Training ideas that do not involve the nose!

A strange request but I need ideas for something to stimulate Cain's brain that will not use his nose.

Due to his pyoderma, the slightest knock on the nose is causing it to bleed I'm having to be very careful on walks, if he sniffs to much it bleeds, if he rolls it bleeds. I can't let him off lead in empty park to chase his ball in case he whacks his nose, I can't let him swim as I need to keep the wounds clean.

All of our current training activities (baby stacking rings, closing doors, dunking basketball etc) and tricks (roll over, shy dog, say your prayers, leg weaves) all involve him using his nose or at least risk him bashing it! Hes not very coordinated. I can't use most of his interactive food toys as he whacks them around with his nose, his Nina Ottosen puzzles are out for the same reason! Cant do the hidden treat hunt either as he rams his nose in everywhere searching. Never realised how much he uses his nose.

As walks are fairly restrictive, I'd like to train him to tire him out but I'm a bit stuck on ideas. He can practise sit, down, heel work, recall and send away but otherwise everything else seems a bit risky.... I have been doing some jumps and weaves in garden agility. His Kong seems safe enough. Wish I could get some big marrowbones to keep him busy.

Any ideas of games or tricks I can use with minimal risk of him being tempted to use his nose at all?

Positions on the move
Distance Control
Walking backwards
Walking sideways
Bowing
circling you
doing circles to left or right
walking through your legs
Sitting on his haunches
Standing on his hind legs
walking around a small stool with his front paws on stool like elephant
high five
..........................

that enough?

He can already do all of these, but we can certainly work on perfecting them

Won't try haunches right now as he falls over a lot when we try that previously and I think he's a bit big to be standing up. Like the sound of the stool but I know he will try to nose it repeatedly at first (always his first instinct when shaping with any object) so I'll save that for when his nose is better

Will give sideways walking a go. Think I'll use this time to work on distance control etc, he could use more general obedience work so I'll use this opportunity!

Cheers

But have you generalised ie can your dog walk backwards behind you in front of you, and whilst doing heelwork (on either side).

No we haven't and this is something we need to work on. For example he could bow in front of me, but it took him a while to learn to do it next to me too. I'm also in the habit of doing everything on my left and he gets totally confused if I need to switch sides, so another thing to work on!

Just took him in the garden (quite distracting for him) and did some basic obedience and he was actually really into I was pleasantly surprised. I think I will do some late night walks with him and do more training in the parks. In the day time it's so busy that I tend to be more in avoidance mode and I've let the outside training slip a bit. Will switch the focus to that as it's so important for him.

Maybe teach him to beg.

With Jess, her beg is to be in a sit, then pull her front paws up onto my tummy (she doesn't seem to like doing it without "holding on").

ETA Maybe you could try air scentwork with him, but put treats on higher surfaces so his nose doesn't touch as many things.

Have you tried paw targetting? I've done this one with Kiki
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9tOdmJLVl0

Leading on to the crossing paws trick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLqmmn7iBVo

You're welcome to pop over for that marrowbone in the week, I might not be about as I've got a few days holiday from work (OH spoiling me for my birthday with meals out and shopping trips!) but I can leave it out for you if you like

HTM.
Twirls,
weaves through legs,
Round,
Oggles (dog reverses through handlers legs)
bows
Jump over handlers leg,
walk back,
walk sideways,
heelwork on `wrong` side.
crawl
hi 5
etc
etc.

Foot targets are fun and useful, start on floor, extend to wall/door. Teach hind legs as well ---send dog backwards to a stool to stand on it.

Jumping over you.

rune

Thanks all, plenty to be getting on with there! I think I need to do an excel spreadsheet or something to keep track of all the things he can do as I forget