What tricks can your dogs do? (And how did you teach them)

[Feeebeeee]

I’ve taught lab all the basics (sit, stay, come, etc.) + roll over, play dead, weave, paw and twirl but she appears to really enjoy learning (most likely because she gets some food out of it ) and so I would like her to learn more so looking for inspiration. Tips on how to teach the tricks would also be helpful

[OverFedStanley]

I teach trick workshops so loads of tricks I love seeing the dogs really bond with their owners when they learn them.


Guilty is a really simple one if your dog knows a down.

Basically guilty is putting the dogs head right low on the floor as if guilty.
Put your dog in a down and put the treat down and forward from the dogs nose , click and treat as the dogs head move slightly lower than it was before just build up until the dogs head is totally touching the floor - Labs look dead cute doing this trick.

Walking Backwards

1. stand with your feet hip width apart
2. drop a treat between your legs - your dog will go forward to get the treat let them eat the treat
3. As you dog put his back leg to move backwards from you click or say yes and reward again.

So you are rewarding the backward movement of the back leg. Very quickly (especially with a lab) your dog will realise that by moving backwards away from you she will get another treat.

For weave can she do this as you walk forward so as you walk she weaves through your legs?

Pray is fun to teach
1.Encourage your dog to put front two feet onto a step, gradually increase the height so that can do this comfortable on a chair. I would lure them into this position and click when the feet are on the object. This on its own is fun to do on logs and benches etc when out walking.

1. Reward the dog by putting the treat under their front legs so the dog has to put his head down between his legs to get the reward eg the pray part!

In essence if you can teach your dog to hold an object , target with a nose, target with all four paws, and to tug you can teach 100s of tricks.

Opening and shutting doors,
Handstands _ probably not great for a lab
Putting toys away
Limping and walking on three legs
Pushing balls
Hopping
Skipping
Peekaboo
Bow
run round an object
hide
High Five
Guilty

[Aprilshowersarecomingsoon]

Our Lurchers play hide and seek!!
In the bloody house!

[OverFedStanley]

April

[Aprilshowersarecomingsoon]

My dd stands in the bathroom with the door pushed shut and counts.
Other dc hide.
Dd tell ddogs to go find, they open the door and charge round the house!
Seriously nuts!

[user1471453601]

My dog has no need to be trained in tricks, she learned her own set, quite independently. She can sit and stare at me until I get up and feed her. She can wake my DD up at 6:30am to be fed, whether DD is working or not. She can pester, without cease, until she gets stroked/kissed/whatever.

She had a hard start in life (she's a rescue girl) and seems to be making up for years of neglect.

We don't mind, really. She's a little love. She has her manners (now). She responds to the usual commands (sit, stay, leave, come,paw).

I think anything else might be a few steps too far for my little girl, but I wish you well in training your dog. A trained dog is, in my opinion, a much happier dog

[Ilovechocolate01]

Not tricks but useful things learnt at dog training - distance recall, away, emergency down (down from a distance), sit and wait at a gate (in a field). Fun games - hiding treats for them to sniff out, naming their toys and retrieving the correct one

[AgathaF]

Sit and stay in a room while you go and hide a toy in another room. Then go back to your dog and give the find command. Fun for the dog to go off searching and also reinforces the sit and stay commands.

[BertrandRussell]

Mine is very good at making things disappear. She’s also very good at tidying up under high chairs.

[troubleswillbeoutofsight]

Mine can reach food no matter where it is. She also stealth moves from the bottom of the bed early evening to her head on my pillow and under the covers by the morning. She can sit on command mostly and will stay if she thinks there’s food in it for her. Other than that, she’s a dog not a performing seal

[AgathaF]

Other than that, she’s a dog not a performing seal - if you don't have a trained and obedient dog then I guess this isn't really the thread for you.

[BertrandRussell]

Tricks are fine for dogs. Seals? Not so much.

[BiteyShark]

Tricks are bloody good for dogs, especially those on restricted exercise. Mine isn't allowed to run off lead right now and we are tiring him out running though his tricks and commands.

[BeerandBiscuits]

My dog can play football. He's obsessed and would do it all day given the chance.
Best played on a hard surface with Chuckitt balls. Two are needed as he has to keep one in his mouth to help him concentrate .
The aim of the game is for me to kick the ball past him, I don't succeed very often. He's so focused he usually manages to catch it in his paws then presses it so it shoots back in my direction. He never gets tired of playing and carries on on his own when I get bored.

[Serin]

Ours howls along when we our DC practise their brass instruments. He has taught himself this fine skill

[OverFedStanley]

Other than that, she’s a dog not a performing seal Dogs love to learn and all behaviours to them are tricks - heel work is just a trick, sitting is just a trick, waiting at a gate is just a trick. It makes no difference to them.

If the dog is rewarded they adore learning tricks - get your dog stimulated and thinking they will love you for it.

[troubleswillbeoutofsight]

if you don't have a trained and obedient dog then I guess this isn't really the thread for you.
Since when do you decide who can respond to a thread? How rude

[AgathaF]

troubleswillbeoutofsight - almost as rude as your comment suggesting those of us that train our dogs are treated them like performing seals.

[missbattenburg]

Other than that, she’s a dog not a performing seal

Plenty of evidence to show:

• learning enhances the skill of learning - so a dog that is taught 'tricks' is also easier taught to walk to heel, not to snatch food from counters, etc.
• learning anything is good for mental stimulation which promotes calmness and well being
• learning in a fun way strengthens the dog/owner relationship and makes the dog much more likely to do as asked at other times.

As overfed says - it is all just tricks to them. Jumping in the car is a trick. Walking with a loose lead is a trick. Coming back when called is a trick. Walking backwards is a trick.

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

My Goldie can empty the washing machine & put it in the basket or tumble dryer. She'll empty the tumble in to the basket as well. I didn't teach her, she just copied me.