Need new trick

[Lorrie]

Frankie (10 month old blind pup) and I are attending beginner OB .. more for the socialization and exposure then anything.

We are supposed to learn a new trick for graduation night .. any suggestions? I have never been a big "trick" person .. would rather my dogs listen and behave then perform - I don't mean that in a negative way towards anyone - tricks are just not my thing. But we don't want to look bad in front of the class now do we ;)

Frankie already knows sit, down, stand and will give a paw .. so what else can I teach him? I really have no imagination when it comes to this.

[JaniceH]

Hi Lorrie,

I haven't much imagination either but here a a few very simple suggestions;

Give me a kiss - just teaches the dog to shove their nose in your face on command....LOL.

Die for me - the dog learns to go down on its side and keeps head on the floor until you release it (very quickly afterwards) or rolls onto it's back with paws in the air.

Speak - gets your dog to bark on command. (This can be expanded to do simple sums if it is clever !!! Well not really but it just looks that way).

Find the treat - use plant pots upside down and put the treat under one of them.

I am sure other members will have lots of more imaginative ideas for you.

Good luck !

[Rott-Wiley]

If he already knows how to "give a paw," what about "other paw" and "high five." With the high five he would sit up on his hind legs. Also, not much of a trick but useful, is to teach him to back up. Back up means to move backward from the current position. So if he's sitting he schootches backward while staying in a sitting position or tell him to stand and back up is like walking backwards. I'm sure others will have a lot of other cute ideas.

[Luvs]

My favorite trick of Akasha's is when I ask her "Do you love me?" she barks at me. When I ask her "How much?" she barks several times :D :D

I love teaching new tricks. Tricks really help break the ice when meeting new people.

Akasha has many little tricks up her sleeve ;)

Rott-Wiley, we recently taught Akasha and Keil to backup and I use it frequently. It is very handy! They will backup when they are standing or sitting. They also know what forward means, which really helps when they are in my way

[babybluetx23]

I taught Harley how to speak on command. This can be very helpful because then you can teach them Quiet. I wanted Harley to learn the Quiet command because we always have friends over at the house and we also have a lot of Girl scouts, johovas whitnesses, mormans, alarm companies, ect come knocking at our door A LOT. I want him to alert me but I dont want him to continue with his barking, So I have taught him Quiet by playing a game........Bark on Command (Praise) Then Quiet (Praise) It works pretty well. So it is a neat trick as well as a behavoral adjustment.

[Stubby]

Lorrie, he's got a good nose, teach him to find something that belongs to you. Like your keys or something. He's blind, so if you put them on a chair, it's not like he can see them. Use, "find my keys" or something as a command.

I bet you can get him to do that in NO time flat!


How long until graduation by the way?

[Squeaky2004]

"My favorite trick of Akasha's is when I ask her "Do you love me?" she barks at me. When I ask her "How much?" she barks several times"


Love that one! Maybe after Squeak learns all basics i will try that one, very cute :)

[Lorrie]

Thanks everyone .. some great suggestions!

He is a naturally "kissy" boy so "give a kiss" would be an easy one .. as should be "rolling over" as he spends a great deal of time sleeping on his back! :D :D

This might actually motivate me to try teaching him a few tricks .. graduation is 3 weeks away .. would be kinda cool if the blind Rottn pup could shine a little!!! ;)

I love the "find it" idea Steve .. he does that on his own too .. will actually search out a particular toy .. kinda neat to watch as he circles and tracks it .. unless it is the horribly annoying vibrating singing "birthday bear" that I have purposefully put away!!!!

[Mavides]

My very favorite trick (if you want to call it that) is "head down"...I copied it from a friend of mine years ago and taught it to Maverick...of course, I had to teach it to Legend as well! It's nothing fancy - it just means to put your chin all the way down on the ground - but you would be amazed at how impressed people are when your dog does it on command. Of course - how can anyone resist those big brown rottie eyes when they're looking up at you from a "head down". :)

[mmgy]

Lorrie, I haven't read it yet, but in my Whole Dog Journal email yesterday it said there's an article this month about living with and training blind dogs. There might be something in there that will help you.....one way or another!

[R&Gsmom]

Sort of along the same lines as "Head Down" you could teach him bow so that at the end of the test or whatever he could bow for the applause!

That would just be too cute!! It is very easy to teach especially if he knows how to fold down. Just lure his nose to the ground with a treat while keeping one hand under his back belly. Once his nose touches the ground with his butt in the air say "Good Bow" and treat. Continue this letting up the pressure from your hand slightly each time until he is holding it up himself.

Good luck!