Enhancing the Bond Through Dog Tricks
Engaging in trick training with dogs serves as a delightful way to enhance companionship, provide mental stimulation, and reinforce desirable behaviors and obedience skills such as impulse control. It’s important to remember that learning new tricks requires patience and consistent effort. To maintain your dog’s interest, the training sessions should be enjoyable, and breaks are recommended whenever frustration arises for either the trainer or the dog.
Trick #1: Hand Targeting
Hand targeting involves instructing the dog to touch its nose to the trainer’s hand upon command, effectively turning the hand into a magnetic tool for guiding the dog and establishing foundational behaviors for more complex tricks. This trick is particularly valuable for directing the dog away from potential dangers or off furniture without the need for reprimands. It can also encourage nervous dogs to investigate intimidating objects or individuals, though patience is crucial, and any signs of distress should prompt an immediate halt to the activity.
Teaching Hand Targeting:
Present an open hand near the dog’s nose with a treat in the other hand. Once the dog’s nose makes contact with the palm, reward it with praise and the treat. Progress to moving the hand further away, requiring the dog to step towards it. Upon mastery, introduce a verbal cue such as “Touch.”
Trick #2: Ready-Set-Down!
This dynamic trick involves initiating a run with the dog, then abruptly commanding it to stop and lie down. It enhances the dog’s listening and impulse control abilities, as the natural inclination to continue running is overridden by the command to lie down. This activity also promotes physical exercise for both the dog and the trainer.
Teaching Ready-Set-Down:
Start with the dog in a sitting position, then exclaim, “Ready, set, go!” and begin running together. After a short distance, command “Ready, set, down!” and halt. Reward the dog with praise and a treat for lying down or use the treat to guide it into the correct position. Repeat the process after a brief pause.
Trick #3: Hide and Seek
Hide and seek, a classic childhood game, can be adapted for dogs using a toy, treat, or the trainer as the object to be found. This interactive game encourages the dog to think and move, providing entertainment and mental engagement. It can also afford the trainer some personal time by having the dog search for treats throughout the house.
Teaching Hide and Seek:
Command the dog to sit and stay, then hide in an accessible location. If using oneself as the hidden object, call the dog’s name and wait for it to find you, calling again if necessary. If hiding a toy or treat, instruct the dog to search and assist in the discovery process. Celebrate with a treat upon success.
Trick #4: Army Crawl
Teaching the dog to perform an “army crawl” involves the dog crouching and moving along the ground. This trick may require patience, as dogs might attempt to stand up when the lure moves beyond a certain distance. Consistent, small movements are key until the dog understands the desired behavior.
Teaching Army Crawl:
With the dog in a lying position, use a hidden treat to entice it to crawl towards you, keeping the treat close to its body. Reward any forward crawling movement with the treat and praise, and introduce a verbal cue such as “Crawl” as the dog progresses.
Trick #5: Take a Bow
The “Take a Bow” trick involves teaching the dog to bow with its chest to the ground and rear in the air. While primarily a fun and entertaining trick, it can also serve as an impressive finale to a series of tricks.
Teaching Take a Bow:
With the dog standing, lure it into a bow by moving a treat downwards, close to its body. Encourage the dog to maintain the bow for a few seconds before returning to a standing position, rewarding the full bow with treats and praise. If the dog lies down completely, provide gentle support under its stomach during practice.
Dog clickers can be an effective tool in teaching these tricks. For more information, one can explore Clicker Training for Puppies, which is suitable for dogs of all ages. While these behaviors are beneficial to teach, it’s important to remember that treats should not exceed 10% of a pet’s daily caloric intake and that some pets may experience stomach upset with dietary changes.
