TROUBLESHOOTING
MY DOG DOESN’T MOVE BACKWARD
When first teaching moonwalk, don’t use the word “down,” but rather just prevent your dog from rising up by guarding his shoulders. Telling him “down” may confuse him into thinking he is not supposed to move.
TIP! When your dog needs medicine, a spoonful of peanut butter will help the pill go down.
1 Guard his shoulder blades while pressing your knee toward him.
2 Minimize your knee action, while continuing to guard his shoulders.
3 Stand in place while giving the cue.
easy
Jump for Joy
TEACH IT:
When jumping for joy, your dog jumps straight up, landing in the same spot. You are going to need all your enthusiasm for this one, because no one jumps for joy alone!
1 While your dog is in a playful mood, hold a toy or food high in the air and tease him with it. Encourage him by jumping along with him! Reward even small jumps at first.
2 Once your dog has the hang of jumping along with you, tone down your jumping motion by merely crouching down and standing up while using the verbal cue and hand signal.
3 Eventually, your dog will be able to jump for joy on cue, but your enthusiasm will be key.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Some dogs are naturally bouncier than others—terriers, Australian shepherds, and whippets, to name a few. Other dogs may need much more encouragement to put forth the effort.
TROUBLESHOOTING
MY DOG IS LAZY AND WON’T JUMP
Your job as a trainer is to instruct and MOTIVATE! Get those springs in your legs and bounce right along with your buddy. Use your most excited “happy voice” to get him amped.
BUILD ON IT! This skill is the first step in learning to jump rope (page 118)!
TIP! Practice on grass or other surface that provides traction. The ideal jump should be straight and smooth.
1 Encourage your dog to jump for a toy.
2 Tone down your jumping motion.
3 Your dog will jump on cue.
advanced
Chorus Line Kicks
TEACH IT:
When performing chorus line kicks, your dog stands between your legs and high kicks his front paws in sync with your kicks.
1 Starting in a peekaboo position (page 52), reach your left hand down and a little forward and tell your dog to “shake” (page 22). Do not hold a treat in your hand while you do this, as it will guide his nose rather than his paw. Reward him instead with a treat from your treat bag at your waist. Repeat with “paw” while signalling with your right hand.
2 Add your corresponding leg kicks to enhance the effect. Your hand signals will eventually become subtle flicks of two fingers by your hip, which will be your dog’s cue (rather than your kicks).
3 Try variations of this trick with your dog facing you or at your side.
WHAT TO EXPECT: This jazzy trick can be learned by any dog, and is always a crowd favorite! Dogs can be lifting their paws on cue within a few weeks, but the coordination of your routine can take longer. Your showy kicks will distract your audience from your subtle hand signals.
PREREQUISITES
Peekaboo (page 52)
Shake hands (page 22)
TROUBLESHOOTING
MY DOG WALKS FORWARD, COMING OUT OF HIS PEEKABOO
Your dog wants to see your face. Lean over so he can see you. Use your hand to block his chest if he moves forward, and remind him to “peekaboo.”
MY DOG JUST STANDS THERE, NOT MOVING HIS PAWS
Sometimes, it takes a few iterations to get your dog in the swing. Try a few times, “shake, paw, shake, paw” while leaning to the side each time, which will slightly push your dog’s weight to one side, encouraging him lift his opposite paw.
TIP! Play a favorite song on the stereo and dance with your dog!
“Sometimes, I wear sparkly cuffs when I dance. Sometimes, I don’t want to and I pull them off.”
STEPS:
1 Start in a peekaboo position.
Reach your left hand down and forward as you say to “shake.”
Use your right hand for “paw.”
3 Try a variation with your dog facing you…
or at your side.
Chapter 11 The Thinking Man’s Dog
Intelligence in animals has always been a topic of debate, but any dog owner will tell you that they’ve been amazed by their dog’s cleverness. As with humans, a dog’s brainpower increases with use. The more you challenge your dog to use his comprehension, logic, and reasoning skills, the quicker he will grasp new concepts.
The tricks in this chapter have two things in common: they require a high level of thinking on your dog’s part, and they are dependent on effective communication from you to your dog. Your dog is being asked not simply for a behavior, but a behavior based upon a communicated criteria. He needs to not just retrieve an object, but retrieve a specific one based upon a scent, hand signal, or verbal cue.
These difficult concepts can be mentally tiring for your dog. Use ten times more praise than negative feedback, as it is easy for your dog to become frustrated and discouraged. Even after he has learned the concept, he will occasionally make mistakes. Give him the benefit of the doubt as he is probably not picking out the wrong scent article or retrieving bumper on purpose. Learning is a lifelong process and these exercises will keep your dog mentally sharp throughout his years!
advanced
My Dog Can Count
TEACH IT:
In this classic vaudeville schtick, your dog barks the correct number of times to solve a math problem. The believability of your dog’s genius is dependent upon the subtlety of your signals. Your dog will start barking on cue and continue to bark until he receives another cue. You, I’m afraid, need to work out the math!
1 First, your dog needs to learn to bark multiple times. Signal your dog to bark (page 30) and continue to signal until you’ve elicited two barks. Maintain eye contact with your dog as he barks, and reward him after the second bark.
2 Your dog now needs to learn the signal to stop barking. This signal will eventually be the subtle aversion of your eyes. After your dog’s second bark, lower your signaling hand, bow your head, avert your eyes, and say “stop.” Reward your dog quickly if he stopped barking.
3 Increase the number of barks required and decrease dependence on your hand signal. You should be able to give the bark signal once, and have your dog continue to bark until you bow your head and break eye contact.
4 The rest is up to you! You can ask your dog a division problem, or have him bark once to answer “yes” and twice for “no.” He can tell you his age (or your age if your audience has that much patience!)
WHAT TO EXPECT: Dogs are surprisingly astute at reading our body language. Be aware of your movements and consistent in your signals. If you are performing this trick for an audience, be aware that dogs in unfamiliar situations may be hesitant to bark.
PREREQUISITES
Speak (page 30)
TROUBLESHOOTING
DO HALF BARKS COUNT?
Your dog’s barks need to be clear and countable. Use a crisp tone of voice when you tell him to “bark” and only reward a good result.
I GET ONE TOO MANY BARKS
For enthusiastic barkers, you may need to avert your eyes a second before that last bark to stop your dog in time.
BUILD ON IT! For a variation on this trick, ask your dog to count by tapping his paw instead of barking.
TIP! Communication is a two-way street. Make an effort to understand your dog’s body language.
STEPS:
1 Signal your dog to bark, and reward after his second one.
2 Lower your hand, head, and eyes and say “stop.”
Reward your dog if he stopped barking.
4 Ask your dog a math problem, and have him bark the answer!
intermediate
Discern Objects’ Names
TEACH IT:
VER
BAL CUE
Find
[object name]
Your dog can learn to identify dozens of objects by name. Lay them all out on the floor and ask your dog to indicate a specific one.
1 Start with a fun object whose name is already familiar to your dog, such as a bumper or tennis ball. Lay it in a clear area alongside two other nonenticing objects such as a hammer and hairbrush.
2 Point toward the objects and tell your dog to “find [bumper].” Praise him the moment he grabs the correct object. Use your fetch command (page 24) to encourage him to bring it to you. Reward him with a treat rather than by playing with the toy, as the latter would encourage him to only select toys from the pile of objects.
3 Add a second toy whose name is known to your dog. Alternate which one you tell him to find. If he chooses incorrectly, don’t scold him, but rather don’t acknowledge it one way or the other. Keep telling him to “find [object].”
WHAT TO EXPECT: This fun game really keeps your dog thinking. Practice with different toys and in different locations. Dogs learn the same way we do—by repetition—so keep practicing!
PREREQUISITES
Helpful: Fetch (page 24)
TROUBLESHOOTING
MY DOG IS SO EXCITED, HE GRABS THE FIRST OBJECT HE SEES
Hold your dog for ten seconds as you let the words sink in. Repeat your object name several times and let him focus on the object from afar.
BUILD ON IT! Rico, a border collie from Germany, demonstrated his knowledge of 200 object names!
TIP! Use objects names frequently with your dog. He can learn hundreds of words!
“Bumper, tennis ball, Kong, hike, dunk, treat ball, stick, toot, pink ringy, frisbee, dumbbell, bone-bone, squeak … I have LOTS of toys!”
STEPS:
2 Instruct your dog to find an object by name. Set one familiar object amongst two unappealing objects.
Reward your dog with a treat for bringing the correct object.
3 Add a second familiar object to the set. Alternate asking your dog to find each of the two familiar objects.
advanced
Directed Retrieve
TEACH IT:
Your directional hand signal indicates to your dog the course of travel to find an object for retrieval. This exercise, using three white gloves, is part of the Utility Level Obedience test. A wagon wheel configuration of bumpers is used to test the abilities of a retrieving dog.
1 Set three plates about 15’ (4.6 m) around you in a semicircle with a small treat placed on only one of the plates. With your dog sitting at your left and your toes pointed toward the plate with the treat, indicate to your dog the desired direction of travel—bend your knees slightly, open your hand, and run it from behind you straight toward the plate and alongside your dog’s head while telling him “mark.” Don’t make eye contact with your dog, as you want him to look ahead to the plate rather than at you. Watch his head, and at the moment he is looking in the correct direction, send him with “get it!” This is a self-correcting training method, as your dog will only get the treat if he goes to the correct plate. If he veers in a wrong direction, do not let him finish the exercise, but call him back to your side. If your dog makes the same mistake twice in a row, move a few steps closer toward the correct plate.
2 Now that your dog is reading your mark, replace the plates with three identical objects, such as white gloves or retrieving bumpers. This time your dog will be asked to fetch (page 24) the object. Remember to point your toes in the correct direction and send your dog only when his gaze is correctly directed.
3 Try a four-bumper wagon-wheel configuration—after a successful retrieve, toss the bumper back to its spot and select a new direction for the next retrieve. Try this configuration with eight or sixteen bumpers, or try a staggered configuration with bumpers at varying distances. Most difficult of all is a blind retrieve, where the bumpers are hidden in tall grass or behind a bush.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Sporting dogs generally have an easier time holding their mark (direction), while herding and toy breeds can have a harder time. The skill behind this exercise is your dog’s ability to set out in a straight course in a designated direction. Once learned, this skill can have a variety of uses.
PREREQUISITES
Fetch (page 24)
TROUBLESHOOTING
MY DOG RETRIEVES THE OBJECT TO THE LEFT OF THE ONE INDICATED
Some dogs shy their head away from your hand, causing them to look left. Slip your hand through your dog’s collar as you indicate the mark.
BUILD ON IT! Ready for the pros? Send your dog on a long-distance blind retrieve. If he veers off course, blow your whistle (to indicate him to look toward you and sit) and raise your right or left arm to indicate a new course of travel.
TIP! Spend at least twenty minutes every day training your dog.
“My very very very favorite toy is Bumper. Bumper goes everywhere with me. I love Bumper. Bumper, Bumper, Bumper!”
STEPS:
1 Indicate a “mark” to your dog with your open hand.
Your dog will be rewarded by finding a treat on the plate.
2 Substitute retrieving objects for the plates.
Have your dog fetch the object.
advanced
Directed Jumping
TEACH IT:
Directed jumping is one of the tests in sport of Utility Level Obedience. Set in front of two bar jumps, your dog jumps the one indicated by your hand signal.
1 Set your dog in a stay (page 18) directly in front of one of two side-by-side bar jumps. Position yourself on the other side of the jump and call your dog over (page 147). Repeat this exercise with the other jump.
2 With your dog still positioned directly in front of one of the jumps, make it more difficult by standing centered between the two jumps. Signal your dog by raising the arm closest to the desired jump. In the beginning, you may wish to wave your arm or hold a treat bag or toy in your hand to focus your dog’s attention in the correct direction.
3 Work incrementally until both you and your dog are centered between the jumps, facing each other. Use a verbal command and hand signal to indicate the desired jump.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Although this trick doesn’t appear difficult to teach, there are often a variety of problems that crop up. This is a great exercise for building attention in your dog.
PREREQUISITES
Stay (page 18)
Jump over a bar (page 108)
TROUBLESHOOTING
MY DOG GOES AROUND THE JUMP
If your dog attempts to go around the jump, stop him before he gets all the way to you, and take him back to his starting position. Position yourself a little closer to the desired jump until he is successful.
BUILD ON IT! Starting with your dog at your side, send him to a target (page 145) past the jumps, and direct him to jump on his way back to you.
TIP! A slim, trim dog is a healthier dog—say no to table scraps and yes to exercise.
1 Set your dog directly in front of one of the jumps.
2 Stand centered between the jumps.
3 Finally, start with both you and your dog centered.
intermediate
Pick a Card from a Deck
TEACH IT:
VERBAL CUE
Take it
Your dog will learn to pull a single playing card from a fanned-out deck. Make your pooch a sensational part of your magic act!
1 Extend a single playing card toward your dog and tell him to “take it” (page 25). Hold it steady in your hand, without pushing it toward his mouth as the edges can be sharp.
2 Now hold three cards in a wide fan as you instruct your dog to take one. Reward him for any card he takes.
3 When you are ready to add a fourth card, extend one card in front of the others so your dog can take it easier. As your dog improves, extend it less and less until it is even with the other cards. If your dog is pulling out more than one card at a time, coax him to be gentle by slowly saying “easy.” If two
cards are pulled out, say “whoops!” and try again without rewarding.
4 Are you ready to try an entire deck? Fan the cards as wide as you can and extend several slightly beyond the others.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Small dogs tend to learn this trick easier, but any dog can be picking a card within a week. Keep refining his skills until he does it like a pro. Don’t be surprised if you come home early to find a dog poker game in your living room!
101 Dog Tricks Page 15