SolveYourProblem.com Article Series: Dog Care
Dog Care Tips
How
Do I Teach My Dog New Tricks?
A dog of any age can learn new tricks. Your
dog should be familiar with the basics - sit, lie down, and
stay, as these are excellent building blocks of new tricks.
To
teach “sit“
Have a yummy treat in your fingers
and place your hand near your dog’s nose. Say, “sit,” and
move the treat
over your dog’s head toward his tail. As he follows the treat,
he should sit naturally. When he successfully completes this
behavior, immediately give him the treat as well as verbal
praise in an excited voice, saying something such as “good
dog!” When you are first teaching this behavior, always give
the food treat and the verbal praise. When your dog seems to
be associating the word sit with this behavior, gradually wean
him off the treats. You may want to train your dog to a release
command such as “okay!“ so he knows when he can discontinue
each behavior. As with all training, you should teach “sit”
in short (10 minutes or less) sessions followed by free play.
To
teach “lie down”
First
get your dog in the sitting position. Hold a yummy treat
in your fingers and place your hand near
your dog’s nose. Say, “lie down,“ and bring the treat straight
down to the floor. As your dog follows the treat, he should
naturally place himself in the down position. As soon as
he gets in the proper position, reward him with the treat
and
verbal praise. If you are using a release command such as
“okay!“ you can now use it to let your dog know it is okay
to stop
lying down. As with all commands, as he begins to associate
the behavior with the verbal command, begin to wean him from
the food reward.
To
teach “stay”
Place
your dog in either the sitting or down position. Grab a yummy
treat in one hand and ask your dog to
stay while placing your other hand with the palm open in
front of his nose. When your dog stays for one or two seconds,
give
him the treat and verbal praise, and use your release command.
You will want to gradually increase the length of the stay. Once your dog has these building blocks firmly under his belt,
you can begin to teach him new and exciting tricks. One of
the most popular tricks to teach is “play dead.” To do this,
ask your dog to lie down. Teach him to roll on his back by
holding a yummy treat in your hand in front of his nose and
moving it in a small circle while giving the command “play
dead.” As his nose follows the treat, his body should follow
until he is on his back. Reward him with the treat and verbal
praise. With practice, your dog will be able to associate the
command with the behavior and you can wean him off the food
reward.
Another popular trick is “shake.” To teach your dog to shake,
first get him into the sitting position. Have a treat ready
and say, “shake.” Gently grab right behind his paw and lift
it into the shake position. Give him the treat. You will need
to repeat this step several times until he learns that he will
get the treat by lifting his paw by himself. While he is learning
“shake,” reward even the smallest attempts at getting into
position by himself with food and praise. Eventually he will
associate the command “shake” and lifting his paw with positive
rewards.
Another fun trick is “bow.” This is a very natural position
for a dog to be in. To teach this behavior, get your dog in
the sitting position. Have a treat in your fingers, hold it
in front of his nose and say, “bow.” Push the treat straight
toward your dog’s chest. As his nose is following the treat,
he should naturally get himself into the bow position. When
he does, reward him with the treat and verbal praise. As with
all tricks, eventually wean him from the treat.
Tricks are fun to teach your dog and it gives him mental stimulation
while enhancing the time you spend with him. There are many
books available on teaching new tricks to your dog and many
dog trainers offer tricks and games classes. Keep training
sessions short and fun, and always use positive reinforcement.
In no time, your dog will be entertaining your friends and
family.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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