Wow! Some dog tricks!

To teach a dog tricks, they need to be motivated. They learn awfully fast if they are motivated.

In order to teach your dog some tricks, choose a trick that you at least think your dog might enjoy doing. This often means that if your dog has never carried anything in his mouth, you should not start by trying to teach him to retrieve or carry things. It will be possible to teach almost any dog to retrieve, but maybe you should start with something easier or completely different, like play hide and seek or just shaking your hand.

You need to teach him well. If you toss a tennis ball and say ‘fetch’, many dogs run after the ball as desired, but don’t expect the dog to know that you want the ball to be brought back to you. In order to ‘tell’ him when he is doing right, you should praise him the exact moment when he is starting to do the right thing. For example, when the dog grabs the tennis ball into his mouth and takes a step towards you, you say ‘good’. If he drops the ball or runs away from you, you give the command again. And again, when he takes even one step towards you, you praise him. This way the dog gradually realizes what you want him to do, and when he has realized that, you can also demand more.

Find out what kind of reward your dog likes and give him that. Some prefer toys :others like food. However, always use your voice as a reward: use your happiest voice to tell your dog how smart and good he is when he is doing the right thing. This way you will not have to use treats/toys every time you train your dog .He will soon understand that the vocal praise (pats and hugs) mean that he has done what was expected of him.

In the beginning it’s unnecessary to tell your dog that he has not done what you expected of him, if you are consistent in praising him when he does the right thing. Besides, teaching tricks should be fun for both of you. Try not to scream ‘no’ unless he has lost all interest in the lesson and suddenly starts chasing a car.

If the trick is relatively complicated (like teaching your dog to bring his own toys into a box) you have to break the trick into several steps. First teach your dog to carry his toy, then to put it into a box, then to find the toy and bring it into the box, and then to do this with all of his toys. It is very important that you realize when a trick is too complicated to learn in only one step. It’s better to proceed too slowly than too fast.

Don’t practice too much at any one time; practice often (you can practice as often as 1-3 times a day if you wish) but only for short times. The dog learns best when you quit each session when he still would like to go on. That will be motivation for him. If your dog seems to be bored by the trick, take a break from training, or teach him something else that he might enjoy more.

Decide what you would like to teach. Start with simpler tricks and proceed to more difficult ones if your dog learns fast. It’s a good idea to start with only one trick at a time, but later you can work on a few different new tricks simultaneously.

When you have decided what you want your dog to learn, think of a command to use for that particular trick. The command can be anything you wish, as long as you do not use the command for something else, thereby confusing the dog. It’s usually a good idea to choose relatively short words.

Some Dog Tricks
Here are some examples of tricks to teach to your dog. Once your dog has learnt some/all of these, you probably have an idea how to proceed with other tricks.

Sit and shake hands
This is one of the easiest tricks to teach to a dog. First, teach your dog to sit on command.

Probably the easiest way to teach a dog to sit on command is to have a treat (dog biscuit, piece of cheese,) on your hand, lift it up above the dog’s nose and say ‘sit!’’ If the dog is standing and tries to grab the treat, don’t let him get it, but repeat the same maneuver again. When he sits, immediately give him the treat and praise him. Repeat the trick a few times.

Some people suggest you to teach a dog to sit on command by pressing his butt on the ground while giving the command. But try the other two methods though, just to see how easy it is to teach a dog even without using force. Later, once he has clearly understood the meaning of the command, you can use this method if he doesn’t obey you. Try to be gentle though, there’s no point in causing the dog pain when teaching him tricks.

Once your dog has learned to sit on command, you can proceed to ‘shaking hands’. Give him the command (hello), and gently hold his paw with your hand and give him a treat with another hand. Repeat this a couple of times. Most dogs learn this very fast, if your timing (the command, the praise and treat) is right.

Dance
Teach this one if your dog jumps on people. When a dog dances on command, he doesn’t put as much weight (maybe none at all) on people as when jumping against them. It is a good substitute for a dog who jumps too easily.

When the dog is excited and jumping around you, tell him to ‘dance’ and gently hold his front legs and lift them up so that he stands on his hind legs. Then praise him and give him a treat and gently put him back on the ground.

Once he knows how to do this, you can see if he can do it without your help. Small dogs seem to be able to balance themselves better than large dogs. A Belgian Sheepdog, for instance, needs to have his front paws held and he can dance with you. That is because; he doesn’t seem to be able to stand up on his hind legs very well without help.

Find/retrieve something
Teach this one if your dog already enjoys carrying things in his mouth. However, you can also try to teach a dog to bring his toys to you even if he doesn’t like to retrieve a ball/stick thrown by you. It would be easiest to teach this trick if your dog already can sit on command and stays that way until you give him the permission to go: this will give you time to hide a toy while he sits and waits.

Bring your dog’s toy a few steps away from where he is sitting, so that he can see it, and ask him to find it. You can use the command ‘find’, or the name of the toy, or just ‘toy’ for any object that you hide and want him to bring to you. Once he goes to the toy, praise him immediately, even if he doesn’t touch it. Repeat this each time he is close to the toy and thus try to encourage him to take it into his mouth. The first time he takes the toy into his mouth, praise him and give him a treat, and give him back the toy and play with him for a while.

(Don’t forget this part: this is important, otherwise he will think that you always take the toy away from him and won’t want to bring it to you).

When he has learned to take the desired object into his mouth, try to make your dog bring it all the way to you. First, praise him when he comes running with his toy in his mouth, and then praise him only when he brings it to your hand (you can trade the toy for a treat). When he has learnt all this, you can start hiding the toy to more difficult places (in another room, or behind a tree on a walk).

Training Large Dogs
St. Bernard? Newfoundland? Or one with less hair, like a Great Dane? Or an ancient breed like the Irish Wolfhound? How about a Malamute or an Akita? Or a rare Tibetan Mastiff or Leonberger? Or one of those slobbery Neapolitan Mastiffs?

How different are the large breeds from the smaller ones? What about attitude with children, coat care, trainability, need for exercise, guarding ability?

Take a look at some of the breeds and their characteristics.

Great Dane: 28-30 inches tall; 120-150 pound; developed as a guard dog and boar hunter in Germany; mild and easy-going; good with children but awkward with toddlers; easy to groom and train; sociable with strangers; needs daily exercise; can be domineering if not trained as a puppy; susceptible to hip dysplasia, bone cancer, heart disease, and bloat.

St. Bernard: 25.5-27.5 inches tall, can be taller; 150-170 pounds; developed as a rescue dog in the Alps; good with children but may be scary to toddlers; calm, sensible, gentle, and patient; needs daily exercise and weekly grooming; although he has a thick coat and sheds heavily, he is definitely an indoor dog; drools and wheezes; easy to train; susceptible to hip dysplasia, eye abnormalities, heart disease, and bloat.

Newfoundland: 26-28 inches tall; 110-150 pounds; developed as a rescue and carting dog in fishing communities in Newfoundland; calm, patient, and reliable; enjoys the outdoors but should live in the house; good with children; needs daily exercise and weekly grooming; males can be aggressive to other dogs; easy to train; not a guard breed but some will protect their owners; drools and slobbers; susceptible to hip dysplasia, eye abnormalities, and heart disease.

Alaskan Malamute: 23-25 inches tall; 75-110 pounds; developed as a sled dog in Alaska; good with older children; needs daily exercise; can be boisterous, independent, and domineering; can be aggressive to other dogs and to small animals; may be difficult to train; howls; digs; susceptible to hip dysplasia, thyroid problems; and dwarfism.

Borzoi: 26-28 inches tall; 55-105 pounds; developed in Russia to hunt wolves; quiet, independent, and undemonstrative; good with older, calm children; can be aggressive with other dogs and small animals; fast; needs daily exercise; sheds little, but requires weekly grooming; and susceptible to bloat and sensitive to anesthetics and some flea treatments.

45 30-32 inches tall; 105-120 pounds; used in Ireland to hunt wolves and elk; good with children; easygoing and reliable; needs daily exercise; good with other animals; matures slowly; can be clumsy; needs little coat care; is susceptible to hip dysplasia, bloat, and bone tumors.

Scottish Deerhound: 28-30 inches tall; 75-110 pounds; brought up to hunt stags in Scotland; quiet, gentle, and dignified; somewhat stubborn; good with children; needs vigorous daily exercise; easy to groom; and susceptible to bloat.

Bullmastiff: 24-27 inches tall; 100-130 pounds; developed in England to guard large estates; meek and mild-mannered, but difficult when aroused; needs daily exercise; good with children if raised with children; little grooming; stubborn and very strong; can be difficult to train; drools; and is susceptible to hip dysplasia, tumors, eye abnormalities, and bloat.

Great Pyrenees: 25-32 inches tall; 90-125 pounds; developed in Pyrenees Mountains in Europe to guard sheep against predators; good with children; needs daily exercise; independent; can be difficult to obedience train; can be aggressive to other dogs; and is susceptible to hip dysplasia, eye abnormalities, and bloat.

Mastiff: 27.5-30 inches; 170-200 pounds; developed by the Romans as a war dog and used as a village guardian in England; calm, easygoing, and dignified; good with children, but may be too big for toddlers; can be difficult to train because of his size and tendency to be stubborn; drools and wheezes; and susceptible to hip dysplasia and eyelid abnormalities.

Rottweiler: 22-27 inches tall; 85-115 pounds; developed in Germany to drive cattle to market and protect the drover’s purse; good with children if raised with children; calm, steady, and serious; protective; must be socialized to people and other animals at an early age; can be aggressive to other dogs; needs daily exercise; easy to train but needs consistency; and is susceptible to bloat, hip dysplasia, and retinal problems.

Akita: 24-28 inches tall; 75-110 pounds; developed in Japan to hunt bear and other large game; good with children if raised with children; sheds profusely twice a year but doesn’t need much grooming; aggressive to other dogs and small animals; independent; needs daily exercise; strong-willed and domineering; can be difficult to train; and susceptible to hip dysplasia, knee injuries; thyroid problems, and progressive retinal atrophy, a genetic eye disease.

German Shepherd Dog: 22-26 inches tall; 65-100 pounds; developed in Germany to herd and guard sheep; steady, confidant, versatile; protective; can be aggressive with strange dogs; can be dominating; good with children; sheds, but doesn’t need much grooming; and susceptible to hip dysplasia, bloat, gastric disorders, and skin conditions.

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog: 26-28 inches tall; 130 pounds; developed in Switzerland as a farmer’s cart and pack dog and home guardian; good with children; short coat, little grooming; easygoing, patient, calm, and dependable; needs space and plenty of outdoor exercise; easy to obedience train; and susceptible to hip dysplasia and bloat.

Bernese Mountain Dog: 24.5-27.5 inches tall; 65-110 pounds; a cousin of the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog used as a farm guard and cart dog; good with children; thick coat that sheds and needs weekly grooming; gentle and easygoing; good with other animals; easy to obedience train; and susceptible to hip and elbow dysplasia, bloat, cancer, and some eyelid abnormalities.

The most huggable dogs are the St. Bernard, Bernese Mountain Dog, and Newfoundland. The most protective are the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Bullmastiff and Great Dane, and the most elegant, the Scottish Deerhound, Great Dane, and Borzoi. All require some daily exercise, and the St. Bernard and Newfoundland shed profusely a couple of times a year and drool almost constantly

Size, therefore needs to be taken into consideration when you’re training a puppy. However, all dogs, small or big, require training. But giant breed dogs, the St. Bernard, the Great Dane, the Newfoundland, the Irish wolfhound and so on, have special needs. For one, because of their size, large dogs learn early in life that they can push owners aside and use their weight to get what they want.

An aggressive dog that hasn’t been trained and is 150 pounds is a lethal weapon. The training for both kinds is basically the same. Reward good behavior, don’t reward bad, be patient, be consistent. The lessons are the same too. So are the basic commands. Sit, stay and so on.

But there are a few differences.

First of all, time is of the essence. They get big very quickly. So by the time they’re four, five or six months old, they’re so big that if they don’t want to go somewhere, you can’t do anything about it. You can’t pick them up and take them or even drag them.

Next, because of their size, the giant breeds learn early in life that they can push owners aside and use their weight to get what they want. Before you know it, your little cute puppy is this huge menacing dog.

Early training is absolutely necessary. People should start training their giant dogs the moment they come into the home, as 8-week-old puppies. If you use positive reinforcement techniques, you should be able to swiftly teach such basics as sit, lie and stay.

Socialization is vital for the giant breeds. To you, he may be a 40-pound puppy that goes, “let’s bite” but to people he will be perceived as an aggressive dog. Which is why intensive socialization, up to two years with those giant dogs is a must. A puppy kindergarten class won’t do it. You need to expose their dogs to different situations, strange dogs and new people as often as possible. Owners of giant guard breeds need to make sure they never fall behind on the socialization.

On the plus side, the giant breed dogs tend to be laid back. They also frequently seemed more attuned to their owners than other breeds. Perhaps its because the dogs are closer to the mouths and the hands, so voice and body language are more obvious to them. Newfies, Afghans, Great Danes, generally speaking, don’t need loud commands. The owners have to speak softly to their dogs, and they don’t need the energy that smaller dogs require.

Speaking of proximity, owners have to be careful about carelessly swinging their arms and hitting their Great Dane in the nose. It’s a common mistake first-time owners of giant dogs make. This is usually seen by the Dog as a slap and therefore may disobey a ‘come’ command.

No matter how much they love you, they figure out that your elbows and knees are dangerous places to be, and you have to work twice as hard to bring them back to you.

Learning to control the dog’s movement is essential. Start by going into a small space, like a half-bath, strapping on the treat pack and spending perhaps a minute each session getting the dog to follow you around, without a leash, in that constricted area.

You can use a choke chain if you want. Otherwise, a head halter can be used.

Others recommend the head halter to stop the dog from pulling. Trainers are of two minds about head halters, with some arguing that the dog doesn’t learn anything from them.

Some canine behavioral theorists feel it should be used for the life of the dog if you feel like it.

The head halter is an important training tool. It doesn’t train by itself, but if the dog pulls on the halter, it turns itself toward you. The owner should immediately reward the dog for doing so.

Finally, if you use food to train your dog, make sure the treats are big enough to give the dog a sufficient taste.

Small Breeds

As we said earlier, the training is the same. But sometimes, these breeds can be quite tough to train. As always, early training and socialization should be the rule. Unfortunately, small and toy breeds tend to get spoiled because of their size and appeal.

The Miniature Pincher, Chihuahua, Lhaso Apso are difficult to train. Pomeranians and Maltese don’t give you that much of a hard time and are easier to train.

Terriers are headstrong. All terriers are tough, stubborn, and difficult to train and if not trained properly, and from early stage, could easily turn aggressive. Whether you own a: Pit Bull Terrier or their closest cousin, Staffordshire Terrier, to Jack Russell Terrier, Bull Terrier or Scottish, Carin, Wheaten. If the word terrier comes after it, you need to prepare yourself for a challenging dog. The exception is the Boston Terrier.