Dogs And Tricks

[gila]

What tricks does your dog do?

stop

back

up (jump onto whatever I indicate, log, bench etc)

weave through my legs

jump through hoop

jump through my arms

go round (run around pole etc and come back to me)

bang

high five

shake (both paws)

wave

gimme five

march (march on spot)

spin

touch

roll over

find it

paws up

say your prayers

speak

on your mark (go to target on ground)

sad

cover

sore paw (stand on three legs)

silly bugger

run through my legs

middle (come and stand between my legs)

beg

hold it (hold a stick or broom handle with his front leg while sitting)

Why did you teach that trick/those tricks in particular?

Not sure why those in particular. Some are just pretty standard sort of tricks.

Was it something your dog gravitated naturally toward?

Yes. Spence is another working breed mix living in suburbia. He's smart and picks things up easily. Since he was a puppy he's had a habit of raising his front paw when he wants something, so all the paw related tricks stemmed from that. He loves the attention he gets when we show off some his tricks to people. I have started teaching him some tricks before that he just didn't seem to enjoy or want to do, so I let them drop and didn't persist.

Did you teach as a pup, or as an older dog?

Taught him both as a pup and an adult.

Why are some people against teaching tricks? Genuine question cos I don't really see any negatives with it.

[Staranais]

Why are some people against teaching tricks? Genuine question cos I don't really see any negatives with it.

I think some people think it's undignified, making the dog do something "cute" just for humans to laugh at them. I can understand that since I wouldn't teach a trick that I felt made my dog look undignified. We just do the dignified kind of tricks.

[gila]

Why are some people against teaching tricks? Genuine question cos I don't really see any negatives with it.

I think some people think it's undignified, making the dog do something "cute" just for humans to laugh at them. I can understand that since I wouldn't teach a trick that I felt made my dog look undignified. We just do the dignified kind of tricks.

Yeh same. The one possible exception may be "silly bugger" when I get him to roll around on his back grunting and snorting But the idiot already did that of his own accord, I just put it on cue!

[bedazzledx2]

Me too. Dogs hate being laughed at but love being laughed with....big difference!!! Most things I teach my dogs are 'tricks' in the big scheme of things. Dogs don't really understand 'don't' but have no problem learning alternative behaviours which can be sit, stand, turn etc which really are all tricks and very useful ones too.

Why are some people against teaching tricks? Genuine question cos I don't really see any negatives with it.

I think some people think it's undignified, making the dog do something "cute" just for humans to laugh at them. I can understand that since I wouldn't teach a trick that I felt made my dog look undignified. We just do the dignified kind of tricks.

[fuzzy82]

At the moment I try to focus more on basic obedience, such as sit, stay, down, come etc, but I teach them as if they are tricks, to keep them fun, and reinforce them with stuff that she loves. For example, the best way to work on a sit/stay is before her meals, as she looooooves her raw food, and will sit and not move AT ALL until I say 'go on'. It's like she's frozen, because she doesn't want to risk a wrong move and postpone her food:) It's quite funny actually.

She also sits and waits to be released before exiting the front door when we go on walks.

The only trick she does just for fun is high five, and that's because she's a natural pawer anyway, and one day she was on my lap and started pawing at my hand I just happened to have my clicker handy, and clicked her, and within a few minutes she had learnt high five.

Other than the basic obedience stuff I would like to teach her some safety stuff. She does a rock solid 'wait', which is on walks to wait until I catch up and released her before moving. We use that for crossing the road when she is on her long rope lead.

The other thing I would like to teach her is to get behind me on cue, for when big dogs approach and I feel the need to body block them. We have started on this by her learning to put her front paw on a mouse mat that I put on the floor. I haven't gotten to the point where I have put it behind me yet, but we are getting there.

We will probably work on tricks once her basic obedience is pretty solid, just because I enjoy training her and to keep her mentally stimulated.

[BMAK]

i just want to say i feel obedience, agility etc are tricks or some form of tricks or a series put together making your dog perform for a treat or toy which he probably wouldnt do with out influence or some part natural behaviour any one else agree???

What tricks does your dog do?

tricks that arnt obedience agility type>

one of my dogs does almost everything i can think of that you put under performance tricks yet my other dog has never naturaly done anything that i could put a cue on so back up and spin is about it for him

Why did you teach that trick/those tricks in particular?

mental stimulation, to see what my dog can actually do for a reward if he didnt want to do it i didnt force him, she performed a natural behaviour and i rewarded it. most tricks can be very useful in everyday life

Was it something your dog gravitated naturally toward?

majority of them, some i influenced her like roll over and wave

Did you teach as a pup, or as an older dog?

pup and older dog

dogs are domesticated so i dont find it is cruel when they are not living in the wild.

where as if i was to see a bear tiger dolphin they belong in the wild so i see being kept in pens and areas not suitable for them to be doing tricks for entertainment?

Edited September 29, 2010 by catherine.b

[corvus]

I don't really discriminate between "trick" training and any other training. I use the same methods, my dogs enjoy it just as well, and sitting on cue is no more natural to them than walking backwards on cue or targeting a body part, really. It's all just behaviour. As long as my dogs are enjoying it why should I care whether it's cute or funny or makes people smile? They don't.

I teach "tricks" both to hone my training skills and my dogs'. I improve my timing and reward delivery and learn more about how my dogs learn, and they exercise their creativity and their ability to think through excitement and problem solve. I think it improves their confidence to try new things and get rewarded for it. And we both have fun. Training is a favourite activity for my dogs. Erik especially just adores free shaping. We have fun both working towards the same goal. We get those little magical moments where it's almost as if the clicker and the food fade into the background and we're just jamming together.

[aussielover]

Personally I like the heelwork here;

Dog is making physical contact with handler who uses his leg to guide the dog at one point.

Too damn tight!!!

That dogs neck is in a very unnatural position imo.

Why do the dogs have to be looking up at the handler?

Why can't they look ahead? Surely they can still take direction when looking ahead?

Do you lose points if the dogs isn't staring adoringly up at you?

[W Sibs]

Personally I like the heelwork here;

Dog is making physical contact with handler who uses his leg to guide the dog at one point.

Too damn tight!!!

That dogs neck is in a very unnatural position imo.

Why do the dogs have to be looking up at the handler?

Why can't they look ahead? Surely they can still take direction when looking ahead?

Do you lose points if the dogs isn't staring adoringly up at you?

Dog is focusing on handler to get the next cue/command.

Edited September 29, 2010 by CW EW

[Kavik]

My best videoed attempt at heeling is pretty pathetic

[aussielover]

My best videoed attempt at heeling is pretty pathetic

Diesel is one handsome boy

[Kavik]

My best videoed attempt at heeling is pretty pathetic

Diesel is one handsome boy

Thanks :D Unfortunately looks rather moth eaten at the moment due to allergies

[huski]

That dogs neck is in a very unnatural position imo.

Why do the dogs have to be looking up at the handler?

Why can't they look ahead? Surely they can still take direction when looking ahead?

Do you lose points if the dogs isn't staring adoringly up at you?

This is another one of my dog heeling;

I never taught her to look up at me. That came naturally the more drive and focus we built. I'm not sure how it can be unnatural when the dog naturally offers the behaviour.

[Cosmolo]

Me love Daisy!!

[Kavik]

I love how Daisy talks to you - so funny!

[aussielover]

That dogs neck is in a very unnatural position imo.

Why do the dogs have to be looking up at the handler?

Why can't they look ahead? Surely they can still take direction when looking ahead?

Do you lose points if the dogs isn't staring adoringly up at you?

This is another one of my dog heeling;

I never taught her to look up at me. That came naturally the more drive and focus we built. I'm not sure how it can be unnatural when the dog naturally offers the behaviour.

Daisy is such a cutie! I love how fast her tail wags the whole time!

Though, she is just turning her head to look up at you, which is not extreme. The Mally's head and neck were really arched back in an awkward looking position. Though perhaps it just looks funny because they have longer, thinner necks?

[wuffles]

We train tricks for fun, to help us both learn, to give her some stimulation. I use tricks to break up other obedience commands in training because they are generally short, snappy and rewarding for the dog.

From what I have seen on Youtube and in real life is that dogs that heel looking at their owner not only have better precision, but they seem more willing and happy to be working. When Ava stops looking at me, she stays with me for a while, then loses interest and usually drifts either forwards or away from my leg. Some of the others dogs at my club heel without looking at their owners, they are generally the ones who lag. Just an observation.

[aussielover]

Are you not allowed to speak in obedience?

I am the opposite and train my dog to look ahead, only rewarding when she is looking ahead. The only time she is "allowed" to look at me is when I call her name or say look. She is still responsive to me (generally, when she is not having a hissy fit and wanting to do her own thing, which happens on the odd occasion ) and can do some pretty cool things imo such as indicating stairs and finding a seat

But then again, I'm not training for obedience trialling

It is funny becuase initially she did keep looking to me for direction, it was actually quite hard to train her out of it! The obedience people were in love with her, but I had to ask them how to STOP her from doing that!

[Kavik]

You are not allowed to speak in obedience apart from giving commands. I have had to retrain because I liked to have conversations with Diesel when heeling and he enjoyed it too but when I stopped talking he didn't work as well I am now using a marker word and release to reward.

[huski]

Me love Daisy!!

I love how Daisy talks to you - so funny!

LOL yes funny sometimes. During a heel pattern or stays... not so much

Daisy is such a cutie! I love how fast her tail wags the whole time!

Though, she is just turning her head to look up at you, which is not extreme. The Mally's head and neck were really arched back in an awkward looking position. Though perhaps it just looks funny because they have longer, thinner necks?

And are stronger, drivier dogs who are going to naturally give more drive and focus and will more naturally come into that position. I know how natural it was for my dog to come into that position and look up at me, I am sure it is not that different for drivier dogs like the Mal in that video.