Dog Training Tricks

In the first part of this article we reviewed some basic dog training exercises designed to teach your puppy to focus on you. Now we’ll look at a few more dog training tricks designed to reinforce the basic dog obedience exercises and commands.

Leave It Alone Dog training Command

Dogs are naturally curious. Smells, sounds, or new sights can draw their attention. The things they are interested in will not always be something you want them to have. That is why the “leave it” command will be one of the most important, and useful, things you ever teach your dog.

Sit on a chair with your dog in front of you. Hold a treat in your hand, but keep your fist closed around it. Let him sniff at it. As soon as he moves away, reward him. If you’re using a clicker, use the sound to let him know he did the right thing. Take another treat in your hand and repeat the exercise, rewarding your dog every time he begins to move away from your hand.

Gradually increase the amount of time he must stay away from the treat before he is rewarded. Once he begins to get the idea that he gets the treat after leaving it alone, start adding your voice command. Tell him to “leave it” whenever he sniffs at the treat. Reward him for leaving it alone.

Once your dog consistently stops sniffing at the treat on your command, try making the exercise a little more difficult. Lay the treat on an open palm. When he begins to check it out, tell him to “leave it.” Reward him if he does.

You can use this dog training trick in many different situations. It will be useful on walks, if your dog sees another dog and starts to drift toward it. It will save that piece of leftover chicken from disappearing off the counter before you have a chance to put it in the refrigerator.  With patience and consistency, your dog should learn to leave anything alone on your command.

Practice “Stay” With “Come”

This dog training tip combines two of the basic commands you learn in obedience puppy training, allowing him to practice both of them. It is simple. Once he has both of them down fairly consistently, you can practice them together.

Tell your dog to stay. You can have him sit or lie down first, which will add an extra command for him to practice. Walk a few steps away. After you stop, call him to you. Reward him when he comes. Simply repeat this exercise several times. You can vary the circumstances. Walk farther away as your dog gets better at staying. Try going into a separate room, if you feel like it. This will make it harder for him to be patient until you tell him to come, and will test both skills.

Practice “Stay” With Retrieve

This exercise can really test your dog’s ability to stay, especially if fetch is his favorite game. Begin by showing your dog his favorite toy. Have him sit beside you. Tell him to stay as you throw it. Chances are he won’t listen at first. You might need to have a treat in your hand to entice him to stay by your side rather than chasing the toy.

When your dog finally stays as you throw the toy, reward him. Gradually increase the amount of time he must stay before he can go get it. You will want to phase out the use of treats. Soon the toy itself should become the reward. The idea here is to get your dog to stay until you release him to chase the toy, however long that might be. Basic dog obedience doesn’t have to be work - weaving it into play is also very effective.

If you want to make the game even more challenging, add another step. Wait until your dog has mastered the original concept first. If you want, you can now start telling your dog to “stop” as he returns the toy to you. Do this by raising your hand toward him quickly as he returns. Say “stop” to get his attention. Reward him if he pauses.

This game has many benefits. It reinforces stay and teaches your dog to pay attention while playing. He never knows when you are going to tell him to stop. It also helps him practice “come” as you will need to use that command to get him moving toward you again after you told him to stop. Get creative with this game. It can be a challenging and fun way for your dog to practice his skills.

These are just a few dog training tricks that professional dog trainers sometimes recommend. There are all kinds of ways to reinforce the basic dog obedience training drills you learn in dog obedience class. Use your imagination and use play as well - obedience training won’t seem like a chore!

Looking for more? Check out Sit Stay Fetch for a complete dog training and dog ownership reference.

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