Teaching Tricks!

Hiya,

For a long time now I have wanted to teach Jess 'tricks' as I know she is a bright girl and will pick them up easily and inspired by 'buddy' on last nights Dog Borstal I want to start straight away!

I decided not to start them as soon as we got her and concentrate on the main commands, sit, stay, come, paw etc and now she is doing very well with them.
I want to start teaching her ticks for fun as I have ALOT of time to devote to doing this, seen as how we are together all day and night also it will be a great way to show Jess's talents off when my friends are over... hehe

So what I would like to know is how other people do this, I look up on google and things but the searches mainly come up with how to do basic training, which I already know...

I have started her with what I call 'round and round', basicly her running in a circle on the spot and she is doing ok with this (only started that yesterday) with how im teaching her it, she also does 'dancing' another trick I taught her (standing on hind legs and me holding her paws she starts walking backwards and forwards and side to side on her own accord, very cute! ) but I dont have a clue how to teach her to roll over and things.

Any information on tricks your dog does and how you taught them would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers guys

kye xxx

PS... If anyone knows of a good book that teaches how to do doggy training tricks I would love to know about that too.

I was inspired after watching Richard Curtis's display at Discover Dogs back in Nov, he does fantastic heelwork to music stuff with collies and pwd! Anyway, bought a book while i was at the event called 'Dog Tricks' by Mary Ray and Justine Harding.

I had taught bodie a bit before getting the book using the clicker e.g. rollover, give left and right paws, spin, leg weave and stand from sit + down + while on the move

Following the book, Bodie has learnt to die (dramatically sometimes), stand tall, walk backwards from a distance through my legs and currently working on the backwards circle around your legs.

Thanks, that sounds like a great book, im going to have a look for it on Amazon... Cheers!

You`ll not find anything much better than this imo


*Definately* well worth you bookmarking her site too for general info and tips

dancing with dogs by mary ray is brilliant. gives loads of step by step ways to go tricks, and also incorporates heel work to music. my sam loves learning new tricks, gets very excited!!! do you use a clicker by the way?

Some tricks should only be done when a dog is at a certain age so as not to put pressure on their joints. I think it is the high 5 and other standing ones. Something we were told in puppy class. Just can`t remember which ones and when. Might be worth checking up on though.

Aww sounds as though she will be great

I'm not sure if it is anything to be aware of though as I have never done this sort of thing but do you have to be careful of some of the movements involved with some tricks when they are still pups and until they are done growing? (like with agility)

Edited to add: posted at the same time as fudgeley

Thanks for this I will bear that in mind.

I have ordered a dog tricks book on Amazon yesterday, cant wait for it to arrive!

I have found that food rewards work wonderfully well.

After having an overweight puppy - I have found that just the tiniest reward (dried liver- about the size of my little finger nail) works very well.

I only have to hold my clenched fist anywhere above her head and she will sit and beg/ask. It is only for a second or two at first.

Of course we all worry if we are doing harm to our pup, but when you see them zooming around in the back yard, is it too much to ask that they zoom right or left?

Most puppies are more resiliant than we imagine.