3 or 4-layer tower. Keep it stable and simple. Again, make one of the middle blocks stick out significantly. This makes the correct choice incredibly obvious for your dog. Reward them handsomely for nudging only that specific block.
4. Gradually Reduce the Protrusion: This is a critical step. As your dog gets consistent at pushing the easy, sticking-out block, start pushing it further into the tower. At first, it might stick out an inch, then half an inch, then just a quarter of an inch. This teaches them precision and to look for the right block to push. Go slowly here; if they start failing, make it a little easier again.
5. Increase the Tower Height: Once your dog is confidently and gently pushing blocks that are nearly flush with a small tower, you can start making the tower taller, one layer at a time. A taller tower is less stable, so this adds a new challenge. Their nudges must become even more gentle.
6. Introduce the ‘Jenga’ Cue: When your dog is reliably performing the action, you can add a new, specific cue like “Jenga!” or “Pull!” Say the word right as they are about to nudge the block. Soon, they will associate the word with the entire game.

In the world of dog Jenga, towers will fall. It’s not a matter of if, but when. How you react to these moments is crucial for your dog’s confidence. Here’s how to handle the most common bumps in the road.

My dog is too rough and knocks the tower over constantly.

This usually means you’ve progressed too quickly. The solution is to go back a few steps. Revisit the ‘gentle nudge’ exercise with just a single block on the floor. Use your clicker to mark only the softest, most delicate touches. Reward calmness and control above all else. Don’t even rebuild the tower until the gentle nudge is reliable again.

My dog seems scared when the tower falls.

A sudden crash can be startling! The key is to turn this scary event into the best thing ever. The second the tower falls, cheerfully say “Yay!” or “Party!” and toss a handful of high-value treats all over the floor around the fallen blocks. Your dog will learn that a falling tower predicts a super fun treat scatter. This changes their emotional response from fear to happy anticipation.

My dog loses interest or gets frustrated.

This is a sign that the training session has gone on too long or is too difficult. Always aim to end on a high note. If your dog successfully pulls a block, end the session right there with lots of praise and a big reward. Keep sessions under 10 minutes, especially at the beginning. If they’re struggling, ask for a much simpler behavior (like a simple ‘touch’ on a single block) and end on that success.

My dog just wants to chew on the blocks!

Wooden blocks can be very tempting for some dogs. This is where a solid ‘Leave It’ command comes in handy. If they start to mouth the block, say ‘Leave It’ and reward them for pulling their head away. Only reward nose-to-block contact. Never let them play with or chew on the Jenga blocks outside of your supervised training sessions; they are a tool, not a toy.

Once your dog has mastered the basic Jenga pull, you can add new layers of difficulty to keep their mind engaged. These advanced variations are for the true Jenga aficionados and will really show off your dog’s intelligence and your training skills!

Discrimination: Choosing the Right Block

So far, you’ve been making the choice obvious by leaving one block sticking out. The next step is to teach your dog to push a block that is flush with the tower. Build a small tower and gently tap the block you want them to move. Use your cue. This teaches them to target the specific block you’ve indicated. Over time, you can fade the tap to just a point.

Working from a Distance

Increase the distance between you and the tower. Set up the tower, walk a few feet away, and then send your dog to it with the ‘Jenga’ cue and a point. This builds incredible confidence and shows a deep understanding of the command, independent of your immediate presence.

Adding a Retrieval

For dogs who love to retrieve, you can combine skills. After they push the block out, give them a ‘Fetch’ or ‘Bring It’ cue to have them pick up the block they just removed and bring it to you. This creates a full gameplay loop! Be sure their retrieve is gentle so they don’t knock over the tower after a successful pull.

A Word of Caution: While it might be tempting to teach multiple dogs to play at once, this is recommended only for extremely well-trained dogs with zero history of resource guarding. The game can create excitement and competition, so for most households, it’s best to play Jenga with one dog at a time to ensure everyone stays safe and happy.