Trick Ideas

[kiesha09]

My boy has an autoimmune disease which causes him to have symptoms like a dog with arthritis. So he struggles sitting and dropping. Therefore these days I avoid asking for these behaviours because they hurt him and often result in non compliance.

But I want to keep doing some training with him to keep his mind active. So I'm looking for some trick ideas that don't involve sitting and dropping. So far I've been doing:

- Fetching a dumbell

- Weaving through legs

- Spin right and left

- Walk backwards

- Speak (although this is causing us some problems so might rethink continuing with this one)

- Nodding head

- Shaking head

Any others that you can think of? They can be a bit more difficult as we need a challenge :)

[Guest Ams]

Opening and closing doors.

Aaaachooooo - getting a tissue from the tissue box when you sneeze.

Pivots

Say hello (putting his head in your lap gently so you can give a pat)

What? - Head tilt

If he has got the dumbell retrieval then you can start giving him other named objects to collect. Once he recognises the names of a few different ones, then put them all together and make him choose the one you name. Progress to hiding them from view and then making him select one. There is footage on youtube of a dog that has literally hundreds of soft toys and will retrieve each and every one by name. The reporter put a toy in that the dog had never seen and after a few attempts it deduced the new named item must be the new toy since it didn't fit any of his known objects. Using this means you can just keep teaching the same thing over and over but it is making your dog use his brain and you don't have to come up with new tricks as such. **aaarrgghh what Discodobe said**

Edited November 10, 2012 by Ams

[Podengo]

Object discrimination and fetching, e.g. fetch a ball, fetch the phone, fetch my socks :p

[kiesha09]

Thanks guys I like the object discrimination idea because as you say its one trick just using lots of different things

[Lollipup]

I like the object discrimination too, because when they build up a big repertoire or items they know it is very impressive :)

Fetching a drink from the fridge, putting item in bin, putting item in basket and carrying it to you, shame/who farted (front paw over nose/eyes)

Maybe see kikopup on youtube for ideas - I get lots of ideas from youtube. Her chihuahua has a disability and has to take it easy on her back legs so maybe find some of her tricks. Can't wait to see what you come up with :)

[Ptolomy]

Picking up toys and putting them in a toy basket

[Jumabaar]

How about nose work and sent discrimination? Both are easily googled :)