I teach my dogs pretty much everything they need to know via tricks. Afterall, agility, obedience, tracking, disc dog... - it's all just another dog trick.
Tricks train them to think, to use their body and mind. Tricks teach them that there is no difference between working and playing and gives them the right attitude. Teaching tricks teaches them that they’re the smartest dogs in the world, that there are no mistakes and no failure, that trying things is good. Tricks give them confidence in their thinking abilities and moves, improve their strength, balance and coordination. Tricks build a bond between me and them and create a deeper understanding for them how I think and for me how they think. Tricks make them feel important, smart, confident, needed and bonded with me.
Tricks are very important for young dogs as they learn to use their body and mind that way. They're also great for cross training of competing dogs, it keeps all the muscle active and strong and prevents injuries. And it's especially great for old dogs, as tricks keep them mentally and physically active and that's what keeps them young and healthy.
AND they don't take much time, space or equipment, so you don't have any excuse not to teach some tricks to your dog!
Here is the right place to post your videos to give us some ideas, to ask questions on "how to" or ask for a suggestion if you get stuck somewhere on a way.
Here comes one of my favourite videos:
To learn more about tricks, please see my training DVDs on tricks.
Last call for 
I was wondering if anyone had any tips to help me with part of the trick to get them to jump onto your feet. I have an aussie but she’s small (not on purpose, she just turned out to only be like 25lbs)… so she has trouble jumping high enough to get up onto my feet.
I noticed in the picture of the trick above there are some smaller dogs, did they (or anyone else who watches this site) have the same trouble and could give some tips?
I’ve been training it by letting her start higher up so it’s not as high of a jump, but the real thing looks so much more impressive!!
Can’t wait for the heeling and tricks videos, it’ll be a great way to usher in the cooler weather!
Are you sure it’s the height that is the problem? Usually, it’s “scariness” that is a problem, not height as such… Can she jump on equally high object or not?
At what age do you teach this trick. I have a young pyr shep that I have recently imported from Sweden. He is nearly 6 months old. I have taught him to jump onto my back and spin around (thats with me kneeling on the floor) but Im just a bit worried about him getting the feet trick wrong and falling off. Its a bit higher than my back. He is very brave with heights but when is too young?
I would do all the preparation work with him, jumping to small and shaky, but still low objects -- but would wait with the real thing until he is well over a year old. No-fear usually means not so cautions and more prone to falling off, so… Take it slowly!
Yeah, it’s not height but scariness for my Sleet too…she’s a BC but a fairly small one. She can jump on the feet of other people with my assistance although she’s not done that enough to feel confident about it yet. I find I can bend my legs more by putting thighs against my body but still keep feet level for them to reduce height a bit.
It’s not often enough I can swindle volunteers for Sleet to practise on..thats my main problem lol:D
I’m not sure which would be better (fear vs low jump height) but it’s definitely a height issue. She is fearless (in a way that scares ME sometimes), but even my bed (which is about the same height as my legs) she has trouble getting up onto.
We’ve been practicing “piggy-back” (where she jumps onto my back), and trying to get higher up… I’ll try bending my thighs into my chest as that should end up a similar height as my back for the piggy-back trick.
Thanks for the ideas, and of course more are always welcome!
We have been practicing our hand-stand…
love this one!!!
Hi Silvia!
It’s not about a trick, but..I have a labrador/pointer.. I don’t go hunting(?) with my dog, so she have those instincts and she LOVES to run after bird, hares and specially cats!
Normally she is so focust on me, but if she sees a cat…. She runs after it. And it almost doesn’t matter if I’m in the end of the leash, haha! 😀
I just try to hang on..
But.. I new when I got her a year ago, that she had those instincts, so I’m not surprised.. I’m just wondering, if there is anything, any kind of training or anything, that could help her(or me!?) not to run after it. And maybe get her so far so she doesn’t care about it?
I don’t know, but.. Yea..
We love you! 😀
Michelle Mischa, 16 y.o & Bella 3 y.o
Hunting is a hard one to get rid of once the dog already discovered the beauties of it… It’s a must to have her on leash everywhere she might be tempted by hunting, so that you can stop her from it and try to redirect her focus on you. Ideally, try to find some cats who won’t run when they see a dog and try to play with Bella as close to cats as Bella can still focus on you… We have one of those cats at our club, he keeps coming to watch agility, lies behind the tunnel and is not afraid of dogs at all!
I really need to make a video about my puppy. He’s doing so well. Just don’t have the video camera. Have to ask some of my friends. Maybe they would help me. 🙂
Hi Michelle,
which country are you from?
I have a similar problem. We try working with a 7.5m long leash. Yoshi carry the leash (on a harness) loosely on the ground, only the loop (end of leash) is in my hand… so he feels like being free. If he’s seeing a cat I let him wait or coming to me and try to work on staying close focusing me instead of the cat. In long time work progress we get this far. In the beginning he starts running but ran in the end of the leash .. so at time he lost the success in chasing …
… meanwhile I work on a new communication (traffic light) system of first -green- show border (with a voice signal like ‘pst’- not a word(!) or giving in the act.. like walking on the leash ‘not pulling’ every time is green -- there’s no need for a voice-signal); second -yellow- an other voice signal as warning “you’ve crossed the border -- don’t do that or there are consequences” and if this don’t work you give -red- a physical contact (one that don’t hurt!) -the consequence- as long as necessary.
That’s a system you could easily work parallel with positive reinforcement because you use it only to stop unwanted behavior.
So in Yoshis case don’t go chasing outside is green -- if he starts running after a cat I give him yellow -- if he stops and come back I start some playing or tricktraining as alternative reward (if there’s a ball he can run after instead) -- if he don’t come back and run in the end of the leash that’s red -- because it is really displeasing 😉
Maybe there are other and for you two better ways working with this problem. But for Yoshi and me this was the best method and I believe the best training in not chasing is to simply don’t let a dog chase. She wants you to be her boss, she wants to count on you so she has to stop doing things you believe are not good for her. If you are able to show her that chasing is a no-go-behavior for her own good she will accept it.
regards,
Bea
Hej Bea..
Thanks for the tips. I’m gonna try that, but she usually sees the cats before be and I get to notice by the leash, when she starts to run.. 🙂
I’m from Denmark. 🙂
I absolutely love this site! I read everything in the other LoLaBu Land website a few months ago when I started agility with my dachshund Prana but foun this site just a few days ago and I am loving it! I started to train my dachsie tricks inspired by LoLaBu Land hoping to improve this clumsy puppies coordination and body awareness for agility and give an appropriate outlet for her energy but now I see that there is so much more to it! I have had my share of dogs but never had this much fun and this kind of bond. Now I have started to teach tricks to my nearly 6 year old doberman that has only done obedience and she is just so happy! And got Pranas running contacts on the real dog walk last class. We need practice though 😛
But one thing in this site I cannot agree- so many people write that the tricks shown in their videos are nothing fancy. I have seen fancy tricks in every single video in this topic! That you know how it is trained and can do it without much effort and so do many other doesn´t make it any less fancy! Backward weaving IS SOOOOO fancy! So is limping and jumping hoops and walking on hind legs, not to mention a handstand or ever hand walking! So give yourself and your dogs the credit they deserve and admit it- you both are SOOOO increadably fancy!
Hi Silvia!
I have a question about a trick: walking on front leg.
I have an aussie, Obi, 6 months old. We work on backing on the sofa and putting the back legs high. He does well so I use a part of the sofa (can’t find the english word: kind of pillow but you sit on it on the sofa). I put vertically so he can back on it. I then put the pillow against a wall, and he does well too. And now, we are stuck.
He won’t back on the wall, just lift a back feet but never push on it to back on it.
What can i do?
Hey, I saw this and I know somebody who did a great tutorial on teaching this and posted it to youtube so just watch and enjoy:D
Also, take it nice and steady if your dog is still only 6 months old. Don’t rush this trick. Muscle needs chance to build for them to be able to do the final result properly.
Try to change objects some more so that he is not that depended on a particular object. Trees are great for that as they come in all sizes and shapes 🙂 Have fun!
Thank you for the nice video!
I’llt ry to change the support object. He seems to be more confortable with soft object. I’ll let you know how it goes. 🙂
And i need to find an encyclopedia 😀
I have another question…
Wich program do you use to make vidioes??
Hello Sylvia!
Thank you so much for your inspiring site. It is great that you take time to share the magic 🙂
I have been wondering roughly how long it took you to train some tricks (e.g. the two-legged ones, handstands etc), for an adult dog?
Also, have you or anyone else any tips -- I have been trying to get my dog to touch my hand with his rear feet, but he never seems to get this concept at all. He is normally a fast experimental learner.
Good luck in the world cup!
Hm, I think it normally takes about 5 sessions until the dog is putting hind/left/right legs on a vertical object (or a wall). And then some more until he can do it without an object, about 5 for lefts/rights/diagonal and I guess at least twice as much for a handstand, especially as you shouldn’t be rushing with it too much, it takes quite some muscle and balance to hold it without any support.
As for rear feet targeting… It helps if you do easier rear feet tricks first. Can he put his rear foot on an object? If so, take an object in your hand, then make it smaller until your hand is all that’s left 🙂
Have fun! And thanks for the good wishes!
Hello Silvia,
At first, your trick videos are amazing! i love it!
i have a question about the tricks, who dogs must thinking!
my dog is 3 year old, a border collie!
she make tricks, but the problem is, she will not thinking!
i have try too make the trick, that they should put a toy in a box or something like that!
can you help me?
thanks and regards from switzerland
Pam
I’m preparing a video on Thinking Tricks too, so that one will give you a more detailed answer to your question. For now, if she is not yet used to thinking/shaping, start with something really basic -- like a nose touch, a paw touch, go into the box, go on the object etc. Or just click for ANYTHING she does. Most people say their dog doesn’t do anything at all, but it’s not true. You just need to observe closely and click for a head turn, ears moving… -- anything is a good start.
Hello Silvia,
Thank you very much! i will have a look! Oh, so i hope the trick video will cooming soon!
😉
Also congratulations of your runs at AWC on Germany. It was amazing to watch your videos.
salutations from switzerland