Tricks

Introduction

In this module you have a “fly on the wall” series of videos to see how I taught my dogs a number of popular tricks.

The step by step process shows the method I used to get the initial behaviour and hand signal, to adding the verbal cue and phasing out the lure (if used).

Chip & Georgie learn and train quite differently, when training your dog it’s really about working out the best method that works for you both as a team, it comes down to “train the dog in front of you”.

My preferred methods for training a behaviour, trick or skill are:

Shaping - setting up a situation where a dog is likely to offer a behaviour, marking and rewarding that behaviour and gradually in small steps shaping that behaviour into what you want.

Luring - using food in the hand to guide or lure the dog into position, then fading the lure so you are eventually only using food as the reward.

Capturing - the dog may spontaneously offer a behaviour and if your timing is right you can mark and reward that moment. If your dog loves training and is what we call “operant” and understands that offering a behaviour may lead to reward, they are likely to offer the behaviour again.

Backchaining - for example with a more complex behaviour involving more than one action, start by teaching the dog the finished behaviour and work backwards gradually adding more parts of the “chain” in reverse. I use this for teaching retrieve.

Markers - a refresher

If you’ve done puppy or adolescent class you already know about a “marker word” and a “release cue”.

If not, watch this short video, and practice teaching your dog a “nose touch”, it’s a great way for your dog to learn what a marker is (you’ll soon see that your dog looks for their reward when they hear the word), and for you to practice your timing!

I use the term “Mark & Reward” a lot, it simply means say your marker word (or click) at the exact moment your dog does the behaviour you’re looking for, and then reward!

A “release cue” is a word (I use “OK” and “free”) to tell the dog that whatever you asked them to do is finished and they can relax or do what they want now. This is particularly useful with sit, drop, stay, place training etc.

Preparation - Rear Foot Target

Teaching your dog to pause in place in a stand position will help you with teaching “back up” and “play bow”.

Lure your dog over the platform or mat, and mark “good” when they have walked across the platform but their back feet are still on the platform.

Use whatever you have handy, the main thing is that your dog can notice a definite surface difference under their feet, even a folded bath towel or a doormat could do!

Sit Pretty - Lesson 1

Here we have the beginnings of the ‘sit pretty’ cue.

Remember it takes core strength for your dog to be successful with this exercise, so it may take a little time to build up those muscles and get the balance required! Go easy with this one.

Also, make sure your dog is sitting straight before you start, this will help their balance & help keep their spine straight.

Sit Pretty - Lesson 2

Now we want to very gradually build duration.

Sit Pretty - Lesson 3

It’s time to add the verbal cue.

Also in this videos a couple of ideas for troubleshooting in case your dog needs a little assistance.

Sit Pretty - Lesson 4

It’s well & truly time remove the lure (food no longer visible to your dog).

We now work on the finished behaviour!

Back up - Lesson 1

Teach your dog to back up!

Initially we use the rear foot target so your dog has something to aim for.

Make sure you’ve spent a few sessions building value for standing with rear feet on the target before starting this exercise (see Preparation - Rear Foot Target above).

Back up - Lesson 2

Adding the cue.

Play Bow - Lesson 1

The first stages of teaching a play bow, initially work on getting the front elbows to bend while back legs stay up so your dog doesn’t go into the ‘drop’ position.

Play Bow - Lesson 2

Adding durations, refining your hand signal and adding the verbal cue.

Leg Weave - Lesson 1

To teach leg weave, I first teach this as a stationary exercise. To start with, reward your dog for each individual weave around your legs.

Then you progress to adding a verbal cue (I use “legs”) and not rewarding every single weave.

Leg Weave - Lesson 2

Once your dog is confidently wrapping around your legs, and looking for the next leg after completing a wrap, it’s time to think about adding forward movement.

You might go back to a treat with each ‘wrap’ again as you are adding difficulty, but fairly quickly you can again fade the treats to every second, third wrap and so on.

Wrap - run out and around an object

This is a fun game! I have two ways I teach this (you can also combine both if you like). You will be teaching your dog to run away from you, around an object and back again.

My cue for this is “fly” and you can use whatever word you like!

Once your dog knows this game you can really have fun with it and add variety - check the video for ideas!

Retrieve - including “hold” and “give”

I use “backchaining” to teach retrieve. This means you start with the end result (dog in front of you holding an object until you take it from them) and work backwards from that point.

This means I can use my marker word “yes” or “good” and the dog will automatically drop the object (into my hands or even a basket!) because they can’t get their reward if something is in their mouth. My marker word also ends the behaviour so it is also a release.

Because you are using backchaining, teaching “hold” is automatically part of the process as the dog holds the object until you give them the cue (or marker word & release) at which point they will drop the object, so you are also teaching “give”. Win win!

Make sure you watch both videos and read the Troubleshooting info below the videos before you start training this exercise so you have a plan for how to progress!

Troubleshooting Retrieve and Hold

Although often your dog will simply open his/her mouth and happily take an object that you offer them (especially the first time you do it, so be ready for this and mark/reward if your dog does this), sometimes the first step in the progression of this exercise can be tricky, which is getting your dog to open their mouth around the object. Some dogs just don’t want to open their mouth!Try the following options if this happens.

a) When progressing we this exercise, we inevitably have to choose the moment when we withhold the reward for just a fraction of a second longer in order to progress the training. This is where we let just a little frustration come in, the dog is no longer being rewarded for something that they had just been rewarded for! You’re now asking your dog for a little more work to get the reward! When the reward is withheld, your dog will likely try again with more intensity, and often this is the point they may open their mouth around the object. Be ready for this! Mark and reward that moment!

b) As the dog moves in to touch the object, move it slightly away so they have to almost chase the object, or stand up and move backwards so your dog is following you to catch the object. Often the dog will open its mouth when caught up in the enthusiasm and you can reward that!

c) Smear a very small amount of peanut butter or similar on the object, as the dog licks they must open their mouth, you can reward that or encourage them to put the object in their mouth when moving in to lick it or as they finish licking.

Cross Paws - Lesson 1

Although at first glance this trick seems fairly simple, I regard it as a slightly more complex trick to teach. This is because there are a few stages to getting this trick.

For this reason I recommend working on some of the previous tricks first, developing your dog’s confidence and willingness to experiment and offer different behaviours!

We use shaping for this, I first teach the dogs to target an object with their paw, then gradually move that target into the position I want.

You’ll see with my dogs they really had to think, their first instinct was to offer a nose touch, but because they were in the “training zone”, they were confident to offer new behaviours!

Cross Paws - Lesson 2

Once you have your dog touching the target with his/her paw, spend a few sessions moving the target around a little so your dog is clear on what to do.

Then start working on your dog pawing the target while lying down.

Your dog may have a preference for using one paw in particular, with my dogs I don’t really mind which paw they use. Later on I can teach the opposite paw and it’s much easier once you’ve taught the initial behaviour.

Cross Paws - Lesson 3

Now it’s time to start working on that final position, crossing one paw over the other.

I am also going to start building a little more duration, so the dog holds their paw in the final position for a little longer.

Cross Paws - Lesson 4

Adding the verbal cue (I use “cross”) and removing the target. My hand becomes the signal, same hand movement as when I had the target in my hand.

Later if you want to you can gradually change the hand signal.

Now you have taught your dog a paw target, you can use it to come up with lots of other tricks, use your imagination to see what else you can teach your dog!