Give your dog’s brain a workout and impress your friends with these three advanced doggy tricks. Tim Falk reports.
Regardless of whether you’re the proud owner of a Chihuahua, a Great Dane or anything in between, dogs of all sizes and breeds love learning new tricks. If nothing else, there’s the performance aspect of it — what pooch doesn’t want to show off his or her skills for an adoring audience? Teach your canine companion a few advanced tricks and you’ll be able to amaze friends and family with your intelligent pooch.
However, trick training can do much more for your dog than simply helping him impress new people. Every dog, no matter what breed, thrives when given plenty of mental stimulation. Most dog owners are aware just how important it is for us to give our canines’ bodies a workout, but it’s worth remembering that their minds need to be challenged regularly as well. Teaching your dog how to perform new and increasingly advanced tricks will help her mind stay sharp, give her an important job to do and prevent boredom setting in.
Trick training also offers the perfect opportunity for owner and canine to spend a whole lot of quality time together. Your dog will love doing anything to please you and relish the bonding that training encourages, while the promise of a play or treat reward for doing the right thing is also an enticing motivator. On so many levels, trick training really is one of the best things you can do for your dog. Commands such as “sit”, “drop”, “stay” and “come” are the basics, and they’re a great way to start teaching your dog how to be a well-behaved member of the family.
But, if you’re looking for tricks to take your dog’s skills to the next level, it’s time to try something a little more complicated. Chiara Perri, professional dog trainer from Point Cook Dog Training in Victoria, explains how you can teach your dog to perform some advanced tricks.
Trick 1: Roll Over
Before we get started, it’s important to point out that not all dogs can do this trick. “They need to be comfortable lying down when asked to and be comfortable rolling onto their backs,” Chiara says. “Please do not force them or push them over as this can intimidate them. Tricks are supposed to be fun.” So, how can you teach your dog to roll over?
- Ask your dog to lie down. This is a skill you will need to train your dog to do first. Using treats and a patient approach, you can slowly teach your dog what you want him to do.
- Wait until you see both of your dog’s back legs poking out on the same side.
- Starting from the same side as the back legs, show your dog a treat and slowly bring it towards the dog’s shoulder, staying as low to the ground as possible.
- Wait until your dog follows the path of the treat and is now lying flat on his or her side.
- Continue with the treat and slowly bring it towards the back of your dog’s neck, aiming at the floor.
- Wait until your dog gathers his back legs and rolls over. Reward him for doing the right thing.
Repeat this whole process again about five times before you start saying the words “roll over”.
Want to learn more advanced dog tricks? This story was originally published in the March/April 2016 issue of Dogs Life, order your copy online at universalshop.com.au.
