Tag: canine tricks


Bring it to Me

Dog Tricks – Teach Your Dog To Retrieve

Teaching your dog to run and retrieve is a very basic and easy training command for him to understand. It is one of the easiest of tasks to train your dog to do, such as pick up a newspaper or a piece of mail, and it’s fun too!
 
You can begin the exercise by first showing your puppy or dog how to focus on the area in which you want him to retreat from. You do this by simply pointing to the location with your finger. Your goal here is to get your dog to scope out the exact area while looking for something to bring back to you.
 
The best way to take care of this first step of retrieve training is to use little bits and pieces of dog food or dog snacks. Take out the food and just sprinkle two or three treats on the ground. Do not let your dog run to eat the food too fast. In fact, you should first train him to sit and stay until released, then you point to the ground and say "pickup", "pickup".
 
Each time your dog grabs a piece of food, drop another piece behind you and then point while giving the "pickup" command. As you can probably guess, your dog is going to associate the command you are giving him of "pickup" with the notion to look for something to put in his mouth. This part of training does not take long at all, especially if you are using tasty treats and by also training your dog when he is hungry, as this helps to increase his motivation.
 
The next step is to start throwing smaller non-food items instead of snacks. For example, after you throw a couple of treats and your dog responds to the "pickup" command, surprise him by tossing a small ball and then point and command him to pick it up, in the exact same manner that you did with the dog treats. By this time he should run to pick up the ball without hesitation and even start to bring it back to you. Be sure to praise him each time he does.
 
Finally, it is time to teach your dog how to drop the object in front of you after he retrieves it. Once your dog has the ball, or whatever object you are using, he should naturally run back to you expecting praise. Give him the "drop it" command and as you pet his head with one hand, take your other hand and pull the object out of his mouth and drop to the ground. Do this as often as you can. Tie the entire process together by starting from the beginning and tossing a ball for him to retrieve. From now on you will enjoy your dog coming back to you and dropping the object right at your feet, every time!

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How to Teach your dog to be “Tricky”

Dog Training: What Is The Best Way To Teach Your Dog New Tricks?

When teaching fun and useful tricks, keep your training sessions short and sweet, no more than five minutes each, and repeat the sessions one to four times during the day. For example, some days I’m busy and I only get one lesson in. Other days I have time for two or three. My dogs are up for anything and yours will learn, too, as long as you’re positive and use a positive step-by-step approach.
 
It is better to schedule training around feeding times. For example, before breakfast I’ll do a lesson. Both my dogs love treats, and since they are hungry they’re even more spunky. I end the lesson on a positive note and reward them with a yummy meal. Good dogs!
 
Always Use The Step-By-Step Approach
 
You might be asking, “what is the best step-by-step approach?” The answer is fairly simple. Each new routine has steps to follow, and you need to perfect each step before moving on to the next. But to give you a quick example, suppose you want to teach your dog how to jump through a hoop. The steps are:
 
Step One: Use a broom to create a low jump across a threshold, like a doorway. Prop up the broom with two objects of equal height, such as soup cans or, for a small dog, toilet paper rolls. Let your dog sniff the setup, then take him five strides and command "Over" as you take the jump together. Good dog! When you’ve perfected this you’re ready for Step Two.
 
Step Two: Show your dog the hoop, placing it flat on the ground so that your dog can step around and sniff it. Holding the hoop at ground level, lure your dog through with a toy or treat. As he walks through, he should hear the command "Through."
 
Step Three: Recruit someone to hold the hoop at the broom. The bottom of the hoop should be at the same level as the broom. Take your dog back down the runway, instruct "Over-through," and run up to the obstacle and encourage your dog through.
 
Step Four: Continue to work in the same threshold. Remove the broom. Encourage "Through." Good dog! Slowly raise the hoop to the height of your dog’s elbow (or hock). Once your dog perfects it here, you can branch out to other thresholds in the house. Got that? Now you’re ready for the big time! Encourage your dog to jump through wherever the hoop is placed.
 
So, teaching how to jump through a hoop is a four-step program. Because your dog can’t master an entire routine in five minutes, you’ll need to isolate each step and build on your dog’s successes.
 
For more great information, check out More Tricks for You and the Dog.

 

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