ABC'S OF TRICK TRAINING

THIS IS FOR YOU TO HAVE FUN AND HAVING FUN. HAVING FUN WITH YOUR DOG USUALLY TOPS THE LIST OF REASONS WHY WE SHARE OUR LIVES AND HOMES WITH DOGS IN THE FIRST PLACE. THEY BRING US TO A TIME WHEN PLEASURE WAS OUR ONLY PRIORITY, WHEN HAVING A GOOD TIME AND BEING LOVED UNCONDITIONALLY WAS THE NAME OF THE GAME.

ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS OPTIONAL AND NO ONE HAS TO TEACH THEIR DOGS TRICKS. NO ONE NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED IN ACTIVITY TRAINING. AFTER ALL, TRAINING IS TIME CONSUMING, SOMETIMES COSTLY, AND REQUIRES LOTS OF PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING.

IF YOU’VE CHOSEN TO GO THIS EXTRA MILE, I KNOW YOUR DOG WILL LOVE THE EXTRA TIME. THEY LOVE HAVING A JOB TO DO AND PLEASING YOU IS AT THE TOP OF THEIR LISTS. I ALSO KNOW THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DOG IS A SPECIAL ONE, UNIQUE FROM ALL THE OTHERS. YOUR DOG IS A SPECIAL GIFT TO YOU, AND YOU’VE CHOSEN TO GIVE BACK TO HIM.

IN THIS CHAPTER YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO SHAPE YOUR DOGS LEARNING PROCESS, FROM THE LENGTH OF THE LESSON TO CARIOUS TEACHING APPROACHES. YOU’LL ALSO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT REWARDS MAKE YOUR DOG HAPPY, FROM TRADITIONAL PRAISE TO WHAT TYPE OF TREATS AND JUST PLAYING WITH YOUR DOG. YOUR DOG CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR YOU TO BEGIN!!

WHEN TEACHING FUN AND USEFUL TRICKS, TRY TO KEEP YOUR TRAINING SESSIONS SHORT AND SWEET, NOT MUCH MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES EACH. REPEAT THE SESSIONS ONE TO FOUR TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY OR WHATEVER YOUR DAY ALLOWS. SOMETIMES YOU’LL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM FOUR LESSONS AND OTHER DAYS YOU’LL ONLY BE ABLE TO GET IN ONE LESSON. THE KEY THING IS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU’RE DOING. YOU’LL NOTICE IF YOU DON’T WORK WITH THEM FOR A FEW DAYS AND GO BACK THAT YOU MAY END UP BASICALLY STARTING ALL OVER. ONCE THEY CATCH ON AND REALLY GRASP WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO GET THEM TO DO, THAT THEY’LL REMEMBER WELL AFTER THAT. I’VE HAD TRICKS I HAVE’NT DONE WITH MY GERMAN SHEPHERD FOR OVER A YEAR AND HE STILL REMEMBERS IT WHEN I ASK. IT’S ALL ABOUT GETTING A GOOD, STRONG AND CONSISTENT BASE WITH THEIR TRAINING. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THE KEY TO TRAINING THESE BUILDING BLOCKS AND THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE TRAINING THAT BEING POSITIVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. ALSO KEEPING YOUR PATIENCE WITH THEM IS VERY IMPORTANT. IF THERE IS A DAY THAT ISN’T WORKING AND THEY’RE TOO DISTRACTED OR JUST NOT INTO IT THAT DAY, IT’S BETTER TO HAVE THEM DO SOMETHING THAT’S SIMPLE FOR THEM TO DO FOR YOU, LIKE A SIMPLE SIT, DOWN, ETC… INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO TEACH THAT YOU WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH EARLIER. AFTER THE SIT, DOWN, ETC… THEN WALK AWAY AND TRY WHAT YOU WANTED THEM TO DO AT A LATER TIME DURING THE SAME DAY OR THE NEXT DAY. THE WORST THING YOU COULD DO IS TO GET UPSET AND TO KEEP HITTING YOUR HEAD AGAINST A BRICK WALL. THAT WILL MAKE THEM RECENT THAT PARTICULAR TRICK AND LOOK AT IT AS A PUNISHMENT RATHER THAN A FUN THING FOR THEM TO DO. NEVER JUST WALK AWAY FROM THEM ON A NEGATIVE NOTE OR WITHOUT THEM DOING SOMETHING SIMPLE FOR YOU LIKE SIT, DOWN, ETC… IF YOU GIVE UP ON A LESSON YOU’RE TRYING TO TEACH THEM AND DON’T MAKE THEM DO A DIFFERENT LESSON, THEN THEY THINK THAT THEY WON AND GOT OUT OF DOING WHAT YOU WANTED THEM TO DO AND SO THEY WILL SOON LEARN THAT THEY CAN GET OUT OF WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO TEACH THEM. THEN OTHER LESSONS FROM THERE WILL BE A TOUGH CHALLENGE FOR YOU. DOG’S LOVE TO LEARN AND MAKE YOU HAPPY BUT AT FIRST WHEN IT’S SOMETHING THAT’S NEW AND THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND THEY CAN BE RELUCTANT TO DO THEM. THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU’RE DOG ISN’T HAPPY OR, DOESN’T WANT TO DO THAT LESSON IT’S JUST A NEW FRUSTRATION FOR THEM. AFTER THEY LEARN IS AND GET PAST THAT INITIAL “NEW” FRUSTRATION THEY’LL LOVE DOING THEIR NEW TRICK! JUST BE PATIENT WITH YOUR FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS!

THE STEP BY STEP APPROACH IS FAIRLY SIMPLE. EACH NEW ROUTINE HAS STEPS TO FOLLOW, AND YOU NEED TO PERFECT EACH STEP BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT. ALSO NOTE THAT IF THERE IS A LESSON THAT I’VE WRITTEN ON HERE DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO DO THAT LESSON. YOU CAN GO THROUGH AND PICK OUT DIFFERENT LESSONS THAT YOU’D LIKE YOUR DOG TO LEARN. JUST KNOW THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE STEPS ONE BY ONE FOR THAT HERE’S THE STEP BY STEP LESSON ON THAT PARTICULAR LESSON. THE ONLY LESSONS I SUGGEST NOT SKIPPING ON IS THE BASICS TEACHING YOUR DOG HOW TO JUMP THROUGH A HOOP. THE STEPS ARE:

STEP 1. USE A BROOM OR A STICK TO CREATE A LOW JUMP ACROSS A THRESHOLD, LIKE A DOORWAY. PROP UP THE BROOM/STICK WITH TWO OBJECTS OF EQUAL HEIGHT, SUCH AS SOUP CANS OR FOR SMALL DOG, TOILET PAPER ROLLS. LET YOUR DOG SNIFF THE SET UP, THEN TAKE HIM ABOUT FIVE STRIDES AND COMMAND “OVER” AS YOU JUMP WITH THE DOG. THEN GIVE THEM POSITIVE PRAISE WITH GOOD DOG!! WHEN YOU’VE PERFECTED THIS YOU’RE READY FOR THE NEXT STEP!

STEP 2. 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 3. 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 4. 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. 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-PART BUILDING-BLOCK PROGRAM. MOST OF THE TIME YOUR DOG WON’T BE ABLE TO LEARN A COMPLETE ROUTINE WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, YOU’LL NEED TO ISOLATE EACH STEP AND BUILD ON YOUR DOG’S SUCCESSES. THERE WILL BE MORE ON HOOP JUMPING IN MY CHAPTER 9.

WHATEVER MAKES THEIR TAIL WAG! 

 DO YOU HAVE THE RARE DOG UNDER YOUR ROOF THAT RESPONDS TO YOUR DESIRES JUST TO MAKE YOU HAPPY? PRAISE ALONE IS PAYBACK ENOUGH? IF YOUR DOG COULD TALK, WOULD HE SAY, “YOU WANT ME TO FETCH YOU A SODA INSTEAD OF RESTING HERE BY THIS SUNNY WINDOW? YOU GOT IT MASTER-- JUST SHOW ME THE FRIDGE!” IF YOU HAVE THAT RARE DOG, FULL OF LOVE, OBEDIENCE, AND WISDOM, YOU’RE LUCKY. VERY LUCKY!! MY GERMAN SHEPHERD IS THAT KIND OF DOG BUT MY OTHER FOUR DOGS ARE NOT THAT TYPE.

IF NOT, DON’T FEEL BAD, YOU’RE IN THE MAJORITY. YOU NEED A STRONGER INCENTIVE TO ENCOURAGE PERFORMANCE, AN INCENTIVE LIKE -- TOY’S OR FOOD.

NOW IF YOU’RE SOMEONE THAT IS WANTING TO SHOW YOUR DOG IN OBEDIENCE YOU’LL WANT TO RULE OUT USING A LOT OF TREATS SINCE YOU CAN’T USE TREATS IN THE SHOW RING BUT, TRICK TRAINING IS ANOTHER MATTER. WHEN USING THE TRICK WORD IT CONJURES UP VISIONS OF MAGIC, LAUGHTER, AND FUN, AND WHILE YOU’RE ENJOYING THE FRUITS OF YOUR TRAINING, YOUR DOG SHOULDN’T BE LEFT OUT OF THE PARTY.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOUR DOG DEPENDS ON HOW YOUR DOG VIEWS THE WORLD. DOES HE ENVISION A SEA OF TREATS, A TOY FACTORY, OR YOU WITH A HALO AROUND YOUR HEAD? YOU MUST FIGURE THIS OUT, AND HERE’S HOW YOU CAN. FOR THIS LITTLE TEST YOU’LL NEED YOU’RE THREE HELPERS!! THEN:

IF YOUR DOGS CHOICE IS UNCLEAR. HAVE A RETRIAL. HAVE SEVERAL. PRETTY SOON THE CHOICE WILL BE CLEAR. AND DON’T BE DISAPPOINTED IF HE DOESN’T RUN TO YOU. MOST DOGS, LIKE CHILDREN, PUT THEIR PARENTS LAST.

IF YOUR DOG CHOOSES YOU IN THIS TRIAL, YOUR HEARTFELT ENTHUSIASM MAY BE ALL THE ENCOURAGEMENT HE NEEDS THROUGH MOST OF HIS TRAINING ROUTINES. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT YOU CAN’T SLIP IN A FAVORITE TREAT OR TOY FROM NOW AND THEN, BUT IT WON’T BE A REQUIREMENT TO GET HIM TO WORK. REGARDLESS OF HIS DEVOTION, END ALL SESSIONS WITH A GOOD GAME LIKE TOSS OR FRISBEE.

IF HE GOES FOR THE TREATS….

DOES YOUR DOG LIVE FOR FOOD? HE’S IN THE MAJORITY. NOW YOU NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT FOOD YOUR DOG LIKES BEST. STRIVE FOR LOW-CAL REWARDS THAT ARE EASY AND QUICK TO SWALLOW. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, I USE HUMAN BREAKFAST CEREALS OR SMALL MINI NATURALS WHICH ARE EXTREMELY SMALL AND A SOFT TREAT.

IF YOUR DOG TURNS UP HIS NOSE, HOWEVER, YOU NEED TO FIND SOMETHING A BIT MORE TEMPTING.

MOST DOGS FLY LIKE A ROCKET FOR DRIED HOT DOG BITS. TO SEE WHAT YOURS THINKS, CUT A SLICE OFF A HOTDOG AND NUKE IT IN THE MICROWAVE FOR 60 SECONDS. AFTER LETTING IT COOL, OFFER IT TO YOUR DOG AND SEE IF HE GOES FOR THIS MORSEL, YOU’VE GOT YOUR BAIT. BUT IF THE HOTDOG GETS ONLY A SO-SO RESPONSE, YOU MAY HAVE TO CONTINUE YOUR SEARCH. WHATEVER FOOD YOU USE, CUT IT INTO SMALL PIECES SO THAT TRAINING SESSIONS DON’T FILL UP YOUR DOG AND SO THAT IT DOESN’T TAKE THE DOG A LONG TIME TO CHEW THROUGH THE TREAT.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A DOG THAT LIVES FOR HIS TOY? MY SHEPHERD IS ONE. HE TAKES TWEEDY WITH HIM EVERYWHERE AND EVEN PUT TWEEDY IN HIS FOOD BOWL WHILE HE EATS AND SOMETIMES IN THE WATER DISH WHILE HE DRINKS! I PERSONALLY HATE IT WHEN HE DOES THAT AND THEN CARRIES WET TWEEDY EVERYWHERE WITH HIM. IT’S QUITE A REMARKABLE THINK, LIKE A CHILD WITH A SECURITY BLANKET. IF THIS DESCRIBES YOUR CANINE PAL, YOU JOB IS EASY. TO ENCOURAGE RESPONSIVENESS, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS CONTROL THE TOY. GET YOUR DOG ACCUSTOMED TO HEARING A PHRASE LIKE “WHERE’S YOU BALL?” OR “GET YOUR TOY!” SO THAT YOU CAN USE THE COMMAND TO REINFORCE HIS EFFORTS.

NOW THAT YOU’VE DISCOVERED WHAT REALLY REVS YOUR DOG’S ENGINE, USE IT. AS HE IMPROVES, HE’LL RESPOND JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT, BUT FOR THE LEARNING PROCESS YOU’LL HAVE TO EGG HIM ON WITH WHATEVER WAGS HIS TAIL!!

WHATEVER LEVEL YOU DECIDED TO DO WITH YOUR DOG, WHETHER IT’S JUST CLOWNING AROUND IN YOUR LIVING ROOM OR PUTTING ON AN ACT AT A LOCAL FAIR, THE WORK AND TIME YOU DEVOTE TO YOUR DOG WILL SHINE THROUGH WHEREVER YOU TAKE HIM.

SURE, YOUR DOG MAY NEVER STAR IN A MOVIE OR MAY BE TOO EMBARRASSED TO SHOW OFF HIS ROUTINES AT THE LOCAL FAIR, BUT THAT DOESN’T ROB YOU OF THE ONE UNDENIABLE FACT: IF YOU LOVE YOUR DOG, HE’S A STAR. AND THE SIZE OF YOUR STORE IN NOT MEASURED BY HOW MANY PEOPLE SHARE YOUR PRIDE; IT’S MEASURED BY YOU.

WHERE I LISTED TO PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THEIR DOGS, WHETHER IT’S A TALE OF MISCHIEF OR ONE OF TRAINING, I FEEL THE WARMTH IN THEIR HEARTS, AND WHEN I SEE THEIR DOG FACE TO FACE, I ALREADY KNOW THAT DOG’S WORTH IN THEIR OWNER’S EYES!

YOU’LL BE SURPRISED AT THE NEW FRIENDS YOUR DOG WINS WITH THE SIMPLEST OF TRICKS AND THE MOST BASIC KINDS OF GOOD BEHAVIOR, LIKE THE ONES I’LL COVER IN CHAPTER TWO, BASIC OBEDIENCE. CHILDREN THAT WERE TERRIFIED OF DOGS DELIGHT IN A WELL-MANNERED TRICKSTER. PEOPLE WITH NO TIME FOR THE FOUR-FOOTED LOOK ON IN WONDER AS YOUR DOG STRUTS HIS STUFF. THOSE OF US WHO LOVE OUR DOGS AS MUCH AS YOU DO, CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR EFFORTS TOWARD MAKING THE WORLD A MORE SAFE AND DOG-FRIENDLY PLACE.