Performance activities have become wildly popular, both with owners and their dogs.  These activities range from agility, tracking, flyball, rally obedience to tricks, freestyle and “doggy acting”.  In STEPs class we will teach different tricks for each step.  There are many great reasons to teach tricks other than that they are fun or cute (which we think is a good enough reason!).  Tricks give you a chance to practice your training skills on behaviors that don’t ever need to be perfect.  Because tricks never need to be perfect they are the perfect behaviors for the young trainers in your home to practice (and they will enjoy showing off their smart dog to their friends).  They are a great relationship builder for you and your dog and an excellent confidence booster for timid dogs.  For active and highly distractible dogs, tricks offer an outlet for energy and something to do while you are waiting your turn in class.  Many tricks also focus on the obedience behaviors that we teach in class.

SPIN

Uses:  Exercise, Fun, Stress reducer

Easy Steps to Teach Spin

1. Start with a tasty treat in your hand and stand in front of your dog.  If your dog is small you may want to sit in front of him at first.

2. Show your dog the treat.  As he is sniffing it, slowly move your hand toward your dog’s tail.

3. When your dog begins to bend/spin, Click and Treat.  Repeat these first few steps several  times.

If your dog seems reluctant to turn in the direction you are luring him, try the opposite direction.  Just like people are right handed or left handed, dogs tend to be “right sided” or “left sided”.

Variation:  “Circle” - spin in the opposite direction

SHAKE HANDS

Uses:  Fun, stress reducer, tolerance to handling.  A classic dog trick!

Easy Steps to Teach Shake Hands

1. Begin with your dog sitting in front of you, with you kneeling or sitting on the floor.

2. Hold a treat tightly in your hand so your dog can smell it but cannot get it.  Hold the treat in front of your dog’s nose.  If your dog lifts his foot up while attempting to get the food, Click and Treat.  Some dogs use their paws a lot and will start off touching your hand with their foot.  Other dogs need more patience.  With dogs who don’t naturally use their feet to try to get what they want you will need to Click and Treat for even slight foot movement at first.

3. Slowly raise the criteria until your dog has to put his foot on your hand before you Click and Treat.  Start holding food in the opposite hand so the dog is no longer looking for food in your “shaking hand”.

4. Add a voice command such as Shake, Paw or Foot. Say "Hi!"i once your dog is consistently shaking.

Related behaviors/tricks/variations:  Other - shake with opposite paw, wave, high five, march, ring a bell to go outside.