Dogs And Tricks

[Staranais]

I love this!

"be a meerkat" (beg!),

he,he,he.Reminds me of my Kieran ( around 40 kg of dane x) Whenever he was supposed to lie down, I would always say "resting puppy"

Tee hee, well I've always loved meerkats, and joked to my family that if I ever live in Africa I'm adopting one. Now I don't need to, since I have a 28kg meerkat living in my house!

[Remarkabull]

No your not the only one.

Nope, definitely not.

No tricks taught in this house.

Lily will bark on cue but that was kind of an accident.

I'm not really into "performing" animals in that kind of way. Dog sports yes but not behaviours I consider "amusing".

Same here. We do basic commands but no 'tricks'.

I didn't like the dancing dog video either Persephone.

[HeavyPaws]

When I found out I'd need a service dog within the next five-10 years, I began teaching Moon 'useful tricks' to prepare myself for training a proper service dog.

Note, they were NOT intended to pass her off as a service dog so I could get into shopping centres with her, airlines, etc. She goes on lead where dogs are allowed and stays home when dogs aren't allowed. She does not wear a vest and I do not claim to have a service or assistance dog.

With that said, I wanted to teach her helping skills so it'd be easier for me when I had to train a dog to help save my life.

She knows shake, sit, down and stay, but in addition she knows:

* On {stand on something and sit}

* Open {she can open pull-down handle doors and push doors, but can't do knob-handle doors}

* Back it Up {walk backwards}

* Touch/Push {push something with her paw or nose}

* Let 'Em Know {bark}

* Whoa {this took the longest, she has to press close to my leg and stay there}

* Would You Take this Please? and I'll Have It Back, Thanks {carry something in her mouth and at second command she drops it}

* Too Far For Me! {she stands on her back legs to get something off a shelf for me}

* Too Bright! and It's Dark! {turn off and turn on light switches}

She knows sit, wait, open the door and steady {whoa} in sign language too.

We use nontraditional commands, but I understand them

I looked up the commands and ways to teach them on Youtube and visited a lot of forums asking about assistance dog commands.

She also knows swear words. For some reason, when they're accompanied by her name {"Useless Mutt!"} and a flying missile, she runs away

[Primedogs]

What tricks does your dog do ?

He knows a bunch such as shake, high-5, high-10, wave, hands up, bam (play dead), ta-daaa (bow), bubbles, roll over, spin, turn, back, and some others

I worked on teaching him tricks for a few reasons, one is as he is a bigish dog some children are a bit wary/frightened of him and while he can drop to make himself smaller I have found they tend to be less wary of him after he has done a trick or two wether it be playing dead, giving kisses or just having waving hello. Another reason that I teach tricks is that it allows me to work at improving my training skills also it is something to do that I find interesting and fun that uses his brain, I like training tricks.

Was it something your dog gravitated naturally toward?

Some of the tricks he learnt have just evolvled from mistakes from a previous trick such as hands up came from him putting two hands up instead of one when waving, and tall came from hands up when he kept on standing on his hind legs when he did it, so I guess they came more natrually then other tricks and I find he is quicker to teach tricks which involve him using his feet rather then his mouth and as a result more of his tricks involve doing something with his feet rather then his mouth but I still work hard at teaching tricks which involve him using his mouth

The older one is now around 17months and is still learning new tricks, so the training started as a pup and will continue on as he ages

[persephone]

Heavypaws - I like your thinking

I also like your non-traditional commands ...as I rarely use them here, either. The most used one here is when I notice someone about to do something 'wrong' and it usually only takes an ''Excuse me!" for that idea to be put to bed

I so much prefer a conversational tone

[persephone]

one is as he is a bigish dog some children are a bit wary/frightened of him and while he can drop to make himself smaller I have found they tend to be less wary of him after he has done a trick or two wether it be playing dead, giving kisses or just having waving hello.

[koalathebear]

Tangential note, I'm not sure why tricks are often seen as being any worse than some elements of obedience training. For instance, my OH are a bit conflicted about the formal 'heel' formation. It's amazing to see the dog with its head tilted up attentively towards the handler, not even looking where it's going - but we can't help thinking it must be jolly uncomfortable for the dog to have its head at that angle for such a long time.

ETA: Yes we're still committed to teaching Elbie to do it as part of his obedience but we'd never make him walk like that outside of class.

Edited September 28, 2010 by koalathebear

[poodlefan]

Tangential note, I'm not sure why tricks are often seen as being any worse than some elements of obedience training. For instance, my OH are a bit conflicted about the formal 'heel' formation. It's amazing to see the dog with its head tilted up attentively towards the handler, not even looking where it's going - but we can't help thinking it must be jolly uncomfortable for the dog to have its head at that angle for such a long time.

Wrap style heeling isn't everyone's ideal of 'correct' heeling.

The dog was supposed to walk close by the handler's left hand side to avoid interfering with a broken shot gun.

It shouldn't be touching the handler or not looking where its going IMO.

[huski]

Tangential note, I'm not sure why tricks are often seen as being any worse than some elements of obedience training. For instance, my OH are a bit conflicted about the formal 'heel' formation. It's amazing to see the dog with its head tilted up attentively towards the handler, not even looking where it's going - but we can't help thinking it must be jolly uncomfortable for the dog to have its head at that angle for such a long time.

Wrap style heeling isn't everyone's ideal of 'correct' heeling.

The dog was supposed to walk close by the handler's left hand side to avoid interfering with a broken shot gun.

It shouldn't be touching the handler or not looking where its going IMO.

I like to see my dog heel with 110% focus on me. I am the one who is directing where we are going. I actually don't like seeing dogs in the ring who are looking straight ahead, look like they are just going through the motions and appear to have a disconnect with the handler.

At the end of the day my dog would not do competition heelwork if she didn't enjoy it, there is no mistaking how happy she looks to work IMO.

Edited September 28, 2010 by huski

[poodlefan]

I like to see my dog heel with 110% focus on me. I am the one who is directing where we are going. I actually don't like seeing dogs in the ring who are looking straight ahead, look like they are just going through the motions and appear to have a disconnect with the handler.

At the end of the day my dog would not do competition heelwork if she didn't enjoy it, there is no mistaking how happy she looks to work IMO.

Personally I think there's a difference between a dog that's focussed on the handler and one that appears to be grafted around the handler's left leg.

Dogs shouldnt be touching handlers and IMO in wrap style heeling that does tend to happen. Bloody hard to do a left turn with a dog in that position.

[koalathebear]

Personally I think there's a difference between a dog that's focussed on the handler and one that appears to be grafted around the handler's left leg.

Dogs shouldnt be touching handlers and IMO in wrap style heeling that does tend to happen. Bloody hard to do a left turn with a dog in that position.

I think it's interesting to watch - the dog looks so doting and adoring - but I suspect I'd trip over my dog if he was that close to my leg I suspect trial work is out for us

[poodlefan]

Personally I think there's a difference between a dog that's focussed on the handler and one that appears to be grafted around the handler's left leg.

Dogs shouldnt be touching handlers and IMO in wrap style heeling that does tend to happen. Bloody hard to do a left turn with a dog in that position.

I think it's interesting to watch - the dog looks so doting and adoring - but I suspect I'd trip over my dog if he was that close to my leg I suspect trial work is out for us

Teach a less extreme style.

Plenty of others do.

[di_dee1]

We are farmers but my 3 ACDs are pets. I don't teach tricks, just the basic commands as I prefer them to be themselves. They occupy each other inside the house or out so they do not lack for stimulation.

[Kavik]

Doesn't look like he has problems with his left turns

[huski]

I like to see my dog heel with 110% focus on me. I am the one who is directing where we are going. I actually don't like seeing dogs in the ring who are looking straight ahead, look like they are just going through the motions and appear to have a disconnect with the handler.

At the end of the day my dog would not do competition heelwork if she didn't enjoy it, there is no mistaking how happy she looks to work IMO.

Personally I think there's a difference between a dog that's focussed on the handler and one that appears to be grafted around the handler's left leg.

Dogs shouldnt be touching handlers and IMO in wrap style heeling that does tend to happen. Bloody hard to do a left turn with a dog in that position.

How extreme are we talking PF? Do you mean like English style heelwork?

I am happy if I get this from Daisy;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EirXW2xt52Q

Though I can't walk in a straight line but that is irrelevant handler error

I would also be happy with this;

But the second one I'd like to see more drive from her.

Edited September 28, 2010 by huski

[huski]

Doesn't look like he has problems with his left turns

Lovely work

[poodlefan]

Doesn't look like he has problems with his left turns

Lovely work

Looks one hell of a lot like guidance to me - dog touches handler and handler touches dog's head.

They are seeing physical injury arising in obedience dogs taught that style of heeling now. Look at the dog's gait.. completely unnatural. The dog consistently interferes with the handlers arm action.

Not to my taste at all. Its exaggerated IMO.

Edited September 28, 2010 by poodlefan

[huski]

Look at the dog's gait.. completely unnatural.

How unnatural is it really though? I have found my big dog will give me a nice prancey heel when he is in drive, he naturally comes into heel position without any real guidance from me. Not as refined as in the clip Kavik linked to by any means, but gave me food for thought.

[poodlefan]

Look at the dog's gait.. completely unnatural.

How unnatural is it really though? I have found my big dog will give me a nice prancey heel when he is in drive, he naturally comes into heel position without any real guidance from me. Not as refined as in the clip Kavik linked to by any means, but gave me food for thought.

How many dogs do you know that "naturally" goose step like that? The dog's reaching skywards with its front legs. Its doing that due to its head position.

The dogs's muzzle also constantly bangs the handlers leg. At points the dog almost appears to be mouthing the handler.

More contact may look like more focus but I'd hope like hell he'd be marked down for it in Australia. That left turn just about has an extra cue with the handlers arm action to.

Very impressive training - but can you imagine trying to spend a day out shooting with a dog doing that?

Edited September 28, 2010 by poodlefan

[Remarkabull]

Doesn't look like he has problems with his left turns

Lovely work

Looks one hell of a lot like guidance to me - dog touches handler and handler touches dog's head.

They are seeing physical injury arising in obedience dogs taught that style of heeling now. Look at the dog's gait.. completely unnatural.

Not to my taste at all. Its exaggerated IMO.

I'm with you PF.

The way the dog is moving just looks wrong.

There was a police dog on Send in the Dogs last week that was almost wrapped around it's handlers leg. They were competing for some major Police dog trial. During his run he stepped on the dog a couple of times (hard enough to make the dog yelp). They came 3rd and moved on to the finals. Surely a dog that can be trained to that level of obedience could be trained to heel in an appropriate position? (Not just police dogs, but any dog that is trialled in obedience)