Best tricks

[Soulworx]

Hi...
i need some inspiration to teach bailey some new tricks... he can already sit, stay, down, give me 5, play dead, and leave it. He could do all that from about 12 weeks. We need something new to teach him...
any ideas?

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Soulworx

Hi...
i need some inspiration to teach bailey some new tricks... he can already sit, stay, down, give me 5, play dead, and leave it. He could do all that from about 12 weeks. We need something new to teach him...
any ideas?

How is his recall coming? I think that's one of the most important and it needs to be very reliable.

[Urika]

Originally Posted by Soulworx

Hi...
i need some inspiration to teach bailey some new tricks... he can already sit, stay, down, give me 5, play dead, and leave it. He could do all that from about 12 weeks. We need something new to teach him...
any ideas?

How about roll over? Diesel picked that one up really fast. And looks so cute doing it. Sometimes he'll do a half roll and expects a treat LOL.

[Urika]

Originally Posted by Skip

How is his recall coming? I think that's one of the most important and it needs to be very reliable.

Are recalls considered tricks? I'm guessing she's also working on the "MUST" commands, and is just interested in teaching new tricks.

[Sargeant_C]

How about bowing. My instructor told us to take a treat and have them follow it Up Down Up down up down and we said our command word which I used Bow. Also Sarge has learned sit up too. He sits up on his back legs and does the beg look. He taught himself that. Altho he is still rolly so he can't sit there long.

[HerculesMomma]

Rollover is good to teach while their young. I tried to teach it to my 3 yr. old dog - not so easy to forcefully roll them over to the other side at 100 plus pounds.

I just finished (well, we still practice this and all his commands) teaching Hercules stand. He's finally got it down real good. It sounds like you haven't learned watch me yet either? Teaches the dog to make eye contact with you and focus on you. The next command I'd like to add is halt (for when I have to stop and tie my shoes on our walks ) which might be a good one to teach.

Otherwise, you guys sound like your off to a bang up start! Good Luck!

[Soulworx]

Originally Posted by Urika

Are recalls considered tricks? I'm guessing she's also working on the "MUST" commands, and is just interested in teaching new tricks.

Its he by the way ... and yea im doin all the must stuff... Bailey is good at puppy recal when he see's me... but during puppy school when we swap dogs for a while and then let them all go to call your own back, he gets a bit distracted... we need to work on that one a bit more so he comes no matter what... My brother in law's dog stops dead when he calls her and comes straight back, i've even seen her do it in the middle of chasing a cat!

[Soulworx]

yip we've started on roll over.... it think i'll try bowing too. We put him into a sit if we need him to stop for anything.
How did u teach the watching?

[RottiMomCT]

Originally Posted by Soulworx

yip we've started on roll over.... it think i'll try bowing too. We put him into a sit if we need him to stop for anything.
How did u teach the watching?

Ben taught himself to 'sit up' when we were at the local ice cream place - he's not allowed to put his feet on the counter (obviously) but he wanted to see what was going on inside, so he sat up on his haunches. He'll do it any time I have food...I love it! Definitely takes away the 'scary rottweiler' myth when you see one sitting up like a fool eating ice cream off a spoon!

As for 'watch me'. Here is what I was taught in class:

WATCH ME: Start with the dog sitting or standing facing you. Hold a piece of food directly in front of the dogs nose but do not give it to him – if he gets mouthy or nippy, hold the food in your closed fist.

Wait until the dog stops sniffing your hand and looks up at you or just looks at your hand, and then say “Good dog!” and give the treat. Repeat several times until the dog sniffs or only a small moment – it will not take long for this to happen!

Now, hold the treat in your closed hand, tell the dog “Fido (insert your dogs name), WATCH ME (or look)!” and as soon as your dog makes eye contact with you, praise with ‘Good WATCH ME!” and give the treat.

NOTES: It may be a fleeting moment of eye contact but the dog will quickly learn that looking at you gets them a treat! Again, repeat several times a day until the dog readily ignores the treat and looks at your face. Eventually you will be able to show the dog the treat, then put your hands behind your back, and hold the dogs attention on you. Have faith, your dog is smart, he will catch on quickly!

Hope this helps!!

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Urika

Are recalls considered tricks? I'm guessing she's also working on the "MUST" commands, and is just interested in teaching new tricks.

Yeah, I guess I wouldn't put it in the "trick" category, but since she mentioned "sit, stay, and down" as other "tricks" she already knew I wanted to emphasize that a very reliable recall (in my opinion) is one of the most important tricks/behaviors/"musts"/whateveryouwanttocallit that a dog needs to learn. Another beneficial behavior I've found is to teach the dog "Get on my right side" when we're out for a casual walk (instead of the usual left side). Sometimes if other people with unruly dogs are approaching us on my left side, I'll send my boy to my right side and just keep on walking. It has helped keep the peace many times.

[Urika]

Originally Posted by Skip

Another beneficial behavior I've found is to teach the dog "Get on my right side" when we're out for a casual walk (instead of the usual left side). Sometimes if other people with unruly dogs are approaching us on my left side, I'll send my boy to my right side and just keep on walking. It has helped keep the peace many times.

I think that's good advice. My left arm is so weak.. So, I have always walked Diesel to my right. Currently he wears the martingale collar, and I am able to correct him a lot fast if he's on my right.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Urika

I think that's good advice. My left arm is so weak.. So, I have always walked Diesel to my right. Currently he wears the martingale collar, and I am able to correct him a lot fast if he's on my right.

Then try to ALSO teach him to go to your left side while walking. I've had to switch rocky from left to right to left..etc.. several times during a walk and he does it very smoothly with "Go to my left side" or "Go to my right side" and it really has come in very handy.

A "trick" I like that has no real benefit (at least none I've found so far) is the "crawl" command. I taught it by having me sitting on the couch with my legs on the coffee table and having Rocky crawl under my legs (to get a treat on the other side of course). Then I advanced it to the point that no matter where he is he will crawl to me until told to stop.

[pol0]

Did he finally learn rollover? I'm trying to teach my 3 1/2 yr. old rollover and its not going so well. He's 150 lbs too so its kind of hard to roll him.

Originally Posted by HerculesMomma

Rollover is good to teach while their young. I tried to teach it to my 3 yr. old dog - not so easy to forcefully roll them over to the other side at 100 plus pounds.

I just finished (well, we still practice this and all his commands) teaching Hercules stand. He's finally got it down real good. It sounds like you haven't learned watch me yet either? Teaches the dog to make eye contact with you and focus on you. The next command I'd like to add is halt (for when I have to stop and tie my shoes on our walks ) which might be a good one to teach.

Otherwise, you guys sound like your off to a bang up start! Good Luck!

[Mochasmom]

Mocha knows how to shake a paw and twirl (where she will do a tight circle in front of me...taught it to her since it was a habit she had when she got excited to see me so I trained it in her!) and speak (a long woooo is her speak! ) and is in the process of learning how to crawl and your tip, Skip, is a big help! Didn't think the learnig of roll over would be easy either since she is 6 and 130 lbs! But if there is advice on how...