Tricks

Please only teach tricks that would be appropriate to your dog, for example spinning may not be a good trick for a breed that has problems with tail chasing.

You may have y our own method of training these tricks, for those that do not I will outline a method that is quite easy to use.

First have a bowl of small sized treats that your dog may like to train for.

Next think of a special short word that you can use to tell your dog that it has done the right behavior and will be receiving a treat. This can be a short word like Kool, Great or super or even bridge, marine mammal trainers use whistles; as do some dog trainers who may also use clickers or special words. This special sound or word is called a 'bridge' and is always followed by a reward.

You then teach your dog that your new 'bridge' means that a reward is following by saying the new special word (known as a bridge) as you give a treat. It is good to remember though that anything that is rewarded is likely to be repeated so make sure your dog is not misbehaving when you say the bridge. Most dogs catch on to the association of food to the new word very quickly and enjoy this type of training immensely J.

It might help if you think that using your 'bridge' is like taking a photo for your dog of the behaviour that you will be paying. This will increase the likelihood of it being repeated. If you gave me $50 for standing on one foot I may try it again!! You will also notice that the 'bridge' ends the behaviour, even though I run over to get the $50 I will go back again to try for another.

Next you need to think of how you will place your dog in the positions required to teach the trick. You could do this by using a 'lure' which is a piece of food enclosed in your hand that your dog will follow with its head. Alternatively you can teach your dog to target your hand (for example put their nose to your hand) without food being in it, which is the preferred method by many professional trainers.

Teaching a nose to hand target is done simply by touching your dogs nose with your hand and at the same time saying your 'bridge' and then providing a reward. After a few times you can hesitate slightly before touching his nose with you're hand and you will find that he will begin to move to touch your hand himself. Your dog will learn very quickly that by touching your hand he will receive a reward. This will enable you to teach your dog to follow your hand with his nose and make teaching tricks much easier. When you are training like this take very small steps and reward often in the initial stages of teaching. Once you feel he understands then you can begin to move your hand to different positions, using your bridge and rewarding often to maintain the enthusiasm until he begins to eagerly follow your hand around. Lots of small training sessions are great and can often coincide with commercial breaks in our house.

Teaching a foot to hand target can be done by you simply touching your dogs foot with your hand and at the same time saying your 'bridge' and following with a reward. After a few repetitions your dog will begin to anticipate your hand touching the foot and begin to help you out by raising the foot. You can then begin to 'bridge' only the best efforts.

I tend to teach something first and then label it later, for example once the dog begins to consistently touch my hand with its foot then I would start saying 'paw' just before putting my hand out for the touch. Once the dog was reliably putting its nose to my hand I would say 'touch' just before putting my hand out for the touch. I tend to teach a sit and when it is how I like it then I would teach the label by simply saying it prior to getting the sit. Some trainers start off with the naming the trick while they are teaching, its just an individual preference.

A couple of tips - it is quite normal to have a learning plateau where your dog will appear to forget the trick sometime after learning it, just teach it again from the start and you have it for life. Don't ever reward or acknowledge your dog for doing the trick without you asking or you will find it could quickly become an attention seeking endeavour. Take your time and don't worry about mistakes, your initial progress is in centimetres for the first trick and once you have mastered a few tricks and you both know how this works they will become much easier. Make your training clear and slow so your dog doesn't need to be guessing, if you have a few mistakes go back a few steps and then try to go forward again, most of all - have fun.

THE WAVE (Can be done by using a paw to hand target )

AIM: To teach the dog to wave with its paw

Start with the dog sitting in front of you
Touch your dogs paw say your bridge as you touch and then reward, you may have to do this a few times and replace your dog to a sit if he moves.
After a few repetitions hesitate your hand for a few seconds slightly above the paw
Bridge and Reward for any slight movement of your dogs paw when your hand is there, if not movement then continue to hesitate, touch, bridge and reward.
Once your dog is raising its paw to your hand you can move your hand further upwards to high five, begin to avoid letting him touch to get a wave, or even guide his paw to go to his nose to get a conciliatary gesture.
Gradually only bridge and reward the best tricks until you would only occasionally bridge and reward.
Once you have moulded your new trick decide on a label or cue so your dog will know to do it and then say this a few seconds before gaining the new trick. Your dog will quickly associate the new name with the new trick.
You can teach shake, one paw, both paws, high fives, waves

Soccer

AIM : To teach the dog to bump a ball with his nose

Place a ball in front of the dog
Bridge and Reward any movement or interest towards the ball
If the dog shows no interest rub a lure (some food) on the ball and then begin to bridge and reward for interest when the ball is presented.
Once your dog knows to touch the ball then begin to only Bridge and Reward for the biggest bumps with his nose
Gradually increase your requirements so that you only Bridge and Reward for pushing the ball
When the dog is consistently bumping the ball add your cue by saying 'push' just before he pushes the ball
Gradually fade out your Bridge and Reward for only the best efforts.

Roll Over

Ask your dog to go into a 'down' position then Bridge and Reward
Using a lure or a nose to hand target guide his head slowly to turn towards his tail, or depending on the shape of your dog you can lure towards the top of his shoulders. Bridge and Reward often for your dog following the lure or target, every few centimetres is best, slow and sure with teaching tricks is a sign of a very good trainer.
Make sure you move the lure slowly enough for your dog to follow or he will simply get up.
To begin with Bridge and Reward simply for following the lure or target and partly turning his head, then for more of a turn, then for stretching his head towards his tail etc, until you finally manage the full turn.
To reach towards the lure or target when you get to his tail or shoulder your your dog will begin to turn and roll with his body to follow the lure, Bridge and Reward this. Continue the exercise until the dog is consistently rolling over.
Once he is consistent you can introduce your cue 'roll' by simply saying it before you lure the position.
Gradually fade your Bridge and Rewards by beginning to pick only the best rolls.
You can teach your dog to roll both ways, to keep rolling or change directions or you could teach your dog to stop halfway with feet in the air for a dramatic 'dead dog' pose.

.4. Weaving

AIM : To teach the dog to weave through your legs

Holding a lure in both hands, start with the dog at your side. Alternatively you can use your nose to hand target. Move one of your legs forward and offer the lure under your leg. Bridge and reward for any movement towards the lure or target.
Give a huge reward for the first complete weave.
Continue practising with this leg until the dog is consistent
Start again with the next leg forward; going slowly rewarding each weave.
Continue practising with this leg until the dog is consistent
Now you can try combining the two movements using a slow exaggerated walking pattern to assist the dog (Great home video stuff!!)
When the dog is consistently weaving introduce your cue and hand signal and only bridge and reward the best efforts.

REMEMBER THE BRIDGE DOES NOT START THE BEHAVIOUR

THE BRIDGE TELLS THE DOG WHAT YOU WILL BE PAYING!

A good trainer calculates, plans and worries while the animal waits relaxed for the next clear instruction.

More next time.