Trick or Treat? Let’s have some fun with tricks this week! (Photo: dog wearing a ghost costume)
Hallowe’en is my favourite holiday. Let’s have some fun, shall we?
Let’s talk about dog tricks!
Trick training is a great way to bond with your dog. It improves your communication with each other and allows you both to experience joy as a team. It also encourages your dog to pay attention to you for cues. Why does that matter in your relationship and on your walks? The more times per day that your dog learns to naturally look at you for direction (what should I do next?) the more she’ll be able to follow your direction when you’re out and about in your daily life.
What’s your favourite trick that your dog already knows?
Mine is probably the whisper because it makes Magic’s tail wag every single time.
What is your favourite trick to watch other people do with their dogs?
What is your favourite dog trick to watch or participate in? Tell us in the comments. (Photo: Border Collie jumping through a black and yellow hoop)
For me, that’s a tough one. There are so many tricks! I enjoy pretty much every trick as long as it looks as though:
-the dog is having fun
-the dog isn’t at risk of being injured
-the human is having fun
-the dog’s state of mind is balanced (as opposed to way too excited or obsessive)
What trick have you always wanted to teach your dog? Is it how to get them to speak? How to jump through a hula hoop? Post it in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!
I have always been trying to figure out how to get Magic to safely jump through my arms (if I make a circle.) I worked with a client to teach her and her much smaller dog do this trick and they are amazing at it.
I have avoided teaching this to Magic because:
-for some reason, despite having two very long volleyball arms, I always imagine getting clocked in the jaw during this trick
-of Magic’s shoulder injury (which plagued her for over a year)
I have never seen this trick performed by a large breed or a working breed. It always seems to be performed by Border Collies and small rescue dogs. Perhaps this is why I stood in my own way for so long. I imagined that to do this trick “correctly,” my goal would have to be to have my arms at waist height with Magic sailing through the air. I didn’t want her to hurt herself on the landing.
When I began the first draft of the blog post, I realized that if I could get out of my own way (mentally) that Magic and I would probably have a lot of fun with this trick. I decided to keep the arm hoop low to the ground and not worry about ever making it too high (to protect her shoulder.) There is no “correct” when you’re doing tricks for fun.
In our first attempt, Magic did great. Since she wasn’t jumping too high, I didn’t have to worry about her shoulder and could relax and have fun.
I learned that I am perfectly capable of holding my head out of her way. This was a great reminder for me to live in the present moment, not the future.
Check out our new trick on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. You’ll see how to teach this trick from beginning to end.
Remember that our TikTok handle is: BeyondDogTraining
Instagram and Facebook: GoBeyondDogTraining
Are you standing in your own way like I was? Pick a new trick and get started. You’ll have fun and so will your dog.
Happy trick training!
Alyssa
Photos by: Karsten Winegeart @karsten116 (dog wearing a ghost costume,) Andrea Lightfoot
@andreaelphotography (Border Collie jumping through a black and yellow hoop,)