Train Your Buddy To “Walk” & “Dance” - Warning: Not All Dogs Can Do It!
By Moses Chia
Standing and walking on the hind legs are tricks that put an abnormal strain upon the muscles of the back and hind legs and most dogs require considerable practice before they gain sufficient control of those muscles to balance themselves in this unnatural position.
Before you rush into teaching this trick, bear in mind that not all dogs can do this trick, especially the big dogs such as St. Bernard or Great Dane as it is almost physically impossible for them to perform such trick. Sorry. This trick is not for you - Big dog owners!
A dog should first be taught to sit up and after he will do this well, hold a small piece of treat just above his nose and say “Up,” when he will elevate himself just a trifle to get it, and should be allowed to eat it. Give him daily practice at this, making him reach a little higher from day to day until he can
balance himself on his hind feet.
Do not keep him at these lessons too long at any one time, as they are very fatiguing, and you must give the muscles plenty of time in which to grow strong, so that he can sustain himself more easily. After he can stand up he should be taught to walk by slowly moving the treat from him, and he will be induced to take first one step and then another toward it. Reward him frequently by letting him have the treat and be careful not to tire him.
Dancing Dog
After a dog can stand erect and walk on his hind legs he can be taught to dance, which consists simply in hopping around on the
hind legs and at short intervals turning around.
The simplest method of teaching this trick is to attach a piece of treat to a string, four or five feet long; hold the treat in tempting proximity to the dog's nose, and so high that he will stand on his hind legs to get to it, and then slowly move it around and he will follow after it any way that you may select. Give a command such as “Dance” to associate this trick with. Say the command when you tempt him with the treat.
Do not keep him at it too long and reward him frequently, so as to keep up his enthusiasm. In the early lessons, your dog simply follows the treat because he wants the reward attached to the end of it, nevertheless with regular practice, your dog will still dance for you even without the reward treat. Over time, he should
be able to dance at command and for an occasional reward. Till then, he can be accustomed to dancing when dressed up in
fantastic apparel.
Standing On Forelegs
This is one of the most difficult tricks to teach, and you most probably see this trick only in a circus as the position of standing on the front feet alone with the head down and the hind legs elevated is an unnatural one. It will be a long time before your dog learns to balance himself.
However, it is not totally impossible to teach your dog such trick, provided that you put in consistent amount of effort and time to teach and train him. (This trick is mainly for smaller and toy breed dogs only, most big dogs are physically incapable of doing this trick)
To teach this trick, provide yourself with a light cane or a stick, about two feet long. Hold the stick in your right hand and place it under the dog's stomach, raising his hindquarters with the stick and at the same time placing your left hand on his head, so as to prevent his moving away, thereby forcing him to retain his reversed position; as the dog rises into position the stick should be gradually moved back from his belly until it supports only his hind feet.
Use a command such as “On your head” to associate this trick with and repeat it distinctively during training and remember don't save on your praises and treats when your dog is progressing and learning. He need plentiful of them to further encourage him to learn the trick.
Repeat this operation at successive lessons until the dog understands what is expected of him and learns to balance himself with but very little assistance or support from the stick, and finally with none at all. Eventually he will learn to take the position at the order, “on your head,” without assistance from the hand or switch.
After a dog can balance himself on his forefeet he can be taught easily to take a few steps by standing in front and calling him to you, and as he gains confidence and experience can be made to walk quite a distance. Your dog may or may not master any of these tricks mention above. For all you might know, he could be a lazy dog, or maybe you are a lousy teacher. In any case, tricks are still tricks; you shouldn't be bothered if your buddy can't perform them because I know you will still love him for what he is, and not performing tricks to entertain friends or yourself.
Moses Chia is a dog lover and owner of DogsObedienceTraining.com
- The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog.
Sneezing
With careful and patient training, most dogs can be taught to sneeze. This is accomplished by tickling the nose - with a feather. At first he will snap at it, and under normal circumstances, most dogs will start to sneeze; he will not like the feather very well and in course of time his imagination will foreshadow its effects and he will begin to sneeze as soon as it is pointed in close proximity to his nose. When he sneezes, use a command like “Sneeze”, to associate with this trick. As usual, praise and treat when he gets it right.
By repeating this operation at odd times the dog can be taught to sneeze very creditably when you point your finger at his nose and
give him the word “Sneeze,” and finally will do so simply at command.
This trick can be fun and entertaining but not easily achievable especially with dominant dogs. If your dog get irritated and turn aggressive toward you when you tickle his nose, you should stop training immediately.
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Interesting Old Dog Tricks: For Dog Owners Looking For Fun & Laughter
By Moses Chia
The teaching and training of dog tricks while not a necessary part of a dog's education, is an achievement that offer dog owners and his friends a great deal of amusement and adds
materially to the value of a dog.
Training your dog tricks can be difficult and frustrating if you cannot achieve the results you want. However, unlike house and potty training which are vital education for any dog, I feel that the end-results is not the most significant element in trick training, to me the most important part is that both of you enjoy
the training process and have fun along the way. Listed in this article are 3 interesting dog tricks that you can teach your dog:
Play Dead Dog
Place a dog on his back or side or in any position you may select, threaten him with your forefinger and say “dead” or any word that you may select to associate with this trick, use both hands to help him stay in that position when you first begin training. Praise him and offer treats if he can stay in position. With regular practice, he should be able to stay in the position in which you have placed him, it is only a question of practice when you can call to him and say “dead,” and he will lie down and stretch out in the position that you have accustomed him to taking.
Bringing His Tail
During play, dogs frequently grasp their tails in their mouths. If you haven't notice, if you take hold of your dog tail while playing with him, he will probably seize your hand, but if you skillfully slip his tail in his mouth he will grab it - Interesting!
These facts suggested the trick of “Bringing his tail.” It is a rather difficult feat to accomplish, but it is possible for any amateur to teach it to his dog providing the dog has a long enough tail and the trainer sufficient patience - Sorry to dog owners with short tails! Anyway, this trick is very amusing, for when the dog has his tail in his mouth he can only advance crab-fashion or sideways, with a tendency to go around in a circle without making much advance.
The first step in teaching this trick is to praise the dog when he first gets his tail in his mouth, and after he has held it for a few moments bid him to let go and reward him.
Should he give up his hold before you order him to do so, speak sharply to him and begin all over again. When he learns to hold
his tail until ordered to relinquish it the first part of the trick has been taught, and you can begin to teach him to bring it to you. To do this, step back a few feet from the dog in the direction he can most easily advance, and call him.
If he releases his hold of his tail to come to you, ignore him and replace the tail in his mouth again, but when he comes without letting go he should be rewarded gradually increase the distance you require him to carry his tail, but this task is so difficult that he should not be asked to go more than ten or twelve feet.
In beginning the trick, when you place his tail in his mouth say “Bring me your tail,” so as to accustom him to the command. In time you will not have to place his tail in his mouth, but merely hold it for him to grasp, and after still further practice he will seize it at the word without your assisting him.
Enjoy training your dog new tricks, and most importantly enjoy the process and have a great deal of fun and laughter!
- The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog.
Shut The Door Buddy: Simple Dog Tricks To Teach and Impress
By Moses Chia
The shutting and opening door trick can be taught to all dog breeds. The only consideration maybe would be asking small size dogs to close large or heavy doors which are beyond their physical capabilities.
In teaching this trick select a door that swings easily on its hinges; drive a nail, or simply stick with double sided a makeshift hook on your door at such a distance above the floor that the dog can just reach it by standing on his hind legs with his forefeet resting against the door.
Open the door a few inches, place a small piece of treat on the hook and call your dog's attention to it, saying “Shut the door.” In reaching for the treat the dog will place his forefeet on the door and this will close it. If preferable the treat can be balanced on the door handle, and shutting the door will jar it to the floor, when he should be allowed to eat it and be petted and praised. After be has done this a few times you can advance him in his lessons by placing the treat in position while he is in another room, then call him in and say “Shut the door,” directing him toward it, and if he does not go, show him the treat and encourage him to get it. In time he will understand the order and will close any door that is shown to him.
Finally, teach him to close the door without having any reward in sight, but after he shuts it in response to your command reward him with a treat. In the first lessons you need not be particular about having the door closed tight, but in later stages, insist upon its being done before any reward is given. Dogs can be taught easily to open swinging doors, but opening fastened doors is a much more difficult act, and is possible only with those that have the easiest and simplest latches.
To teach a dog to open a swinging door call his attention to it and push it open at the bottom. Do this a number of times every day for several days, then go through the door, closing it after you, and leave your dog on the other side; call him and he will soon learn to push the door open in order to reach you. To teach a dog to open a latch, hold the dog up to it and push it back with his paw, and say “open door” to associate this trick with this command and continue to give him practice in this way until he will push it back without your assistance.
Moses Chia is a dog lover and owner of DogsObedienceTraining.com
- The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog.
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