Does Everyone Train Their Dogs To Do Tricks?

[Sambuca]

Ace and Jac are perfect(ly lazy) so no tricks or commands are asked of them.

 

Tenn knows sit and hi-five. Ha! Obviously, we're not a trick-oriented family.

 

What is the purpose of teaching "touch" for those of you who've taught it? I'm just curious.

Touch can help the dog focus. It can also get the dog to move. If its in your way, you ask for a touch and put the hand so that when the dog touches it, hes out of the way. It can also help with leash manners and heel.

[snowjay]

I taught Cody a few things like "paw", "up" (to jump up to my shoulders) and "kisses", besides the typical sit and lay down. I haven't done much with Pinky but she knows "lay down" along with "what do you do?" (lay down for dinner) and "speak."

[krissy]

 

What is the purpose of teaching "touch" for those of you who've taught it? I'm just curious.

It can be used to teach the dog more advanced tricks... like turning on the lights, pushing buttons, picking up objects.

[Guest bayhorse]

HA jetcitywoman that made me

"we" learned that when i blow that Really loud whistle, to come RUNNING over to me. It's my "in an emergancy, i hope it still works" trick.

raw beef liver............yummmmm

*Still working on all that other stuff.*

[rschultz]

How about the "hug" command?" We taught Lexie how to "give a hug" by coming over and leaning into us how greyhounds lean. It is pretty cool to show off to people...lol

Oooo, I forgot that I also taught Summer "nails". So she'll jump up on the couch and lie on her left side, all four feet stuck out. And then we dremel. She also knows to hang around standing and wait for her "jammies". And "bedtime".

[Sambuca]

How about the "hug" command?" We taught Lexie how to "give a hug" by coming over and leaning into us how greyhounds lean. It is pretty cool to show off to people...lol

 

 

 

 

I taught Bu to "dance" he comes and slams his butt into you so that you can pet his butt. When his butt is pet right, he does this cute dance. He barks when I ask if hes a brat. At the vet or groomer, I tell him "up" and he gets on the table himself (and loves the attention he gets when up there).

[rschultz]

I taught Bu to "dance" he comes and slams his butt into you so that you can pet his butt. When his butt is pet right, he does this cute dance. He barks when I ask if hes a brat. At the vet or groomer, I tell him "up" and he gets on the table himself (and loves the attention he gets when up there).

I am impressed!!! Love it!!!! hmmm first gangnum style now the butt slam...waiting for it to go viral

Edited March 19, 2013 by rschultz

[Guest D_MansMommy]

Donovan knows "where's your belly" he rolls on his back for belly kisses <3 and he knows "show me your nails" he lays on the sofa for his pedicure TC is clueless lol!

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

 

What is the purpose of teaching "touch" for those of you who've taught it? I'm just curious.

 

Like the others have said it's good for getting the dog out of the way and as a way to teach more advanced tricks. With my dog it was the first thing I taughts her because it's so stupidly simple. After that she understood that by paying attention to what I was asking she would get the treat, so it was a great tool to teach her how to learn. Later I used it to teach her to ring bells to be let out by getting her to touch them instead of my hand.

[Feisty49]

Teaching touch or something else simple: Some Greyhounds need to learn how to learn. They know about the track and what's expected, but we have different goals. Starting with a treat in your hand, which your dog has seen before hiding it in your fist, and then saying touch, with, hopefully the dog coming to your hand looking for the treat, teaches her that good things happen when I listen to my human. It can evolve from there --- or not --- but it usually does.

[Sambuca]

I forgot to add, touch also helped Sailor overcome his fear of people. He used to cower behind me in public. Hes food motivated, so after he learned touch I would have strangers ask for it and he'd get goodies. Now, in public, he sneaks up to strangers, touches their hands and looks at me for a treat. He still isn't a fan of being pet by strangers (neither am I, so I don't blame him), but hes not a nervous wreck anymore and has much more confidence.

[Guest gurehaundo]

Ah. Thanks! Tenn kind of taught herself "touch". Because she gets weird (like aggressive with the other dogs) at feeding times, I make her sit and make eye contact before I put her bowl down. This is what Tenn does: waits patiently until I bring her bowl to her spot in the kitchen; when I get to her spot, she has to touch the bowl with her nose - I didn't teach her this; then she sits and maintains eye contact while I set her bowl into her stand; maintaining eye contact, she can only eat when I give her the "ok". Hmm... I may have to teach her some other stuff. Oh, she does that nose to hand touching thing all the time, and with strangers, too!

[OwnedBySummer]

I forgot to add, touch also helped Sailor overcome his fear of people. He used to cower behind me in public. Hes food motivated, so after he learned touch I would have strangers ask for it and he'd get goodies. Now, in public, he sneaks up to strangers, touches their hands and looks at me for a treat. He still isn't a fan of being pet by strangers (neither am I, so I don't blame him), but hes not a nervous wreck anymore and has much more confidence.

Awwww, that sounds so adorable. I can just see him creeping up and doing this.

Edited March 19, 2013 by OwnedBySummer

[sobesmom]

Although training is good for bonding, and good for the dog's brain - I've never done more than the basics with my greys. Really basic. Stop, wait, lie down, Off (most important command if your dog gets on furniture), etc. Some recall, but I'd never trust it.

 

All the commands I've taught are purely functional. The only "trick" one is spin around in a circle - and that's for wiping muddy paws on the door mat. And back up - I have a small house so that's necessary when they've crowded in behind me.

 

I've never had a grey so interested in pleasing that they're excited to learn new stuff just for fun. My first grey trained that desire out of me!

[krissy]

Summit is learning a new "trick". Teaching him to speak, which will hopefully be shaped into more of a growl than a bark. He's super quiet so this is not the easiest thing to tach him. But he loves to learn so he was really enjoying it. First new thing we've worked on in awhile... at least since the puppy came home and all my time has been devoted to her!

[Saffron]

I stick to basic obedience functional stuff too usually, unless the opportunity comes up and they learn something cute like shake, or bow.

 

That said, some "tricks" can be functional too. Caesar has occasionally decided that he is afraid of a specific doorway -- usually because he has seen something really terrifying there like sunlight flickering on the floor (gasp)! The fact that he knows "touch" can distract him with performing a task and help in getting him through the doorway by increments. Once he has done that a couple of times he stops being scared of the door. (I wish he knew other basic obedience tasks as well as he knows touch. He's a bouncy guy who loves trying to give strangers kisses.)

 

Making a "beep beep" noise is our cue for all dogs backing up. Invaluable in a small space.

 

Probably Pilgrim's best trick is to do a down/stay whenever I drop the leash to the ground. I taught her one that after I had a couple of bad falls on the ice during a nasty winter a few years ago. Luckily I kept hold of all leashes both times I fell, but it made me nervous. I've never needed to test this one outside a fenced area yet, thank goodness.

 

On the other hand, this trick does have its downside. I'll be leashing up all three dogs to go out, and the other two go to the front door to wait for me. Unless I'm actually holding onto Pilgrim's leash as we go to the door, she'll wait in a perfect down/stay back in the family room and I have to go back and give her the release. She gets a really martyred expression on her face if she really needs to go potty and I've dropped the leash indoors.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

 

That said, some "tricks" can be functional too.

 

They can also be functional for the dog. The first time I took Jayne to a Farmer's Market she was given a piece of jerky from a vendor (he'd asked my approval). After getting the free treat she offered up her paw to "shake" and was rewarded with another bit of jerky. Now anytime someone gives her something she's always sure to offer a trick to see if she can wheedle some more.

[AnneGTS]

I didn't teach Gunda any tricks. She had a good recall, knew how to sit and listened perfectly but she wasnt interested in learning any ticks. She just wanted her walks, food and sleep and she was perfectly happy.

 

Spriet on the other hand loves to learns new tricks, doing obedience, treibball and some agility. She is very eager to learn. Because she had an injury she cant run much, Now I try to keep her busy wih learning tricks et cetera.

[Ragsysmum]

Never bother teaching 'tricks' which I can't see the point of but I do teach quite a lot of different commands which I find useful in normal daily living.

[Guest Krizzy]

We taught our Hammer sit, lay down, paw, speak, and roll. We will start working on the important ones; stay and come, very soon.

[Guest AngelPup]

I stick to basic obedience functional stuff too usually, unless the opportunity comes up and they learn something cute like shake, or bow.

 

That said, some "tricks" can be functional too. Caesar has occasionally decided that he is afraid of a specific doorway -- usually because he has seen something really terrifying there like sunlight flickering on the floor (gasp)! The fact that he knows "touch" can distract him with performing a task and help in getting him through the doorway by increments. Once he has done that a couple of times he stops being scared of the door. (I wish he knew other basic obedience tasks as well as he knows touch. He's a bouncy guy who loves trying to give strangers kisses.)

 

Making a "beep beep" noise is our cue for all dogs backing up. Invaluable in a small space.

 

Probably Pilgrim's best trick is to do a down/stay whenever I drop the leash to the ground. I taught her one that after I had a couple of bad falls on the ice during a nasty winter a few years ago. Luckily I kept hold of all leashes both times I fell, but it made me nervous. I've never needed to test this one outside a fenced area yet, thank goodness.

 

On the other hand, this trick does have its downside. I'll be leashing up all three dogs to go out, and the other two go to the front door to wait for me. Unless I'm actually holding onto Pilgrim's leash as we go to the door, she'll wait in a perfect down/stay back in the family room and I have to go back and give her the release. She gets a really martyred expression on her face if she really needs to go potty and I've dropped the leash indoors.

 

These are great functional 'tricks'! The beep, beep back up is functional and funny/cute and the down/stay when the leash drops is a great safety trick! I'm definitely doing these with our soon to be adopted grey!

[sobesmom]

 

 

Making a "beep beep" noise is our cue for all dogs backing up. Invaluable in a small space.

 

 

 

You're the only other person I've seen on here teach back up! It's one one my standard issues, after having 3 greys in my small house. I LOVE "Beep-beep". Wish I would've thought of that! My greys and all the fosters do backup when I hold up both arms, palms out and say "moving, moving". Or if my hands are full just say the words. It just kinda happened out of necessity, and they all have learned it pretty quickly - mostly by me walking into them and saying and doing that and they had no choice BUT to backup. Command learned through necessity - by repetition of real life.

 

I acutally tested it on my Diana just for the fun of it to see if it was a real "command" after my posting in this thread. I was in the bathroom, a small space, but no other dogs in the house now, Diana was in there and I looked at her, put up my hands and said "moving, moving" and she backed right out of the bathroom, even though she had PLENTY of room to turn around, or walk around me. Then I tried it in the livingroom, a bigger space where I've NEVER used it functionality - and she just looked at me like I was an idiot. LOL! It serves its purpose. Nothing more.

[Sambuca]

My dogs know move, which often means they need to back up, but I've actually started teaching Bu beep beep to back up straight. Last obedience class we were working on freestyle where backing up is used often. Thankfully it was only one day because it is not Bu's strong suite.

[FiveRoooooers]

Yes, "Beep beep" is invaluable when you live in a small house with multiple hounds. They learn it pretty quickly.

[PatricksMom]

I'm not the best dog trainer, so we've stuck with the basics. I may try teaching Murph some tricks though, because he seems to really enjoy it. Henry we're still working on don't steal stuff, eat stuff that's not food, pull on the leash. One useful one we accidentally taught Patrick that we're teaching Henry and Murphy is that when we count to 3, it's time to move on when we're walking.