Dog trick training – how to & why!

Why do dog trick training?

So many reasons!

• It’s fun
• Grows your dog’s understanding and vocabulary
• Challenges both you and your dog to learn new skills
• Deepens your bond with your dog
• Prevents boredom
• Provides an activity when you can’t get outside
• Lets you give your dog focused attention in a short amount of time
• Makes great videos and memories

Dog “tricks” or behaviors can be anything. Many years ago, it was almost a cliche that the dog went out to fetch the paper every morning. Of course most dogs didn’t really do it, but it was a trick that everyone thought their dog could do.

And there’s always something new to try! Hope and Torque just started working on “Hide!” She draped a blanket over a portable folding table, and put a target under the table. Torque started at normal heel position, and when he got his release cue, he charged right under that blanket to find the target. Click and reward! 

The cutest part was when he turned around and was peeking under the blanket. That’s another benefit of dog trick training – they’re so incredibly cute!

Of course we don’t really think that Torque knows “Hide” after only one session. We’ll see what happens when we try it again. We’ll record next time so you can follow along on his progress. Just like we’ve been sharing Tango’s learning to “Go Bowling.” 

You and your dog can do it

When you and your dog are familiar with the fundamentals (see Book 1: Clicker and Place), you can expand your dog’s repertoire to include any trick or behavior that you can imagine and your dog can physically perform. Lately we’ve seen quite a few videos of skate-boarding dogs. If that’s something you’d like your dog to do, go for it. Thousands of YouTube views await your awesome dog!

Going viral might be fun and profitable, but it’s not predictable. What every single dog can achieve, however, is a “Trick Dog” title. From home. Via video. 

It’s true. You don’t have to leave your dog’s comfortable training space. To earn an American Kennel Club Trick dog title, all you have to do is have your dog perform 10 tricks, each one twice, on video. And, since you’re interested in dog trick training, we’d even bet that your dog already knows a few of the Novice Level tricks, which include things like: 

• Speak
• Crawl
• Fetch
• Get a named object
• Get in a box
• Climb onto a platform or step
• High five
• Hold it
• Jump through a hoop or over a bar
• Kiss
• Shake
• Spin
• Touch

There are more, but that gives you a good idea of the level of difficulty for the first level of dog trick training. As you progress through the five levels, the difficulty increases – but as you progress, so does your ability and your dog’s prowess!

Dog trick training

 
Of course your video does need to be evaluated, and you need to know someone who can do it. Fortunately, you do! Hope is an AKC CGC and Trick Dog Evaluator, as well as a S.T.A.R. Puppy instructor. If you’re interested in pursuing Trick Dog titles for you and your dog, just shoot us an email (trainers@2-Minute-Trainer.com) and we’ll get you started!