Trick Tuesday: Shaping Introduction

Welcome back to Trick Tuesday!  Every Tuesday, another trick tutorial.

This week, we are going to start the process of shaping by teaching our dogs how to get into a box.  The traditional definition of “shaping” is asking our dogs to offer successive approximations on a skill or behaviour.  Shaping is so much fun and can be used to teach limitless skills.

What we are doing is asking our dogs to offer or “shape” a behaviour.  Essentially, we are teaching them to think and problem solve.  To start shaping, you’ll need an easy behaviour, like getting into a large box.  Initially, click any step, motion or even just slight attention towards the box.  Then, wait for a little further commitment each time until you’ve reached your desired behaviour.

We’ll be using shaping to build many more behaviours in future Trick Tuesday videos!  You won’t want to miss it.

Method: Shaping
Skill Level: Advanced
What you’ll need: Food, dog, conditioned reinforcer (clicker), box

Happy training!!!

Trick Tuesday: Teach your dog to run backwards through your legs

Welcome back to Trick Tuesday!  Every Tuesday, another trick tutorial.

This week, we are going to teach your dogs to run backwards between our legs. We’ll do this by combining our “spin” trick with our “back up” trick.  If you missed the backup trick tutorial, you can view it here: http://youtu.be/tCJNt2maTto?list=UU5QwYlOxcT1higtcJVGzCCg

If you missed the spin trick tutorial, you can view it here:  http://youtu.be/hJza51DsXIM?list=PL7BBgLulhermwjuti9qot0-amu-AvJ72y

Method: Luring
Skill Level: Advanced
What you’ll need: Food, dog, conditioned reinforcer, previously taught tricks (back up & spin)

Happy training!!!

Trick Tuesday: Teach your dog to crawl

Welcome back to Trick Tuesday!  Every Tuesday, another trick tutorial.

This week, we are going to teach your dogs to crawl!  If you have trouble getting your dog to move to you without getting up, you may find that setting up a pole for them to crawl underneath aids in their understanding.

Method: Luring
Skill Level: Advanced
What you’ll need: Food, dog, conditioned reinforcer, pole (optional)

Happy training!!!

Trick Tuesday: Hand Stand

Welcome back to Trick Tuesday!  Every Tuesday, another trick tutorial.

This week’s trick is about balance and rear-end awareness.  We are going to teach our dogs to do a hand stand.  Before starting this trick, make sure your dog is physically fit and capable of putting pressure on their front end.

We are going to use our back-up command and a ramp to teach our dogs to balance on their front end only.

Method: Capturing
Skill Level: Advanced
What you’ll need: Food, dog, conditioned reinforcer, movable ramp

Happy training!!!

Trick Tuesday: Back Up

Welcome back to Trick Tuesday!  Every Tuesday, another trick tutorial.

This week’s trick is all about fun!  We are going to teach our dogs to back up on command.  This one is for everyone!  Any dog can participate.

Our goal is to start by rewarding 1 step backward, then 2, and then ask for a bit more with each repetition.

Therefore, we’ll be capturing the behaviour we want from our dogs.

Method: Capturing
Skill Level: Intermediate
What you’ll need: Food, dog, conditioned reinforcer

Happy training!!!

Trick Tuesday: Jumping Skills

Welcome back to Trick Tuesday!  Every Tuesday, another trick tutorial.

This week’s trick is all about fun!  We are going to teach our dogs some jumping skills.  In order to teach jumping, we need to make sure that we have a dog that is physically capable of jumping without causing himself injury.

You can make your own jumps out of household equipment.  No need to buy or make anything fancy.  A couple of boxes or pillows and a broomstick work great!

Method: Luring
Skill Level: Intermediate
What you’ll need: Food, dog, boxes or pillows, broomstick, toy (optional), Hula Hoop (optional)

Happy training!!!

Trick Tuesday: Jump into my arms

Welcome back to Trick Tuesday!  Every Tuesday, another trick tutorial.

This week’s trick is a flashy one!  We are going to teach the dogs to jump up into our arms.  In order to teach this trick, we need to make sure that we have a dog that is physically capable of jumping a good height and we need to ensure that the handler is strong enough to catch them!

Method: Encouraging
Skill Level: Intermediate
What you’ll need: Food, dog, conditioned reinforcer, chair or bench (optional)

Happy training!!!

 

Trick Tuesday: *BANG* – Play Dead

Welcome back to Trick Tuesday!  Every Tuesday, another trick tutorial.

This week’s trick is a fun one!  We are going to teach the dogs to “Play Dead.”  In order to teach this trick, we’ll be using a method called, “Back Chaining” where we start with the last behaviour and work our way backward to the first.  Our goal is that on one command, our dogs stop, lie down, flop onto their sides or back and hold position.  So, we’ll start by teaching them to hold position on their side.  Once they’ve mastered that, we’ll add in the position change.

Method: Back chaining
Skill Level: Intermediate
What you’ll need: Food, dog, conditioned reinforcer

This trick requires a good stay or wait command.  If your dog still needs to be trained to hold a position, be sure to take some time to teach that behaviour first.

Happy training!!!

Trick Tuesday: Sit Pretty

Welcome back to Trick Tuesday!  Every Tuesday, another trick tutorial.

Today, Reggie challenges the cuteness factor by helping me demonstrate the “sit pretty” trick.  This one takes balance and core strength for the dog.  Be sure your dog is physically sound enough to participate.  This isn’t a good trick to teach our senior dogs!

Method: Luring
Skill Level: Intermediate
What you’ll need: Food, dog, conditioned reinforcer, pillows (optional), wall (optional)

This trick not only requires understanding, but also a good degree of balance and strength in your dog’s core.  Don’t be surprised if it takes them many sessions to be able to balance and hold position.  Remember that bracing them with pillows or a wall may help them with this trick.

Happy training!!!

Trick Tuesday: Weaving Skills

Welcome back to Trick Tuesday!  Every Tuesday, another trick tutorial.

Today we will work on teaching our dogs to weave around and through our legs.  This trick is a real crowd pleaser.

Method: Luring
Skill Level: Intermediate
What you’ll need: Food, dog, conditioned reinforcer

Remember that tricks can take several sessions before your dog understands what you are looking for.  Working short intervals (10 repetitions, or 5 minutes tops) to help aid their success.  Be patient and have fun!

Happy training!!!