Fun and Play

What are the benefits of teaching my dog to do tricks?

Tricks are fun and rewarding for both you and your dog. If seeing your dog perform tricks make you happy, it also makes your dog happy! 

Your dog lives for positive attention. He learns that performing these tricks gets him plenty of love and affection from you and other people. This positive attention aids in socializing your dog as well because his trust will grow when he receives approval from a variety of people in his environment.

Teaching your dog to do tricks will also help you interact with others, especially people who might be somewhat afraid of dogs. A dog that can 'shake hands' or 'roll over', for example, automatically appears friendlier and less-threatening, and this can put others at ease.

What are some tricks I can teach my dog, and how do I do it?

The main ingredient when teaching any kind of trick is a healthy does of praise and treats. Always reinforce the positive, and avoid scolding. In fact, when your dog fails to perform the trick, don't do anything at all. Just pretend it didn't happen and try again.

Trick #1: 'Shake Hands'

You can teach your dog to 'shake hands' or 'high five' once he's learned to follow the 'Sit' command.  Begin by having him sit as you kneel down to his level. Give him the command (“shake”, “shake hands”, “high five”,etc), then pick up one of his front legs and gently 'shake' it a few times.

As soon as you let go, give him some praise and a food treat. Repeat the whole process no more than 5 times per session. It may take several weeks but, eventually, your dog will automatically raise his front leg the moment he hears your verbal cue!

Trick #2: Say “Hi”

You can teach your dog to say “Hi” in his own way. Some dogs may actually mimic you and make a human-sounding 'Hi', but most will bark or squeak.

To begin, you have to get your dog a bit riled up and excited. Find his favorite toy or treat. Show it to him, but don't let him have it. The key is to 'tease' him as you say the cue word 'Hi' (or whatever word you want to teach him) over and over again.

When his excitement level reaches its peak, he should make some sort of sound. He might bark or let out an open-mouthed whine. Go ahead and give him the toy or treat and then praise him lavishly. As with the previous trick, limit the training to 5 repetitions at a time.

Trick #3: Sit Up

This trick teaches your dog to sit up on his hind legs, front paws off the floor. Your dog will need to learn to maintain his balance, and it is a good idea in the beginning to teach him this trick close to a corner or wall so that he can catch himself if he loses his balance.

Begin by issuing the command: “Sit up.”  Now, show him a toy or treat, holding it just above his nose. Slowly move your hand upwards so that his eyes follow. Once his head is looking straight up, begin to move backwards a bit, so that his only choice is to stretch his body to reach the reward.

Watch him closely and give him the treat the moment he sits up on his hind legs. Praise him and repeat 5 times, then give it a rest for a couple of hours.

What are some other fun activities to do with my dog?

Dogs enjoy all sorts of games. You can play games that are purely for fun, for exercise or even for 'education' or 'sport.'

Indoors, you can play “hide and seek”, tug-of-war, wrestling and even 'fetch', so long as you have the space for it and train your dog not to get too excited or rambunctious.

Outdoors, you can go for walks, play frisbee, play soccer and variety of other games that involve running, hunting/tracking or retrieving. In fact, you can even teach your dog 'agility' games which involved running and jumping over a series of hurdles.

All of these games can be fun for you and your dog. They can also be a way to 'show off' your dog if you believe he has enough talent for serious competition. If that's the case, you can look for training programs in your area to nurture your dog's abilities and get him ready to compete.

Oh, and don't forget the lake in those hot summer months! Many dogs love the water and will happily play 'fetch-swim'.

How Much Exercise Does My Dog Need?

All dogs need daily exercise for optimum health, but some dogs need more than others. Certain breeds have very high energy levels and, somewhat like hyper-active children, need your assistance in 'burning off' this excess energy.

If your dog is destructive and never seems to “mellow out”, it's likely you've got a high-energy dog on your hands, and he is in need of far more exercise than he's getting.

In addition to daily walks and 'backyard time', the high-energy dog will need to engage in something that satisfies his instincts. This usually involves play that includes plenty of vigorous running and jumping.

Depending on the breed, your dog may also need to hunt, track, herd or retrieve something. If you have a Border Collie, for example, you've got a breed known for herding cattle.

This instinct does not disappear simply because there are no cattle around. Instead your dog will try to herd you, other animals and even passing cars. The healthy way to satisfy that kind of instinct is to play ball games such as soccer.

Likewise, if you've got a retriever, then you'll want to play games like 'fetch' and 'hide-and-seek' to satisfy his urge to capture prey.

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