Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Find Items

Difficulty: Moderate

Teach Dog to Find Items 

This trick can be taught with any toy or item and could turn out to be very useful if you lost something. Besides the practical usefulness of this trick, this is a really fun game to play with your dog! Have your dog go out of the room and sit, then hide the object somewhere in the next room. The object could be anything: one of his toys, an article of clothing, but make sure he knows what he's searching for. For a more advanced performance, hide something with a less noticeable scent, such as the tv remote or a set of keys.

Step 1: Have your dog sit.

Step 2: Hold up an object that he is familiar with (he knows its name) and let him smell it.

Step 3: Place the object under something obvious (like a towel), and say "find it." You might add the name of the object if it doesn't do it quickly ("find it" bunny). Click and treat when he touches the object.

Step 4: Repeat several times, but each time you repeat move the object to a different location, getting progressively more difficult. Click and treat each time.

Step 5: Let him smell and then hide other objects that he is not familiar with and give the "find it" command.

OUR EXPERIENCE

When I first taught this trick, I was using an old Atlanta Braves hat that I used to wear. Because the hat had a lot of my smell on it, it was really easy for Caspian to pick up on. It started out basically by accident, I hadn't planned on teaching him this trick. I was just playing around with the old hat, playing keep away, putting it underneath things for him to dig it out. I had him go out of the room, and I stuck it partially underneath the rug, then called him. He sniffed around a few seconds before finding it. Although I had stumbled upon this trick by accident, I got my clicker and started rewarding him for finding the hat. Because he had learned the term find it, in relation to finding things with my scent on it, when I lost a set of car keys in the backyard one day, I told Caspian to "find it." Although he didn't know what he was looking for, he went to the thing that had our scent on it. In just a few minutes, he had found my keys.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog doesn't understand what I want him to do. Some dogs have great noses; others don't. But your dog doesn't have to be a bloodhound to learn this trick. When starting out, make sure the toy you use to hide is one he really likes. Also make sure he knows its name. Start out easy; you may not want to even hide it starting out. Put it in plain sight and encourage your dog to touch it. After that, then you can start to hide the toy in progressively more difficult spaces.

Tip: "Use the same terms each time! In other words, don't tell your dog to "Find it," while still using "Get it," "Where is it?" and "Search" intermittently. Consistency is the key!"

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Put His Toys Away

Difficulty: Hard

 Teach Dog to Put His Toys Away 

So you've finally taught your kids to put their toys away—but what about your dog? This trick is helpful, and also impressive. Give your dog a simple command and watch him go around the house and gather up all his dog toys together and drop them in a basket or box.

Step 1: Get a large box or basket. Gather all your dog's toys and put them in a pile.

Step 2: Point to each toy and say, "Take it," then "Bring it" and "Drop it" into the basket. When he does this, click and give him a treat. After he puts all his toys in the basket, reward him with a treat, saying "Put your toys away."

Step 3: Do this several more times. After several training sessions, you should be able to just say, "Put your Toys Away" and he will put them all in. Give him a big treat each time. 

Step 4: Next put each toy farther away from the basket. Work with him to find all his toys and put them away into the basket when you give the command.

OUR EXPERIENCE

It was difficult to teach Caspian to put his toys away, but since he already knew to "Take it," "Bring it" and "Drop it," that was a big help! I spread an assortment of toys across the floor with a big basket in the middle. I told him to take one of his toys, to bring it and drop it in the basket. He wouldn't drop it in the basket at first, but I would go ahead and click for the effort. Eventually I became stricter in what I was looking for, and only clicked when he actually got the toy in the basket. As soon as all his toys were in the basket he got a big treat! I would always say "put your toys away" whenever he would put any toy - or all toys - in the basket. We did several sessions of this until he was able to put them all in the basket when I gave him the command: "Caspian! Put your toys away!"

TEACHING TROUBLE

He won't put them all in! Probably the hardest thing I had to work with for Caspian was grouping all his toys together in one command. Sometimes by the time they get all their toys in, they forget what they did at the beginning. One thing you can do is start out with only three toys. When your dog puts them in, click and treat saying: "Put your toys away!" Do this several times, then add another toy. When he puts all four in, click and treat saying: "Put your toys away," and so on until he can put all his toys away!

Tip: "Sometimes you'll feel like treating him for his good efforts, but only click and treat when your dog actually drops the toy into the basket. If it's only halfway in it counts, but it doesn't count if it's not in at all."

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Bring You His Dish

Difficulty: Moderate

Teach Dog to Bring Dish

Another useful trick. When your dog brings you his dish, not only does it make him look smart but it saves you the effort of having to get it. How does your dog tell you he's hungry? Pawing at his dish, knocking it over, barking? Here's a simple and cute way for your dog to let you know that he needs to be fed.

Step 1: Use the "Learn the Names of Everything" to teach him to touch his dish on command.

Step 2: Teach him to hold the dish in his mouth using the "take it" command . Your dog may not like holding a metal dish in his mouth, but this trick is worth the extra effort. Take extra time with this step. 

Step 3: With the dish on the floor say the name "dish." When he starts to touch the dish say "take it." If he takes the dish in his mouth at all click and treat.

Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 several times in multiple training sessions.

Step 5: With your dog holding the dish in his mouth say "bring it." Click and treat when he takes a few steps toward you with the dish.

Step 6: As you repeat step 3 introduce the command "get your dish." When he takes it, click and treat.

Step 7: Repeat step 6 in several sessions.

Step 8: Give the command "get your dish." Click and treat when he brings it to you. Gradually extend the distance from the bowl as you perfect this trick.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Teaching "Dish" wasn't too hard once I taught Caspian to learn its name. I first had him touch the dish, eventually teaching him that its name was "Dish." The next step was getting him to pick it up. This was more difficult because his dish is heavier than other objects we have trained with before. I clicked and treated for small advances towards the behavior I wanted. Eventually, he was able to carry it completely in his mouth. I then told him to "Bring it" to me. Since he knew these commands already, it wasn't very hard to string them together into this nice trick — "Get your dish."

TEACHING TROUBLE

What if my dog's dish is too heavy for him? Your dog will most likely be able to carry it. It could be that he's just not used to carrying something that bulky and heavy before. It's a good idea to start out small and click and treat for small advances toward the dish. You could even build up to this trick by having him learn to take lighter things in his mouth, then gradually teaching heavier things until he is able to hold the dish. Of course, if you have a small dog, it metal dish might be too bulky for him to pick up. You can try using a smaller dish. Another idea is to teach "Fetch a Drink" first to get him gradually used to carrying heavier things in his mouth by filling up the drink bottle a little at a time.

Tip: "After several training sessions, your dog may eventually bring his dish to you to tell you he's hungry!"

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Bring You His Leash

Difficulty: Moderate

Teach Dog to Bring You His Leash 

Like, Bring Slippers, this trick builds off of the Learn Names trick. In this trick, you will teach your dog to bring you his leash when you are ready to take him outside for a walk. This is quite an impressive trick, and makes your dog appear super smart. I remember my grandmother came for a visit one day, and I nonchalantly asked Caspian for his leash to take him outside. When he came trotting back with the leash dangling from his mouth, my grandmother laughed and pronounced him "the smartest dog." I'm sure your guests will do the same!

Step 1: Set the leash on the floor. Tell him to take it. Click and treat when he does.

Step 2: Go to the door. Tell him to take the leash, bring it, and drop it in your hands. Click and treat.

Step 3: Repeat the take it, bring it, drop it action several times, saying, "Leash!" when he drops it in your hands.

Step 4: Eliminate the "take it, bring it, drop it" commands and start only using "Leash." You can also use a hand signal to give him a hint.

Step 5: Command him to get his leash. Click and Jackpot if he obeys you, and take him outside for a long walk!

OUR EXPERIENCE

Although this trick took several training sessions to teach, "Leash" was a moderately easy trick for Caspian to learn. I started out with the leash on the floor. "Take it!" I said. He did, and I clicked and treated. The next time, I said "Take it, Bring it, and Drop it," into my hands. Each time he did this for me I would click and treat, saying, "Leash!" Many times, when he would successfully drop it into my hands, I would take him outside as a reward instead of a treat. Soon, Caspian was able to bring me his leash whenever I gave him the command. Whenever we go outside, he brings it to me every time!

TEACHING TROUBLE

He won't drop it in my hands! Be picky. If he doesn't put it in your hands, he doesn't get a walk, or a treat either. If he successfully brings it to you and drops it on the floor, tell him to take it again and drop it in your hands. Immediately click and reward when he does drop it into your hands.

Tip: "Put the leash somewhere so your dog has easy access to it, such as draped over a closet knob or in a basket near the door."

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Bring Your Slippers

Difficulty: Moderate

Teach Dog to Bring Your Slippers 

This trick is a combination of Take it, Bring it, and Give . When you tell your dog to get your slippers, he will take them, bring them, and drop them right in your hand. What if you lost your slippers? Wouldn't this be a helpful trick! Just tell your dog "Get my slippers!" and off he'd go. In no time he would come back with the pink slippers and drop them by your feet. Some dogs can bring both slippers at the same time. But if you're having difficulty getting your dog to bring both slippers, keep your slippers together with a piece of velcro or string. You don't have to keep them together, however. Your dog will do just as fine getting them one at a time. (This is especially useful if you forgot where you left them!).

Step 1: Using the "Learn Names" trick, teach your dog the name of whichever object you want him to bring you (Slippers, for example).

Step 2: Now that he knows what the name of the object is, tell him to "Take my Slippers." Click and treat.

Step 3: Tell your dog to Take it and Bring it. If he does so, click and treat.

Step 4: Now, try combining all three tricks. First, say, "Get my Slippers!" Then, "Take it, Bring it, and Drop it." If he does what you ask, click and give him a generous treat. Repeat this until you have a polished trick.

OUR EXPERIENCE

This was one of our favorite tricks to teach Caspian, and one of his favorites too. He does really well at learning names of things—he knows his toys by each of their names for example. So we introduced the slippers in the same kind of way. Because he was really excited about this trick, the slippers themselves were the reward. We realized, however, that he thought of the slippers as a toy, and would get preoccupied and play with them when we asked him to retrieve them for us. He would eventually bring them, but he would want to play with them first. To fix this problem, we clicked/treated only when he brought them back faster. We then conditioned him to bring them right back as soon as we asked for them.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog can do each of the initial tricks (take it, bring it, give), but is having trouble blending them all together. What do I do? Repetition is the key to this trick. As you practice it more, it will flow together better and you won't have to use each command to get him to do what you want him to do. Eventually, you will have him learn that the command "Get my Slippers" means to take the slippers, bring them, and drop them into your hands (or at your feet!)

Tip: "When shaping this trick, have your dog take the top part, or toe of the slippers each time so that they're not soggy when you put them on!"

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Yawn

Difficulty: Moderate

Teach Dog to Yawn

The clock says the time is eleven-thirty. It's dark out and you're tired, and the couple on the couch haven't stopped talking. They are your friends, or used to be—you're not so sure now. But the greyhound in the corner is your friend. "Come here boy," you whisper under the jabbering of the couple. He lays down by your legs and you look at him. You stare into his eyes and say, "Are you tired?" He smacks his lips and yawns, his great teeth revealing themselves, then disappearing again. "Yes, I know you're tired," you say and pat his head, "I am too." Your friends get the message.

Step 1: Most dogs will yawn when they are anxious. You can use that to help you catch the yawn. Look for your dog to yawn when he wants to go outside or wants a ball or toy that you are holding. When he yawns, click and treat. Because this trick has to be 'caught' with the clicker, it can be fairly difficult, and you have to time your clicks just right.

Step 2: When he starts to offer a yawn because he has been treated for it, go ahead and give the command you want to associate with his action. It could be yawn, tired, or sleepy, but in any case, be consistent with your command. Repeat three to four times per session.

Step 3: After several sessions of training your dog to yawn, give him the command and see if he will respond with a yawn.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Because we have to catch Caspian in the act of yawning, it can be frustrating when trying to get him to yawn multiple times in a training session. Caspian will lick his muzzle and yawn if he is anxious, so sometimes during our training session, we would turn around and not say anything for a few seconds. Caspian, not knowing what to do, would then get a little anxious. An assistant would either click or let the trainer know when to click if he yawned (you won't be able to see your dog if your back is turned). This trick was more frustrating for Caspian in general. He knew that he was being clicked and treated for something that had to do with his mouth, but didn't quite understand at first. If your dog gets frustrated during a training session, cut back on the amount of time for each session, but always try to end on a high note.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog doesn't understand that he's being clicked for yawning. How can I fix this problem? Since a yawn is a natural response that a dog might give for either being tired or anxious, he usually doesn't even notice when he's doing it. Making him aware that he is yawning is the key to this trick. It may take several training sessions, but eventually your dog will get it!

Tip: "This trick presents better if you use a cute command like "Are you sleepy?" or "It's bedtime."

Dog Trick- Teach Your Dog to Backup

Difficulty: Easy 

Teach Dog to Backup

This is a very useful trick to teach your dog, and one that will condition him for more advanced tricks later on. A good practical use of getting your dog to back up is for tossing him a toy or treat to catch. You can also have your dog back out of the kitchen while you're eating, for example. Teaching your dog to back up will pave the way for more impressive tricks later on, such as incorporating it into a dance routine. Tricks like that are extremely hard to teach, and take lots of time, but the foundations for them start here. Think up creative ways to use back up with other tricks for a much more impressive show.

Step 1: With your dog standing facing you, walk forward toward him. When he takes a step backwards, click and treat.

Step 2: Continue stepping forward. When he takes multiple steps backwards, click and treat.

Step 3: Practice this until he understands that if he backs up, he deserves a treat. Start walking toward him less. You can use a signal instead (Try waving the back of your hand toward him, or taking a single step forwards).

Step 4: Once he has learned this, say "Back" as he backs up and as you give the hand signal. Do this several times until well learned. Remember to click and treat when he cooperates.

Step 5: Give him the command and see if he'll back up! Click and treat well each time he obeys. Reinforce with extra training sessions.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Teaching Caspian this trick was pretty straightforward. We would walk towards him, and click/treat when he would back up. Sometimes he would try and move out of our way instead of backing up, so we decided to relocate to our upstairs hallway—so the walls would constrict his movements. When we moved toward him in the hallway, he had no choice but to back up. He soon got the idea, and we then attributed the command back up along with the hand signal. We usually use the "back" command for him to backup and sit before tossing him a treat or toy.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog won't start backing up unless I advance toward him. That's where the signal comes in. Try using the signal as you walk toward your dog each time. Then, gradually stop walking forwards, but keep the hand signal. Be patient and give your dog time to think about it. Also, remember to take enough breaks and don't wear your dog out. Short sessions are the most successful!

Tip: "A narrow hallway or a place where movement is restricted can help in teaching this trick."

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Fetch

Difficulty: Easy 

Teach Dog to Fetch 

If your dog has mastered the "tug" game and the "bring it" command, then teaching him to fetch will be easy. Fetch comes naturally to some dogs, and to others it is a moderately easy trick to teach. Once your dog learns Fetch, he will enjoy doing it not only for treats, but simply because it's just a fun game. Follow the steps carefully with your dog, and soon you will have another fun game to play with him.

Step 1: Start by playing tug. Say the "take it" command when you want your dog to pick up the rope toy, and then the "give" when you want him to release the rope.

Step 2: Have your dog "give" the rope, but then toss it a few feet away. Say, "take it." Click treat when he picks up the rope.

Step 3: Generally, your dog should be excited about playing the tug game, and will usually come back to play some more. If he doesn't, repeat step two, this time getting him to bring it to you with the "come" command. Say "Give" and click and treat.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Since Caspian is part retriever, fetching came naturally to him. We would throw a tennis ball, and Caspian would be extremely excited—he knew that this was going to be a fun game. He would run down our hallway as fast as he could, and puppy-pounce on the ball. But then, he would get distracted, and not know what to do. He would chase after the ball fine, but he just wouldn't bring it back. We worked with him using the "come" command, and by clicking/treating, it didn't take him long to bring the ball back every time. Now playing fetch is his absolute favorite thing to do!

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog has learned to fetch, but he always brings it back slowly. Three things: The first thing is to use great rewards. Yummy snacks, great praising, a nice walk...All these 'treats' are good to reinforce the dog's behavior. The second thing is your enthusiasm. If you're not at all excited about the game, how do you expect your dog to be? Go all out; be silly. If your dog sees you enjoying it, chances are he will enjoy it, too. The third thing is time. The more you reinforce this trick, the more your dog will learn to appreciate it! Keep positive and practice it several times per day. After a while, he will learn to love fetch and look forward to playing it.

Tip: "Practice fetching different objects and at greater distances. Be generous with praise and click and treat when he performs well."

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Open and Close a Door

Difficulty: Moderate

Teach Dog to Open a Door 

Teach Dog to close a Door 

You have a smart dog! He's learning all sorts of new tricks. One trick that takes two separate steps to learn is opening and closing a door. Keep in mind that dogs can only open certain kinds of doors; it's practically impossible for a dog to twist a doorknob. The way dogs open doors is by pulling a cloth or rope attached to a latch. When he pulls the latch, the door swings open. You can use this trick to teach your dog to let himself out, but only teach this if you have a fenced-in yard. You can use this trick for a variety of other uses, such as opening and closing the refrigerator door (pair this with "fetch a drink,), or opening and closing a mailbox (you can teach your dog to get the newspaper or deliver a letter).

Teaching Your Dog to Open a Door

Step 1: Tie a bandana or cloth around your door. Tell him to tug it. Wait until he tugs the door open, then click and treat.

Step 2: Keep doing this, eventually saying, "open" whenever he tugs the door open. Click and treat every time.

Step 3: After your training session, he should be able to open the door at your command.

Teaching Your Dog to Close the Door:

Step 1: Put your touch stick on the door.

Step 2: Each time he touches it and moves the door a little, click and treat.

Step 3: Start waiting until he has pushed the door closed. Click and treat.

Step 4: Do this until he will close the door each time. Click and treat generously when he does this!

Step 5: Start saying "close" when he closes the door. After repeating the action several times, he should close the door at your command.

OUR EXPERIENCE

This command is taught to assistance dogs to help disabled persons in opening and closing doors. You can see how helpful this would be to someone wheelchair bound. For us, we don't have a specific reason such as this for Caspian to open and close doors; and since we don't have a fenced-in yard, we definitely didn't want him to be able to open the front door to let himself out. Nevertheless, we use this trick to open and close the refrigerator door, in conjunction with the "fetch a drink" command , which might be the perfect trick for when company comes over.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog is tugging and pushing, but can't open or close the door. Do you have a small dog? Obviously, smaller dogs can't open or close heavy doors. If you want to teach your small dog this trick, give him a more lightweight door such as a toy cabinet to open and close.

Tip: "Make sure you understand that while teaching your dog to open doors, he may use his newly learned trick to escape from home on a rather boring day."

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Tug

Difficulty: Easy (Teach Dog to Tug )

Here is a fun trick that both you and your dog will enjoy. Some breeds will naturally play tug with you, or with other dogs. Maybe your dog already knows how to play tug. But learning to tug on command (and alternatively giving on command) is good to know. This trick is used in movie production all the time, and is a staple for stunt dogs. They learn to tug a certain piece of cloth or rope, which can be affixed to actors (fido saves Billy by pulling him out of the way of a speeding train, etc.). The give command is also useful apart from the tug game itself. If your dog collects your things, such as socks or slippers, tell him to give instead of chasing him all over the house. But of course, playing tug is a great way to spend time with your dog and further builds the bond between human and dog.

Teaching Your Dog To Tug:

Step 1: Take a rope toy and offer it to the dog and say "take it." (Reward your dog with praise when he moves toward the rope toy.)

Step 2: When your dog takes it, gently shake and tug the rope toy to get the dog to hold and pull against the tugs.

Step 3: Click and Treat when your dog tugs back on the rope toy. Use "Tug" as your command. Keep repeating this until your dog will tug at it eagerly.

Teaching Your Dog To Give:

Step 1: With your dog pulling firmly on the rope, say "give" at the same time offering a treat. When he drops the rope toy, click and treat.

Step 2: Reinforce this trick by repeating four or five times per session. Pay special attention to the "give" command. This is important for your safety. Make sure that your dog will stop the game with the "give" command.

Step 3: Play tug several times a day. Each time you play the game make sure you use the commands saying "take it" when you your dog takes the rope and "give" when you want him to release the rope.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Caspian was very eager to tug on a new rope toy. Since he is a labradoodle, he gets very excited about playing, whether it's with a ball, frisbee, or toy, so he began tugging on the rope toy naturally. Even though it was natural for him to play tug, we still wanted to teach the commands so that he could tug multiple objects.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog is so uninterested in this trick. How will I get him to start tugging at the toy? It will help if the toy you use to teach this trick is one of your dog's favorite toys, a new toy, or one that you bring out only for this occasion. Your dog will be interested if you are excited, and play it with him like a game. You can also tease him with it a bit before you begin to get him excited.

Tip: "Use a special toy to teach this trick, and use it only while learning this trick and playing tug. This will keep your dog excited about this special toy, and you can use this instead of a food treat."

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Hush

Difficulty: Moderate (Trainning Dog to Hush )

The barking and barking. The yapping and squealing by the window. The bark that makes you dizzy. Like needles in your eardrums. Not stopping. Never ceasing. Only continuing on and on, to drive you mad, to drive you crazy, to drive you up a wall. Ringing in your ears. Your heart beats faster. And faster. The bark pulsing your head. The pain stabbing your neck. If only you could say one word, and end it all...

Hush. It's an incredibly useful command that saves your ears and peace of mind. Depending on the breed, your dog may or may not be a barker. If he is territorial at all, you may be dealing with a lot of barking problems. Barking is good - it warns you of potential danger; but it can be very annoying if the dog is barking at every jogger that goes by. With this trick, teach him to be silent when you give the command.

Step 1: Focus your attention on your dog while he is barking. If he looks at you and stops barking, even for a second, click and treat.

Step 2: Repeat this several times, eventually adding the word "Hush" as you click and treat.

Step 3: After several training sessions while your dog is barking, give your dog the command and click and treat when he hushes. Repeat this until he has mastered the trick. Each time you repeat, try and go for longer durations of silence. 

Step 4: You can now add a hand signal to help with this trick. Use it whenever you give the command, and he'll associate it with the trick.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Caspian can be a worrier. He barks at every dog that walks down the street, as well as walkers and joggers, not to mention the mailman and the poor FedEX guy. We almost didn't get a package one time because Caspian was barking so loud. Even though he has a deep bark, he's made entirely of fluff, and would probably lick a burglar to death instead of attacking. However, the barking issue was a problem that we wanted to fix, and the hush command has done its job.

TEACHING TROUBLE

When I stare at my dog to get his attention, he just ignores me and keeps on barking. You may have to get his attention some other way. Clear your throat, say his name, or show him the treat. Eventually, he'll learn not to ignore you.

Tip: "You usually have to 'catch' this trick by waiting until your dog starts barking wildly. But if you have noticed certain things your dog will bark at, such as when a doorbell is rung, or a light shining on a wall, use that to help teach."

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Speak

Difficulty: Easy 

Congratulations! You are halfway done learning 52 tricks! To celebrate, here's an easy trick to teach your dog, one which is both useful and beneficial for learning more complex tricks later on. Getting your dog to speak—to bark on command—is an easy thing to do, and can have many great advantages. It's definitely a trick worth teaching, since you can do lots of things with it, such as training your dog to bark at strangers, learning to count ), or growling. One great reason to teach your dog to bark on command, is that by teaching him to bark, you may actually cure a barking problem. You can teach this trick in such a way so that your dog only barks when you give him the command, which can be extremely beneficial for those with problem dogs (and not to mention much less expensive than an anti-barking collar).

Step 1: Get your dog to bark. For example, if you know that your dog barks when the doorbell is rung, then ring the bell, and when he barks say "Speak" and click and treat.

Step 2: After repeating this several times, try giving him the command (Speak). If he obeys and barks, give him a jackpot.

OUR EXPERIENCE

We were really anxious to teach Caspian how to count ), so we delved right into this trick when he was just a puppy. In training him, we used things like knocking on the door, or ringing the doorbell to make him bark, but we also caught the behavior when he barked naturally. Now, we usually have him sit first before giving him the speak command, just so that he is paying attention and ready to speak.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog never barks, how can I teach him to speak? If your dog doesn't bark very often, take extra time to figure out ways to teach your dog. Notice when your dog makes any growling noise, however slight. Click and treat for these small things and once your dog can make these little 'yips' on command, ask more of him by clicking and treating only when he growls louder. Become pickier by clicking and treating only when you are satisfied with the way it sounds.

Tip: "Use this trick to teach your dog to count!"

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Sit Pretty

Difficulty: Moderate 

Prerequisite: dog Sit

While it's generally not a good idea for your dog to be truly begging for scraps at the table, getting her to sit pretty—act like she's begging—is a fun and comical trick to teach. This is also a good trick to build other tricks on. You can get your dog to act like she's praying, or to reach for the sky if you make a gun-hand-gesture. This is also a good exercise for your dog, and s great for strengthening his back legs. As with any exercise, moderation is key. Start out slow, and gradually build up to where your dog is comfortable.

Step 1: Get down on your dog's level with your dog sitting in front of you.

Step 2: Let your dog smell a treat and then slowly lift it up above him.

Step 3: When she lifts her paws off the ground click and treat.

Step 4: Each time her hindquarters are on the floor and her front paws are up, say "sit pretty" and click/treat.

Step 5: Repeat four or five times each training session.

OUR EXPERIENCE

In the books, trainers say that this is one of the easiest tricks to teach your dog. Many dogs perform this trick naturally as soon as you lift a treat above their heads. Unfortunately, Caspian is not one of those lucky dogs. I had a hard time teaching him to sit pretty, but we persevered together, and finally we conquered it! Now, Caspian has no trouble with this trick and enjoys the performance.

TEACHING TROUBLE

He isn't strong enough to sit pretty! You can help support your dog at first by supporting his front paws so that he can gain strength. Only expect him to hold the position on his own for a second or two at first and gradually build up the endurance so that he can stay in position for several seconds.

Tip: "This is a great strength-training trick to teach your dog, because it builds up strength in your dog's hindquarters!"

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Roll Over

Difficulty: Moderate 

Teaching your dog this trick is a must. Along with sit and down, this is one of the most well-known dog tricks. In fact, if a visitor comes over and asks you, "Does your dog know any tricks?" then proceeds to find out for herself, chances are high that she'll ask, "Come on boy, roll-over." Have you ever wondered how to get your dog to roll over? It's more difficult than many other tricks, but with patience and a lot of encouragement, your dog will be rolling over on command.

Step 1: Have your dog lay down.

Step 2: Lure him with the training stick or with your treat to have him move over to one hip and on his side. Click and treat.

Step 3: Use the lure to get him to go over on his back. (This may take time for some dogs). Click and treat.

Step 4: Continue using the lure to get him to roll all the way over. Jackpot when he does this. (Some people have used gently sloping ground to make it easier for the dog to roll all the way over).

Step 5: When your dog is rolling over more readily, stop using the lure. Expect more before you click and treat, but praise and jackpot when he performs well.

Step 6: After he is rolling over smoothly, start giving him the verbal command "Roll over." A circular hand signal is also helpful. Always praise and intermittently click and treat when he performs well.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Caspian learned this trick surprisingly quickly (though after some frustration). I started out having him lay down. I guided the touch stick gently from one side of his head to the other, pushing it back. I told him in a gentle voice to touch it. He moved his head around and as he did so he moved onto his back, his paws coming upwards. I clicked and treated. The second time I did this I waited for him to come up some more before I clicked and treated. Soon, he rolled all the way over. "Good boy!" I said, and gave him a jackpot. After doing this several times, Caspian got the hang of rolling over. When he started doing it more smoothly I used my command "Roll Over" as I clicked and treated. Soon, I stopped using the touch stick and Caspian was able to roll over at my command.

TEACHING TROUBLE

He stands up to touch the stick rather than roll over to do it! This part of the training process depends on you. Be very gentle in your movements and commands. Move the touch stick around slowly as you say in a low voice, "T..o...u...c..h..." If you are slow and steady in your voice and actions, your dog's actions will be less reckless, too!

Tip: "Try having your dog roll over on the same side each time to keep things consistent."

Dopg Trick : Teach Your Dog to Jump

Difficulty: Easy 

This trick teaches your dog to jump straight up in the air. It's not teaching him to jump 'over' and object, rather, it teaches him to jump in the air, with all four paws off the ground. This trick paves the way for teaching your dog to jump rope, . Again, as we've said in the beginning of this book: before attempting any jumping tricks, consult your veterinarian to see if these tricks are okay for your dog to do. Again, it's not a good idea to teach puppies jumping tricks; it's possible to hurt their developing hips. And if your dog has any history of hip dysplasia, these jumping tricks can hurt your dog. Teaching your dog to jump is both fun for you and your dog, just make sure a vet give you the okay so that you don't hurt your pet. The point of teaching this trick to your dog is to have fun, and this trick especially encourages your dog to be excited; and you'll find yourself getting pretty excited as well!

Step 1: With your touch stick, hold it high in the air so that he has to jump up to touch it. As soon as his legs come off the ground, click and treat. If he's having trouble, start out with just having your dog touch the touch stick closer to the ground, then gradually getting higher.

Step 2: With your touch stick, hold it high in the air so that he has to jump up to touch it. As soon as his legs come off the ground, click and treat. If he's having trouble, start out with just having your dog touch the touch stick closer to the ground, then gradually getting higher.

Step 3: Keep doing this until he jumps at your command. Gradually stop using the touch stick and use your command instead. Click and treat whenever he does this.

OUR EXPERIENCE

The secret to this trick was first of all to get Caspian excited! Once Caspian was all happy and excited, I grabbed my touch stick and started out by re-acquainting him with it. I gave him a couple of easy ones on the ground, then got higher. I placed the touch stick high enough in the air so that he had to jump (with all four paws off the ground) in order to touch it. As soon as all four paws came off the floor, I clicked and treated. After the first few, I started saying "Jump" as I clicked and treated. I used a hand signal to help him out and took away the touch stick. As I did my hand signal, I also gave the command - "Jump!" He did it right away.

TEACHING TROUBLE

This was the hardest thing for Caspian to learn. The main thing that helped him out was that he knew he needed to touch the stick at first in order to get the treat. When I held the touch stick high enough so that he had to jump to touch it, he learned that he got his treat when he jumped all the way.

Tip: "Short sessions are the key to this trick. Jumping up and down is hard on dogs' hips, especially larger dogs, so keep that in mind when you are training your dog."

Dog Trick : teach Your Dog to Shake

Difficulty: Moderate 

A dog that shakes on command can be quite an impressive trick! The only problem: You have to catch your dog in the act of shaking first. This isn't a behavior that happens often: such as sitting, laying down or even barking. Nor is it one that you can introduce with a touch stick, such as spinning or playing dead. You have to catch your dog in the act of shaking, which can be tricky. First, you have to be observant! When does your dog shake? When he gets up from a nap? When he comes back inside? After he's had a bath? Notice these and pick the one that will be the easiest to teach. Usually the most effective training session is immediately after a bath, when your dog is wet and frisky.

Step 1: Catch this trick with the clicker. Click and treat after you give him a bath or after you go outside in the rain when he shakes the water off.

Step 2: When he lifts his paw click and treat.

Step 3: If he offers the behavior again click and jackpot. 

Step 4: Click and treat and give the command "shake" whenever he shakes.

Step 5: Give the command -- when he shakes, jackpot.

OUR EXPERIENCE

In teaching this trick to Caspian, we had some trouble catching him in the act of shaking. We tried rubbing him down really good—which almost worked. He shook when we messed up his fur, but it was more confusing for him then when we would catch the behavior naturally. What we started doing is clicking when he shook after getting out of the bathtub, or when he came inside on a rainy day. Once we were able to figure out what makes him shake, it was a simple matter of repetition for Caspian to get it.

TEACHING TROUBLE

The behavior doesn't happen often enough for my dog to get it!

There are a few tricks you can try to get your dog to shake. First, make sure he's wet. You could try getting a spray water bottle and spritzing some water all over his back. You can also try rubbing your dog back and forth vigorously. This usually causes dogs to shake. Your main problem is getting your dog to realize what he's doing. When the action happens naturally, the dog doesn't think about it much. You have to point it out to your dog, "Hey, good job shaking there. I want you to do it again."

Tip: "Treat big the first few times so your dog will be motivated to find out why he's being rewarded!"

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Shake Hands

Difficulty: Easy 

If you have an especially cute puppy (and what puppy isn't cute?), visitors think that it is absolutely adorable to be introduced with a tiny paw-shake just as if to say, "Hi, nice to meet you! Why yes, it is okay for you to rub my belly now!"

Step 1: Have your dog sit in front of you.

Step 2: When he lifts his paw click and treat.

Step 3: Repeat five times.

Step 4: Wait for him to offer lifting his paw (however slight). Click and treat.

Step 5: Say the word "paw" each time he lifts his paw. Click and treat.

Step 6: Say the word "paw" and click and treat when he lifts his paw.

Step 7: Modify the trick by rewarding only higher lifts. You can encourage him to lift his paw by tickling the hollow behind his paw.

OUR EXPERIENCE

When Caspian learned "Paw," I started out by having him sit. I waited for him to lift his paw. As soon as he did lift it, I clicked and treated. I waited again, and clicked and treated when he lifted his paw. It was OK that he was only lifting it up a little bit. I wanted to capture the good behavior, however slight it was. After a few times repeating this, Caspian figured out that he got a treat whenever he lifted his paw. He started doing it more frequently, and I started saying the word "Paw" whenever he lifted it. Soon, when I gave him the command, he lifted it! In other training sessions I was able to shape the behavior so that he lifted his paw higher and eventually placed it in my hand.

TEACHING TROUBLE

He will lift his paw, but only a little bit! How can I get him to lift it higher?

Click and treat at the beginning, no matter how high he lifts his paw, to encourage good behavior. Then, get tougher! Start to only click and treat when your dog lifts his paw higher, and the higher he lifts it, the bigger treat you give him. He may get frustrated, but he'll get it soon enough.

Tip: "You can encourage him to lift his paw by tickling the hollow behind his paw."

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Spin

Difficulty: Easy 

It may not be a very useful trick, but having your dog spin in circles is very impressive. You can pair this trick with other moves such as jumping tricks to create a dance routine! If you want to get fancy, you can teach your dog to spin left or spin right by your hand signal. Start out big and point in the direction you want him to go, associating that with your specific command, "Spin Left," or "Spin Right." For each training session, use smaller hand signals for a perfected trick.

Step 1: Using your touch stick, guide your dog around in a circular motion. As he makes a full turn, click and treat.

Step 2: Keep doing this several times, eventually adding a hand signal (circular motion with index finger).

Step 3: Use the touch stick less. When your dog can spin without the touch stick, add your command.

Step 4: Practice until your dog can spin at your command!

OUR EXPERIENCE

It was easy to teach Caspian this trick. I just started by having him play around with the touch stick, getting him used to touching it while I clicked and treated. Then, I said "Touch" as I moved it around in a circular motion around his body. Caspian turned his head around to follow the touch stick and then his whole body followed. As he made a whole turn, I clicked and treated. I did this again and again until he was used to the motion. I then started using a hand signal (moving my finger around in a circular motion) to help him out and used the touch stick less. When he was able to spin without the touch stick, I started giving his command, "Spin!" Each time he would spin at my command I would give him a jackpot treat.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog has A.D.D!

Maybe your dog starts to spin, but then he notices something a few feet away and stops mid-spin to go check it out. If this is true, it sounds like you've been training a bit too long. Either that, or your treat isn't good enough! Make sure your dog is well rested and your treats are good. Also, clear the room of any distractions such as televisions, toys, or children that might get in the way of an excellent training session.

Tip: "You can also teach this trick by using the clicker to catch your dog in the act of chasing his tail!"

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Go To A Place

Difficulty: Easy 

Go to a Place is a fundamental trick used in movie production. In this trick, you will teach your dog to go to a certain place, marked by a small piece of tape or shiny disk. You can also use this trick to teach your dog to lay down on his bed or sit on a rug. It can also be paired with other tricks for a more exciting show. This is an easy trick to teach and can be funny watching your dog prance on top of his mark, eager for a treat! This trick has many uses, one of which is to get your dog to pose with you for family portraits.

Step 1: Have your dog touch the training stick. Click and treat.

Step 2: Place a piece of tape or a disk on the floor. Use the training stick to point to the marker, and click/treat when he is on that spot. Practice this several times until your dog knows to go to the marker to get his treat.

Step 3: Call the marker by its name (mark, spot, disk, etc.) just as he steps into it. Click and treat. Repeat until you can say the name of the marker and he'll go right to it! Now, you can place the marker anywhere in the room where you want your dog to sit or lay down.

OUR EXPERIENCE

This was an interesting trick to teach Caspian. We previously had taught him to sit on our foyer rug by catching the behavior with the clicker; then attributing the name "rug" to the action. But training him to go sit or lay down on a marker is much better, since we can place the marker down anywhere we want him to be. We chose some masking tape for our marker and made an "X" with two small strips. We didn't want Caspian thinking that he was supposed to pick up the marker.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog will understand to go to the place after one session, but later in the day he can't remember it at all and we have to start over again!

This is perfectly normal. Keep practicing the trick and your dog will eventually remember what to do. Try keeping practice sessions to five or ten minutes and give him a generous break afterwards. But don't let the break be too long - come back to reinforce it within the hour. Also, always end on a good note. Sometimes your dog might start to get frustrated even after doing the trick several times. When this happens, he is very close to getting it. It's important to keep going so that you can end positively and with a jackpot.

Tip: "For a funny routine, teach your dog to 'go to a corner' using this trick and combine it with Act Ashamed. "You should be ashamed of yourself!" You can tell your dog, "Go sit in the corner!"

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Jump Over People

Difficulty: Moderate 

Now that your dog can jump over sticks and through hoops, let's give him a bigger challenge. Get down on all fours and have your dog jump over your back. This is not only fun for your dog, but for the whole family. Involving people adds a lot of excitement to a simple jumping trick, and children think it is funny to see people get on their hands and knees so a dog can jump over them. This is a great trick for social events and is a staple for show dogs.

Step 1: f your dog can comfortably jump over a stick elevated about 25 inches from the ground then you can begin to teach him to jump over people who are on their hands and knees in the crawl position.

Step 2: Have your dog jump over the stick. Click & treat. (repeat a few times).

Step 3: Have a helper kneel on their hands and knees.

Step 4: Hold the stick just over him. Have your dog jump over the stick. Click and Jackpot. (If your dog won't jump over the stick with the person under it, try having the person lie down on the ground).

Step 5: After a few repetitions have your dog jump without using the stick. Click and treat.

Step 6: Try adding people spaced about 10 feet apart for a nice show at your next barbecue.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Caspian was hesitant to jump over a person, and we had to work with him to help him overcome his doubt. Both Caspian and I knew that he could complete the jump, but the idea of a person being there instead of a hoop or a stick was foreign to him. We started out by placing the jumping stick on top of the person's back and saying "leap." He wouldn't jump, so we had to start by laying on the floor first just to get him used to the idea of crossing the jump stick with a person there as well. Once he got this concept, he was good to go.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog won't jump over me!

Although it was easy to teach Caspian to jump over a stick, he would balk at jumping humans. Having the person lay down and lowering the stick helped. After Caspian got used to jumping with the volunteer flat on the floor, he was read to jump over the stick with the volunteer beneath it on hands and knees. Soon we didn't need to use the stick at all.

Tip: "People can be even more unpredictable than dogs. So be sure that each of your volunteers understand that they should keep quiet and not move or stand up while the trick is in progress. Another great idea for this trick is to get dogs to jump over each other!"

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Jump Through Hoops

Teach Your Dog to Jump Through Hoops 

Difficulty: Easy 

If you have ever been to the circus, you'll remember that act where the man comes out with his dogs and those big hula hoops. He holds the hoops high in the air and his dogs leap through and run around and leap through again, as fluently as a ballerina's grand jeté. Maybe you thought, "Wow, I wish I could get my dog to do that," but maybe you didn't know how, or if it was even possible, to train your dog to do that. Training your dog to leap through hoops is easy, and pretty soon, he'll be leaping through the air just like any professional circus dog.

Step 1: Let your dog get used to the hoop. Set it on the ground; click and treat when he approaches it.

Step 2: Have a helper hold the hoop (do not elevate the hoop) on the floor in front of him.

Step 3: Call your dog or lure him through the hoop. Click and treat as he walks through the hoop. Repeat this a few times so he will get used to walking through it.

Step 4: Hold the hoop a bit higher and tell him to "Leap!" Click and treat if he jumps through the hoop.

Step 5: Keep on giving the hoop more height, clicking and treating each time.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Caspian wasn't so sure about the hula hoop when we started out. Each time I got it out, he would slowly back up a step, then another, and finally leave the room. But I soon taught him that it wasn't anything to be afraid of. Now, jumping through hoops is one of his favorite things, and he rarely requires a treat to do it. I sure did start out with treats, though! Each time he approached the hoop, which was lying motionless on the ground, I would click and treat. Then I had my helper hold the hoop upright as I guided Caspian through the hoop. He tried to go around it at first, but eventually he cooperated. Each time he went through the hoop, I clicked and gave him a treat. Soon, I thanked my helper and took the hula hoop, raising it a bit in the air. "Leap!" I told him. Since he already knew Leap, he jumped right through. I clicked and treated. Each time we did it again, I raised the hula hoop just a bit higher. Soon, he was jumping through them at a very decent height! As we practiced this trick more and more, we started using smaller and smaller hoops.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog hits the hoop every time!

It is OK to click and treat if your dog hits the hoop starting out. But soon you will want to eliminate this unwanted behavior by not clicking when any part of him touches the hoop. He will soon learn that he has to clear the hoop before he gets his treat.

Tip: "Try using hoops of various sizes. Start out with a standard size hula hoop, but as your dog perfects the trick, try decreasing the size of the hoops. It's quite a spectacle to watch a full grown dog leap through a tiny hoop!"

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Leap

Difficulty: Easy 
By this time, your dog should be progressing very nicely and has learned quite a few tricks! One impressive set of tricks involves leaping over or through objects. This is a staple for show dogs and makes quite a thrilling spectacle when you show dinner guests or friends. One word of caution: before attempting these jumping tricks, consult your veterinarian to see if jumping and leaping is right for your dog. It's a good idea to not teach jumping tricks to puppies, as it could damage their hips. And don't attempt this trick if your dog has a history of hip dysplasia.

Step 1: Have your dog sit and stay while you lay a stick on the ground. Cross over to the other side of the stick and call your dog. As soon as the dog crosses the stick, click and treat.

Step 2: Do this a few more times before adding height to the stick by placing a couple of thick books underneath it. Click and treat while he is crossing the stick.

Step 3: As your dog becomes accustomed to crossing the stick, add height with more books. Once it gets high enough that your dog has to jump over it, start saying "Leap" before clicking and treating. Keep doing this until your dog will leap when commanded!

OUR EXPERIENCE

Because I had already taught Caspian 'Come,' this trick was easy for him. I started out with my red stick laying on the ground. I said, "Caspian, come!" When he was crossing the stick, I clicked and treated. I crossed the stick and he followed me. Each time he crossed the stick, I would click and treat. Soon, I didn't have to call him - he knew he had to cross the stick in order to get his treat. I added some books to make the stick higher and waited for him to go across it. This time I said, "Leap!" and when he did, I clicked and treated. Finally, I put the stick in the seat of the two chairs and told him to "Leap." He made a clear jump over the stick!

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog keeps going around the stick instead of over it.In some of the teaching sessions I had with Caspian, he wanted to come to me by going around the stick rather than jumping over it. This problem can be solved by ignoring his behavior until he crosses the stick. Another idea is to block off the remainder of your space so that he has no choice but to jump the stick to get to you.

He keeps knocking it over!If your dog is knocking the stick over, that could be a sign that it is too high for him to jump. You want to make sure you don't injure your dog by having him leap too high. Lower it and try again. If it is the first or second time in your dog's leaping experience and he knocks the stick over, don't worry. He will probably perfect his trick. You can click for the first couple times, but if he continues to knock it over, refrain from clicking/treating until he leaps without touching it. Then reward him well!

Tip: "Only go as high as is appropriate for your dog's breed and age. To avoid hip trouble later on, use moderation when teaching this trick and keep training sessions at around five minutes at a time."

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Park

Difficulty: Easy 

Another practical command that should be taught is the park (eliminate) command. I've spent many cold nights waiting on my dog. If you don't have a fenced in yard, and take your dog out on a leash, it can be pretty frustrating sometimes getting your dog to realize that he's there for a reason, and it's not checking out the neighborhood dog news.

Step 1: Designate a specific spot in your yard to make clean-up easier.

Step 2: Wait until he finishes eliminating, then click and treat.

Step 3: Do this each time, introducing a command such as "Park" or "Find a good spot."

Step 4: Be consistent, but vary the reward.

OUR EXPERIENCE

When it's cold and rainy outside, you can imagine how helpful an obedience command such as this would be. When teaching Caspian to park on command, we would take a bag of treats and a clicker with us whenever we took him outside. As well as food treats, we would treat him in other ways as well, such as playing with a tennis ball or frisbee. If you start out by bringing your dog in immediately after he is finished, you may teach him to prolong parking so that that he can explore more and have more time outside. Playing with Caspian afterwards trained him to do his business first, then playing and exploring comes afterwards.

TEACHING TROUBLE

After training for days, I say, "Park!" but he doesn't go!

Pay attention to step 4: Be consistent, but vary the reward. Make sure you take something outside with you that your dog really wants, and make sure he knows you have it. If you've established that, then he'll try doing everything he can to get it, which will result in good behavior.

Tip: "You don't have to give your dog a food treat each time you click. Try playing fetch with him for a while, or taking him on a nice, long walk! Dogs love attention just as much as they do food."

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Ring the Bell

Difficulty: Easy 

It's ten-thirty in the morning. You have to be at your friend's house at eleven, but you don't want to leave your dog's mess unattended in the dining room floor. You're a long time cleaning, scrubbing, and vacuuming. Eleven o'clock hits the mark and you haven't left yet. You jump in the car and onto the road full speed, and you still arrive twenty minutes late.

You apologize to your friend, explain to them in sparse detail why you came late. Later during a conversation unexciting, you hear their tiny dog's footsteps, then the tinkling and jingling of a bell. You ask them what it is. Oh its my dog, they say, she's ringing the bell to tell me she has to go outside.

This is an extremely useful trick, perfect for house training puppies. The attractiveness of using a bell to let you know when your dog needs to go out is that you can hear it all over the house. Puppies don't have enough experience to come get you to take them out. In fact, the most common sign is spinning around. More often than not, you aren't around to see! Using a bell, you'll be able to hear every single time your dog needs some time outside.

Step 1: Use a training stick to target the bell.

Step 2: When he touches the bell, click and treat.

Step 3: When he touches the bell on his own, click and jackpot.

Step 4: Whenever you take him outside, have him touch the bell first. The reward is to open the door.

Step 5: our canine will, in a few days, learn that the door opens when he rings the bell.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Caspian was only a puppy when we taught him this trick. This made housetraining him very easy. We never used the newspaper or puppy-pad method. We taught him touch right away so that we could teach him to ring a bell to let us know that he needed to go outside. We threaded an old jingle bell left over from Christmas onto some twine, and wrapped it around our front door knob. We kept an eye on him before he quite learned touch and bell, but it didn't take but a couple of days for him to get the hang of it. Using the bell in this way makes a drastic difference in house training a puppy.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog rings the bell when all he wants to do is play

You can eliminate this sly dog behavior by paying attention to certain times your dog usually goes out. If you have just taken your dog out and it isn't reasonable that he needs to go out again, or if your dog is in a particularly playful mood, don't open the door. You want the bell to be the signal for a quick "do your business" trip, not playtime.

Tip: "Keep the jingle bell on the door and well accessible to your dog. Also, make sure it is well tied to the string so it won't come off for your dog to swallow."

Dog Trick: Teach Your Dog to Learn Names

Difficulty: Moderate 

Dogs are a lot smarter than we give them credit for and can learn the names of all sorts of things. A border collie named Chaser currently holds the record for the largest dog vocabulary, having learned the names of over 1000 different toys and items. Dog's aren't limited to objects, they can learn the names of people and other pets as well. Wouldn't it be nice if your dog knew your kids' names? You can teach your dog the names of all his toys, the remote, or a place like his kennel or the living room.

Step 1: Have your dog touch your hand and click treat.

Step 2: Hold the object in your hand and say touch. Click treat when he touches the object not when he touches your hand.

Step 3: Call the object by its name (tug, squeaky, bunny, etc.) just as he touches it. Click and treat.

Step 4: Repeat 5 times.

Step 5: Hold the object and say its name and click and treat when he touches it.

Step 6: For teaching the names of people (Bob, Joe, Dad, Mom, etc.) and places (Bed, corner, kennel, etc.) use the training stick to introduce the person or place

OUR EXPERIENCE

I started out by waiting until Caspian looked at his toy, "Bobo." I clicked and treated. I did this several times until he was looking at it often. This got his attention and directed it toward Bobo. Then, I only started clicking and treating when he went toward the toy and touched it. Each time he touched it with his mouth (or paw, whichever you prefer), I would click and treat. Soon, he did it so often that I started saying "Bobo" whenever he touched it. Now, when I say, "Caspian, get Bobo" he'll go looking around the house to find his toy.

TEACHING TROUBLE

He's not getting it!

Don't tire your dog out. Five minutes at a time for a puppy and 7-10 minutes for an adult dog is a long training session. After that amount of time, their focus blurs. Even if your dog understands what you're trying to get him to do, he'll have a harder time remembering it later if he's tired.

Tip: "Teach your dog to round up your kids! Instead of going to get them yourself, you could combine this trick with "Speak" and tell your dog to "Go get Emma!" Once he finds her, he will bark once to let her know she's wanted."