Dog Fun Fact: Every dog has its own nose print, just like each human’s fingerprint. It is difficult to take nose prints on dogs because their noses are always moist.
Dog Joke: Q. What do you refer to as a large dog who meditates? Aware of the wolf!
Once your dog is familiar with the basics, you can start to teach the dog advanced skills. You will need to learn specific commands if you want to do agility with your dog. These tips will help you have fun with your dog, and to see his potential. If you are looking to have a competitive relationship with your dog, these tips will be a great foundation for training.
Teach your dog how to fetch
Fetch is a great game to play with your dog. It can be hard to believe that your dog might not want to play fetch or don’t understand the rules. Fetch is a natural game for some dogs, especially sporting dogs and hounds. It can also be easier to teach than others. For others, like toy dogs and other small dogs, fetch is a foreign concept. It is possible to teach it. Dogs will love to fetch for hours once they get the hang of it.
These are some tips for teaching your dog to fetch
* It may be necessary to start from scratch when teaching your dog to chase objects. Start by waving the object to your dog until he grabs it. Reward him once he takes the object in his mouth. Keep doing this until he associates the act of picking up an object with a treat. Next, throw it a few feet away. Once you have taught him the association between the object & the treat, he should start to chase it. If he succeeds, reward him by picking up the object. Continue practicing until your dog is comfortable chasing the object. Do not rush this step. Take your time and help your dog to understand the “chase” idea.
* Next, get your dog to bring the object back to you. To get him to come back, you can use the ‘Come!’ command. If this doesn’t work and he continues to stare blankly at you and is far away with the object in hand, you can show him another toy or wave it in front of him. You will get him used to come back to you when you throw an object for him. Continue practicing until he comes back with the first object.
Praise him when he does.
* Tell him to drop the object and then show him the second. Reward him for dropping the first object. Continue practicing until he can drop the object by hearing “Drop” and without actually seeing it. *Some dogs will run off when they catch an object. It can be hard to get them back. If this sounds familiar to your dog, you can teach your dog “fetch” on a leash. This exercise may require a long leash. Your dog can throw the object as far as the leash will allow and then let it go. To encourage your dog to return to you when he has caught it, pull gently on the leash. Reward him when he comes back to you. These steps should be repeated until he realizes that he should return to you after chasing. He will eventually get the hang of it.
Sometimes the problem is that the dog may come back and drop the object. When this happens, you can say “bring it back” and encourage your dog to pick up the object again. It may take patience but once your dog does it, praise him and reward him with a treat to keep him going. Make sure you’re using toys that your dog enjoys. It will be difficult to get your dog to chase sticks if he doesn’t show any interest. It is a good idea to use his favorite toy as a starting point.
Teaching the command “Place”
This skill is useful for dogs to learn. It will teach your dog how to wait at a specific place. This is useful in situations where guests arrive at your home and your dog becomes anxious. To calm your dog, you can use the word ‘Place’ to command him to stop barking and go to a designated place. Your dog must be able to respond to the commands ‘Sit’ or ‘Stay be-fore you can teach this skill.
Put the leash on your dog, and say the word “Place” or any other word you like. You can lead your dog to the place you want him to go by saying the word. Give him a treat once he’s there. You can continue practicing the leash many times before you give up and go without it. You can give him the leash off if he doesn’t understand it. If that happens, you can just keep practicing until he gets the hang of it.
When he is able to understand and go to his place, you can command him to either sit or lie down. Before giving him a treat, make sure he remains down for at least 10 seconds. Continue practicing until he is able to stay put for at least two to three minutes.
Asking To Go Outside
Your dog may already have a routine for toileting. Your dog might need to go at a different time than normal, even though you may have a strict schedule. It would be great if your dog could let you know when he wants to go.
You can teach him how to use the outside toilet.
These are the steps: Hang something that makes a loud noise next to your dog’s door. This will be the place you go to when you take your dog to the bathroom. It should be secure and low enough that your dog can reach it.
* Toys with bells are a good choice. It is best to not hang it on the dog’s door. It will ring each time you go outside, sending mixed signals to your dog.
* After you have done this, start to ring the bells whenever you go outside with your dog to use the toilet. This will help you associate toilet breaks with ringing bells.
* Reward your dog for touching the bells or sniffing them before you leave the house. This will help him to make the connection between the bells and his business.
* Reward this behavior until he can touch the bells every time he uses the toilet. He will touch the bells to let you know if he has to go.
Teaching the command “Heel”
To teach your dog heel, he should walk next to you with your leg while you walk. This will help you keep your dog calm and under control. If you are going to compete in agility or other competitions with your dog, it is a crucial skill. Stand still and have your dog stand next to you in order to teach “Heel”. Your dog should be standing right next to you, looking in the same direction. You can say firmly, “Heel”, and then take a few steps forward. Your dog should follow you and be right next to your leg. You can reward him for doing this and in-crease the distance you walk together. It isn’t always easy to teach ‘Heel’. A training collar or leash may be needed to help your dog learn and understand what you expect. Research the best training collars for your dog. You can also use a heel stick to get your dog to walk along with you. To reward your dog’s good behavior, give him a treat when he walks to heel.
How to get your dog to stop barking
Barking is an instinctive form of communication that dogs use to alert them of dangers or intruders. Sometimes barking can go beyond this and may be a result of bad habits or unintentionally being conditioned to bark. This is annoying but can be overcome with patience and understanding. First, don’t shout at him. You may think he is barking at you, and if he does that, a shout can cause him to get even more excited. Don’t try and stop him by soothing his ears. This can be understood by you sending a positive signal that will encourage him to bark more. There are many ways to stop your dog from barking. A head halter can be used to force your dog’s mouth shut when he barks. It isn’t cruel and doesn’t cause any harm. This is an easy way to manage unwanted barking. When he stops barking, praise him. You can also distract him from the problem by giving him distractions. He will startle you by slapping a magazine on the table. You can reward him if he stops.
Sam Parker, a Jack Russell cross, was my friend. He was perfect in every way except barking. “Bruce would bark at anything. The wind, the postman, and the neighbor’s cat. Sam said that everything was possible. He was more encouraged by my shouting, so I placed a folded magazine at the table. Every time he cried for nothing, I would smash the table. He would be shocked and I would reward him. He was still vocal for a while, but now he’s calmer and more confident.
Other dog tricks
It’s not just a way to impress your guests or friends with dog skills, but it can also be a great way for you to have fun and bond with your dog. These are some other tricks that you can teach your dog:
* Bark on Command Encourage your dog to bark when you say ‘Speak’ or “Bark”, and reward him when he does.
* Shake the Paw. This is a simple trick to teach, especially if you have treats in your hands. If they are unable to get the treat through their mouths, your dog will naturally give you their hand. You can make it so they give you their paw while you say “Give me Your Paw” or “Paw”. This is how to make it happen. If they do, you should reward them.
* Rollover. * Roll Over. Next, use the command “Roll” and encourage your dog to roll over by giving him a treat.
The Key Takeaways
This chapter will discuss some of the more difficult commands that you can teach your dog. These commands will give you an idea about what your dog can do, as well as how to train it to stop undesirable behavior. You will need to teach your dog advanced skills if you plan to compete with him. This can make it so much more fun for you both.
* We covered advanced commands like fetch, place, ask for the outside, heel, and stop barking.
* You should not practice advanced commands until your dog is proficient in the basics. It will take patience. But the rewards will be worth it!