Glossary

Luring

A teaching method in which a treat held near the dog's nose guides it into a position, such as sit or down, which is then rewarded.

Also called: lure, lure-reward training, food lure, lure and reward

In luring, the trainer holds a treat or toy near the dog's nose and moves it so that the dog's head and body follow. A treat lifted slightly above and behind the nose, for example, makes most dogs sit. When the position is reached, the dog gets the treat.

It is one of the quickest ways to teach basic positions, and it suits beginners and puppies. The weakness is that dogs can come to work only when food is visible. To avoid that, trainers fade the lure quickly: the empty hand makes the same motion, the dog is rewarded afterward from a pocket, and the motion later turns into a hand signal.

Luring differs from capturing, which waits for the dog to offer the behavior, and from shaping, which builds it in small steps.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Capturing Marking and rewarding a behavior the dog offers on its own, such as sitting or lying down, so that it happens more often. Shaping Building a new behavior in small steps by rewarding each step that gets closer to the final goal. Positive reinforcement Adding something a dog likes right after a behavior so that the behavior becomes more likely to happen again. Cue A word, gesture or situation that tells a dog a particular behavior is available and will be rewarded.