Jordan Wells / Steady Paws Press / 2026-07-26

Step-by-step guide to the LAT (Look At That) game, one of the most effective methods for leash-reactive dogs. Learn how to set up sessions, troubleshoot common mistakes, and use th

The LAT Game: Teaching Your Reactive Dog to Look at Triggers (Not Lunge)

One of the most powerful tools in reactive dog training has a deceptively simple name: the LAT game. LAT stands for "Look At That," and if you've never heard of it, you're not alone. But trainers use it constantly, and for good reason. It works.

Unlike generic obedience training, LAT is specifically designed for dogs who react on leash. It teaches your dog a new, automatic response to triggers: instead of lunging or barking, they look at the trigger and then look back at you for a reward. Over time, seeing a trigger becomes a prediction of good things instead of something to panic about.

What the LAT Game Actually Does

The LAT game isn't about forcing your dog to ignore triggers or punishing them for reacting. Instead, it capitalizes on one of the most powerful learning principles in dog training: a trigger is just a cue. Right now, your dog has learned that "another dog appears" means "I need to react." The LAT game teaches a different association: "another dog appears" means "I look at that dog, then look at my owner, and then something good happens."

This shift is subtle but profound. You're not trying to suppress the reaction. You're teaching a competing behavior that's incompatible with lunging. A dog who is actively looking back at their owner and focusing on you can't simultaneously be lunging forward.

The magic happens through repetition in controlled environments. Your dog practices this new response hundreds of times at safe distances, far before you need it on a chaotic walk. By the time they encounter a real trigger on the street, the new response is automatic.

Setting Up Your First LAT Sessions

Before you take the LAT game to the real world, you'll practice it in low-distraction environments. This is crucial. You're teaching a new skill, and your dog needs to be able to think.

Start in a quiet location where you can see triggers at a distance but your dog is completely calm. A window overlooking a quiet street works. A bench in a park where dogs occasionally pass far away works. Not yet your neighborhood where the action is thick.

You'll need high-value treats—something your dog genuinely loves, not regular kibble. Soft, small pieces work best so your dog can eat them quickly and keep working.

Here's the setup: position yourself so your dog might naturally notice a trigger (a passing dog, a person on a bike, whatever your dog reacts to). Don't point it out. You're waiting for your dog to notice on their own.

The moment your dog notices the trigger and looks at it, mark the moment with a word ("Yes!") and immediately give a treat. Your dog doesn't have to do anything else yet. They just looked at the trigger.

Repeat. Over many sessions, your dog learns: trigger appears, I look at it, I get a reward.

After dozens of successful repetitions, you can add the second part. When your dog looks at the trigger, they'll naturally look back at you (because that's where the treats come from). When they make eye contact with you after looking at the trigger, that's your jackpot moment. Mark it enthusiastically and give your best reward.

Timing: The Silent Poison in LAT Training

LAT sounds simple, and the mechanics are. But the most common mistake isn't in the concept—it's in the timing.

If you mark and reward too late, you're accidentally reinforcing the wrong behavior. Say your dog looks at a trigger, and then starts to tense up or lean forward. If you reward now, you've just reinforced that tensing and leaning. It doesn't matter that the reward came after you said "Yes." Your dog's brain remembers what they were doing when good things happened.

The mark (your "Yes" or clicker) has to come the instant your dog notices the trigger, before any reaction builds. This is where a clicker shines—it's such a distinct sound that your dog immediately knows which moment you're rewarding.

Equally important: give the reward immediately. Don't wait. This isn't about obedience training where a slight delay is fine. The faster the reward follows the correct behavior, the faster your dog's brain makes the connection.

Another timing mistake happens when you reward too close to the trigger. If your dog is getting treats while they're still staring intensely at the trigger, they're not learning to look back at you. They're learning to stare. Move back or angle differently so you can reward your dog after they've broken eye contact with the trigger and given you their attention.

Troubleshooting Common LAT Setups

Sometimes LAT seems like it should work but doesn't. Usually, one of three things is happening.

First: your dog is over threshold during your practice sessions. If your dog is too close to the trigger or too worked up, they can't learn. The game doesn't work when your dog is panicking. You need to increase distance. A lot. If your dog is lunging during your setup, you haven't found their true trigger distance yet.

Second: your treats aren't good enough. This matters more than most owners realize. If your dog is only mildly interested in the reward, it won't override the excitement or anxiety around the trigger. Experiment with different foods until you find something that makes your dog's eyes light up. Canned fish, freeze-dried liver, chicken—test it.

Third: you're being inconsistent. LAT requires repetition. If you do five perfect sessions and then don't practice for a week, your dog doesn't consolidate the learning. Ideally, you're doing short LAT practice sessions several times a week, in various locations, at different distances.

From Practice to Real Life

Once your dog is solid with LAT in controlled settings—reliably offering the look-at-trigger-then-look-at-you sequence—you gradually introduce more distracting environments.

You're still staying at safe distances. You're still managing your route so you see triggers but your dog can remain calm. You're building the behavior from the ground up in real conditions.

This is a gradual process. Your dog won't suddenly be "fixed" after two weeks of LAT. But over weeks and months of consistent practice, the automatic response becomes stronger. Triggers start to mean "I look at that, then look at my human, and good things happen."

Many owners report that after months of LAT work, their reactive dogs start to offer the behavior without being prompted. They'll notice a trigger and automatically turn to their owner, looking for their reward.

Why LAT Works When Other Methods Don't

LAT works because it's built on how dogs actually learn. It doesn't ask your dog to override their emotions. Instead, it teaches them a new emotional association with the trigger. It doesn't require perfect obedience. It just requires your dog to notice and look.

Most importantly, it gives you something to do on walks besides hope your dog doesn't react. You have a plan, a method, and concrete steps. Your job is to stay consistent and patient, and your dog's nervous system will do the rewiring.

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