Comments on: Dance, puppet, dance!

By: Bloggymommer

Bloggymommer — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:12:34 +0000

We taught our dog to “crawl” across the floor for a treat. Have the dog lie down, then drag the index finger of your treat-hand across the floor until she scoots after it while still lying down

By: Megan

Megan — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:16:06 +0000

Beg is fairly standard and totally adorable. It wasn’t as difficult as I thought to teach to our dog (also a rescue). And if Licorice is agile, she should be able to learn it. Start with Sit and hold her front paws up for her while saying the command – that’s how we did it. Took a few days, but like I said, it turned out not to be as challenging as I thought.

This, too, has become a part of the obedience seizure for our dog – except that as his seizure progresses to the Beg stance, he then holds perfectly statue still in it until the desired item is surrendered. So there is a certain amount of danger there with the being unable to withhold the desired object.

By: Jennifer Morgan

Jennifer Morgan — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:16:33 +0000

Our dog closes the door after her potty break. We have a fenced-in side yard, so we let her out the kitchen door, and push the door to (don’t completely close it). When she’s done, she comes in herself, turns around, stands up on her hind legs, and slams the door. She does sometimes have to be reminded. We taught her this because we were too lazy to get up twice every time she wanted to go out. It is the BEST (and really, only) trick she does, and it is so handy! The key, of course, is the treat — and boy, does she love the treats.

By: Aubri

Aubri — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:16:17 +0000

Okay, I love the Harry Potter Spells trick idea… Genius! I’m totally doing that with my parrot! Those would be pretty easy too, and cute!

My friend (who is a professional trainer) has her dog do one trick that I LOVE! She’ll do it for anyone. You look her in the eye and say, “Lucy, who do you love?” and Lucy will bow down at your feet. SO cute! It’s a little tricky though.

By: mamaspeak

mamaspeak — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:20:16 +0000

We taught our two dogs to do the “hold” food on their snouts & the “ok” flip treat into their mouths together. Very cool. But it’s really two tricks “hold” & “flip”. We taught her to crawl w/”sneaky-sneaky”. She does a “high-five” which is cool, but if her nails aren’t clipped that can be dangerous. I like the bell to go outside, saves on cleaning glass doors or damaging screens.

By: Leanne R

Leanne R — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:07:06 +0000

I taught my dog to lie down when I tap my foot.

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:00:46 +0000

Meadow knows “arch” where she walks around to my left, goes behind me and then walks in between my legs and sits. She also “leaps” “shake”, the normal ones, sit, down, stay, etc. My mother’s dog bows to the command “Ta-da!” I also like the “where’s your tail” especially funny with dogs with stumpy tails. Basically reward anytime they look at their tail/butt, sometimes you can help by putting a scruncy on their tail to make them look at it.

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:01:19 +0000

I’m going to come on out and be as nerdy as possible and say get her to teach Licorice to come and play dead using the spells from Harry Potter (accio and avada kedavra). If I had a dog, that’s the first thing I would teach it.

By: my boyzach

my boyzach — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:26:18 +0000

I think you should try every suggestion on here…spin, high five, pray, then drop dead. Zach learned to jump thru a hulahoop. Came in handy when he got out of the fenced yard and jumped over the hedges !! Please let us know what trick she learns, Chickie will be fine.

By: Karate Mom

Karate Mom — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:21:20 +0000

OK, that dog is adorable!
Ummm…I don’t have any trick ideas, though. Does she speak? That one is pretty easy to teach.
Wow. I’m just a fount of knowledge and ideas, huh?