TAIL WAG
5 STEPS TO TEACH YOUR DOG TO WAG HIS TAIL!
THIS IS ONE OF THE EASIEST TRICKS THAT JUST ABOUT ANY DOG CAN LEARN TO WAG HER TAIL ON CUE. A WAGGING TAIL IS OFTEN A DOG’S WAY OF EXPRESSING HER ENTHUSIASM, SO THIS TRICK IS LIKELY TO PLEASE YOUR DOG AS MUCH AS YOU. NO MATTER THE LENGTH OF YOUR DOG’S TAIL (EVEN A LITTLE NUB WILL DO), AS YOU CAN ADD THIS TO YOUR DOG’S TRICK REPERTOIRE AS A WAY TO COMMUNICATE AND HAVE FUN TOGETHER.
THIS TRICK EXEMPLIFIES WHY GENTLE, MOTIVATION-BASED TRAINING IS THE FASTEST ROUTE TO SUCCESS. YOU AREN’T LIKELY TO HAVE MUCH SUCCESS WITH THIS TRICK IF YOU TRY TO FORCE YOUR DOG TO DO IT. INSTEAD, USE THE THINGS YOUR DOG WANTS MOST, LIKE A FAVORITE TOY, TREAT, OR PRAISE, TO GET HER TO WAG HER TAIL.
STEP 1: USE A HAPPY TONE OF VOICE (WITH MOST DOG’S, THE SILLIER THE BETTER) TO GET YOUR DOG’S TAIL WAGGING, THEN SAY “YES” NOW OFFER HER A TINY TREAT OR TOSS HER A TOY TO PLAY WITH.
USE A HAPPY TONE OF VOICE (WITH MOST DOG’S, THE SILLIER THE BETTER) TO GET YOUR DOG’S TAIL WAGGING, THEN SAY “YES” NOW OFFER HER A TINY TREAT OR TOSS HER A TOY TO PLAY WITH.STEP 2: CHOOSE A FUN CUE WORD OR PHRASE SUCH AS “WAG IT!” OR “ARE YOU A HAPPY DOG?” WHEN YOU ARE CONFIDENT YOUR DOG IS ABOUT TO WAG HER TAIL, SAY THE CUE WORD OR PHRASE RIGHT BEFORE SHE DOES, THEN SAY, “YES” AND REWARD.
CHOOSE A FUN CUE WORD OR PHRASE SUCH AS “WAG IT!” OR “ARE YOU A HAPPY DOG?” WHEN YOU ARE CONFIDENT YOUR DOG IS ABOUT TO WAG HER TAIL, SAY THE CUE WORD OR PHRASE RIGHT BEFORE SHE DOES, THEN SAY, “YES” AND REWARD.STEP 3: REPEAT DURING BRIEF TRAINING SESSIONS OF ABOUT THREE TO FIVE MINUTES. IT SHOULDN’T TAKE TOO MANY REPETITIONS FOR YOUR DOG TO REACT TO YOUR CHOSEN CUE WORD OR PHRASE WITH A HAPPY WAG, KNOWING SHE IS ABOUT TO GET SOMETHING WONDERFUL.
REPEAT DURING BRIEF TRAINING SESSIONS OF ABOUT THREE TO FIVE MINUTES. IT SHOULDN’T TAKE TOO MANY REPETITIONS FOR YOUR DOG TO REACT TO YOUR CHOSEN CUE WORD OR PHRASE WITH A HAPPY WAG, KNOWING SHE IS ABOUT TO GET SOMETHING WONDERFUL.STEP 4: PRACTICE IN MANY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS AND MIX THINGS UP A BIT BY ASKING YOUR DOG TO SHOW OFF SOME OF THE OTHER TRICKS YOU’VE TAUGHT HER SO YOU BOTH SAY MOTIVATED.
PRACTICE IN MANY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS AND MIX THINGS UP A BIT BY ASKING YOUR DOG TO SHOW OFF SOME OF THE OTHER TRICKS YOU’VE TAUGHT HER SO YOU BOTH SAY MOTIVATED.STEP 5: IF YOUR DOG HAS A LONGER TAIL AND TENDS TO WAG IT ENTHUSIASTICALLY, YOU CAN EVEN TURN THIS INTO TWO TRICKS BY TEACHING HER TO WAG HER TAIL IN A BIG CIRCLE LIKE A HELICOPTER (A CUE PHRASE LIKE, “WHAT DOES A HELICOPTER DO?” CAN BE CUTE). GET YOUR DOG VERY EXCITED AND WHEN YOU SEE HER TAIL START TO CIRCLE SAY “YES” THEN TREAT. WHEN YOU ARE CONFIDENT YOU CAN GET THE TAIL CIRCLING, SAY YOUR CUE PHRASE RIGHT BEFORE SO THE TWO BECOME ASSOCIATED.
IF YOUR DOG HAS A LONGER TAIL AND TENDS TO WAG IT ENTHUSIASTICALLY, YOU CAN EVEN TURN THIS INTO TWO TRICKS BY TEACHING HER TO WAG HER TAIL IN A BIG CIRCLE LIKE A HELICOPTER (A CUE PHRASE LIKE, “WHAT DOES A HELICOPTER DO?” CAN BE CUTE). GET YOUR DOG VERY EXCITED AND WHEN YOU SEE HER TAIL START TO CIRCLE SAY “YES” THEN TREAT. WHEN YOU ARE CONFIDENT YOU CAN GET THE TAIL CIRCLING, SAY YOUR CUE PHRASE RIGHT BEFORE SO THE TWO BECOME ASSOCIATED.