Does Your Dog Do Any Tricks?
- Thread starter chazhound
- Start date
but want one SO bad!!!!!
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2006
- Messages
- 1,083
- Likes
- 0
- Points
- 0
I absolutely LOVE to teach tricks to my dogs. I think that teaching tricks helps build the bond and the communication between humans and pets - AND it makes our pets more acceptable to other people because tricks are so fun to watch.
All of my dogs learn the basics in obedience and agility (heel [forwards, backwards, sideways], sit, down, stay, come, drop on recall, send out to jumps [high, bar and broad jumps], weave, teeter, dog walk and a-frame, chute) plus some learn retrieving the dumbbell, directed retrieves and jumping, scent articles, signal exercise.
But for tricks we have these:
All spin in circles (their choice which way - Dora goes both ways)
All wave good-bye (each has their own twist on that too .. *L*)
Trick (German shepherd): covers her nose when I ask "what stinks?", backs up when I say "you're too close!" (can back up clear across a parking lot), throws a toy into the air for me to catch, puts her head into a collar, pulls it out when I'm not looking and takes things out of a garbage can and then runs back and puts her head back in the collar (for an act we do), brings me my keys, the dog dishes, etc. when I ask, jumps over the other dogs, speaks and "sings", fetches a beer from the fridge, weaves through my legs.
Kylee (chow chow) - speaks and whispers, backs up, jumps over other dogs, brings slippers, etc., finds a $20 bill out of a pile of $1 bills, finds a card out of a group of cards (both scent exercises but the audience doesn't always know .. *L*), weaves through my legs.
Dora (chow chow) - stands square and wiggles her tail when I raise one finger (for conformation), rubs her nose with her paw when I ask "does your nose tickle?", weaves through my legs.
Tori (German shepherd) - spins like a whirling dervish and when I say "down" she drops so fast that she spins a half circle on the floor .. *L* .. she also covers her face with both paws when I say "peekaboo!". That's about all she can do - she's my "special needs" child.
Khana (chow chow) - speaks and whispers, covers her face with one paw when I ask "are you embarassed?", stands on her hind legs ("be a bear!" .. *L*), walks backwards, shakes her head "no" when I ask her questions (like "Is Holly going to beat you today?"), does a "dance" where she moves back and forth with her front legs, as I move back and forth to the music, weaves through my legs. Khana is just 18 months and I think she's got a great future full of tricks in front of her! *LOL*
Having two breeds that tend to scare some people, it's great that I can get them to do things to show that they have training and have good personalities. People really relax when the dogs start to do tricks, and it's a valuable thing to work on with any dog.
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
All of my dogs learn the basics in obedience and agility (heel [forwards, backwards, sideways], sit, down, stay, come, drop on recall, send out to jumps [high, bar and broad jumps], weave, teeter, dog walk and a-frame, chute) plus some learn retrieving the dumbbell, directed retrieves and jumping, scent articles, signal exercise.
But for tricks we have these:
All spin in circles (their choice which way - Dora goes both ways)
All wave good-bye (each has their own twist on that too .. *L*)
Trick (German shepherd): covers her nose when I ask "what stinks?", backs up when I say "you're too close!" (can back up clear across a parking lot), throws a toy into the air for me to catch, puts her head into a collar, pulls it out when I'm not looking and takes things out of a garbage can and then runs back and puts her head back in the collar (for an act we do), brings me my keys, the dog dishes, etc. when I ask, jumps over the other dogs, speaks and "sings", fetches a beer from the fridge, weaves through my legs.
Kylee (chow chow) - speaks and whispers, backs up, jumps over other dogs, brings slippers, etc., finds a $20 bill out of a pile of $1 bills, finds a card out of a group of cards (both scent exercises but the audience doesn't always know .. *L*), weaves through my legs.
Dora (chow chow) - stands square and wiggles her tail when I raise one finger (for conformation), rubs her nose with her paw when I ask "does your nose tickle?", weaves through my legs.
Tori (German shepherd) - spins like a whirling dervish and when I say "down" she drops so fast that she spins a half circle on the floor .. *L* .. she also covers her face with both paws when I say "peekaboo!". That's about all she can do - she's my "special needs" child.
Khana (chow chow) - speaks and whispers, covers her face with one paw when I ask "are you embarassed?", stands on her hind legs ("be a bear!" .. *L*), walks backwards, shakes her head "no" when I ask her questions (like "Is Holly going to beat you today?"), does a "dance" where she moves back and forth with her front legs, as I move back and forth to the music, weaves through my legs. Khana is just 18 months and I think she's got a great future full of tricks in front of her! *LOL*
Having two breeds that tend to scare some people, it's great that I can get them to do things to show that they have training and have good personalities. People really relax when the dogs start to do tricks, and it's a valuable thing to work on with any dog.
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2006
- Messages
- 1,083
- Likes
- 0
- Points
- 0
I went through a period of teaching the dogs "paw/face" tricks (hence the various ones for each dog .. *L*).
With Dora, I was able to shape it because she had an itchy nose, I guess, and every time she'd rub her nose I'd mark the behavior and reward it.
But with the others, I would lightly blow in their faces and they'd rub with a paw and I'd mark and reinforce. As soon as it was consistent, I put it on verbal and/or signal cue. I let each dog kind of put their own personality into it. Dora rubbed her nose, Trick laid down and covered her nose, Tori used both paws, and Khana used one paw but would do it sitting up. I like that they each have their own little quirks that make the trick their own instead of just like all the others.
Here's Khana covering her nose:
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
With Dora, I was able to shape it because she had an itchy nose, I guess, and every time she'd rub her nose I'd mark the behavior and reward it.
But with the others, I would lightly blow in their faces and they'd rub with a paw and I'd mark and reinforce. As soon as it was consistent, I put it on verbal and/or signal cue. I let each dog kind of put their own personality into it. Dora rubbed her nose, Trick laid down and covered her nose, Tori used both paws, and Khana used one paw but would do it sitting up. I like that they each have their own little quirks that make the trick their own instead of just like all the others.
Here's Khana covering her nose:
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
Tango knows the following, some are tricks, some aren't:
Stand- Hand & voice
Sit- Hand & voice
Stay- Hand & voice
Come- Hand & voice
Down- 2 hand signals & voice
Heel- hand & voice
Side (come to my left side) - Hand & voice
Front (sit in front of me) - Hand & voice
Bang! (play dead) - Hand & voice
Roll- Hand & voice
Paw, other paw- Hand & voice
Five- Hand & voice
Ten- Voice
Shake (as in physically shake, like she would if she was wet) - Voice
Get it (go get what we're pointing to)- Hand & voice
Leave it- Voice
Take it- Voice
Drop it- Voice
Hand (place object directly into my hand) - Hand & voice
Speak- Hand & voice
Bow- Hand & voice
Over (for jumps) - Hand & voice
Through (tunnel) - Hand & voice
Find it!- Voice
Lights (turn the light on or off) - Hand & voice
Bring it (Bring something to me) - Hand & voice
Nice/Gentle (means the same thing)- Voice
Off- Hand & voice
No.... (I never simply say no, it's 'no' followed with another word. Ex: No dig, No bark etc.)- voice
Get back/Go back/Back up- Hand & voice
Go to your place (her blanket) - Hand & voice
Go to bed (her crate) - Hand & voice
Lets go!- voice
Outside- Voice
Inside- Voice
Last one (when you're throwing a ball and you say this, she knows I'm not throwing it after that)- Voice
Get your ____! (Blank is usually a ball, Frisbee etc.) - Hand & voice
Focus (watch me and focus on me)- Hand & voice
Wait- Hand & voice
Up- Hand & voice
Wanna cookie?- Voice
Are you hungry?-Voice
What's that?/Who's there? (runs to the door to see if some one is here)- Voice
Dance- Hand & voice
Hold it- Hand & voice
Go/move/get out of the way- Hand & voice
Hurry up (when she goes outside)- Voice
Spin (turn in a circle to the left)- Hand & voice
'round (turn in a circle to the right) - Hand & voice
Turn (When I'm grooming her and want to do her other side, she turns the other way) - Hand & voice
Flat (Lay flat on her side. Most commonly used on the grooming table)- Voice
Half (Come up to a down position after laying flat)- Voice
Okay! (her release command)- Voice
I know I'm missing some of hers! lol...it was hard to think of just those even.
-------------------
The others only know these:
Sit
Down
Come
Stay
Wait
Take it
Leave it
Off
Crate/kennel
Hurry up
Outside
Inside
Wanna cookie?
Go for a walk?
Hand/Drop it
Five (Winston)
Sit pretty (Winston)
Roll-over (Tia)
They might know more, but I can't think of them right now.
Stand- Hand & voice
Sit- Hand & voice
Stay- Hand & voice
Come- Hand & voice
Down- 2 hand signals & voice
Heel- hand & voice
Side (come to my left side) - Hand & voice
Front (sit in front of me) - Hand & voice
Bang! (play dead) - Hand & voice
Roll- Hand & voice
Paw, other paw- Hand & voice
Five- Hand & voice
Ten- Voice
Shake (as in physically shake, like she would if she was wet) - Voice
Get it (go get what we're pointing to)- Hand & voice
Leave it- Voice
Take it- Voice
Drop it- Voice
Hand (place object directly into my hand) - Hand & voice
Speak- Hand & voice
Bow- Hand & voice
Over (for jumps) - Hand & voice
Through (tunnel) - Hand & voice
Find it!- Voice
Lights (turn the light on or off) - Hand & voice
Bring it (Bring something to me) - Hand & voice
Nice/Gentle (means the same thing)- Voice
Off- Hand & voice
No.... (I never simply say no, it's 'no' followed with another word. Ex: No dig, No bark etc.)- voice
Get back/Go back/Back up- Hand & voice
Go to your place (her blanket) - Hand & voice
Go to bed (her crate) - Hand & voice
Lets go!- voice
Outside- Voice
Inside- Voice
Last one (when you're throwing a ball and you say this, she knows I'm not throwing it after that)- Voice
Get your ____! (Blank is usually a ball, Frisbee etc.) - Hand & voice
Focus (watch me and focus on me)- Hand & voice
Wait- Hand & voice
Up- Hand & voice
Wanna cookie?- Voice
Are you hungry?-Voice
What's that?/Who's there? (runs to the door to see if some one is here)- Voice
Dance- Hand & voice
Hold it- Hand & voice
Go/move/get out of the way- Hand & voice
Hurry up (when she goes outside)- Voice
Spin (turn in a circle to the left)- Hand & voice
'round (turn in a circle to the right) - Hand & voice
Turn (When I'm grooming her and want to do her other side, she turns the other way) - Hand & voice
Flat (Lay flat on her side. Most commonly used on the grooming table)- Voice
Half (Come up to a down position after laying flat)- Voice
Okay! (her release command)- Voice
I know I'm missing some of hers! lol...it was hard to think of just those even.
-------------------
The others only know these:
Sit
Down
Come
Stay
Wait
Take it
Leave it
Off
Crate/kennel
Hurry up
Outside
Inside
Wanna cookie?
Go for a walk?
Hand/Drop it
Five (Winston)
Sit pretty (Winston)
Roll-over (Tia)
They might know more, but I can't think of them right now.