Dog Tricks and Agility For Dummies

435 Pages·2010·2.28 MB·English

by  Sarah Hodgson

Dog Tricks and Agility For
®
Dummies , 2nd Edition
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
Foolish Assumptions
What You’re Not to Read
How This Book Is Organized
Part I: Getting Started: The Foundations of Training
Part II: Teaching Tricks with Positive Reinforcement
Part III: Tackling More Advanced Tricks
Part IV: Exploring the World of Agility
Part V: Getting Hip to Hobbies, Events, and Earning Credentials
Part VI: The Part of Tens
Icons Used in This Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I: Getting Started: The Foundations of Training
Chapter 1: Exploring the Fun that Awaits You
Beyond Obedience: The Value of Tricks
Starting with Trick Training
Figuring out who’s teaching who
Trying lessons without words
Deciding which tricks to teach
Using the sequencing approach
Rewarding good behavior
Getting Active with Agility and Other Sports and Hobbies
What is agility?
Trying dog sports, trials, and backyard games
Chapter 2: Prepping for Training — Mentally and Physically
Turning Your Dog onto Learning
Praising your pooch
Choosing rewards
Communicating with Your Dog
Being the one to watch
Using body language and hand signals
Paying attention to vocal tones
Outfitting Your Dog for Training
Collars
Harnesses
Leashes, short and long
Training with a Clicker
The click-then-treat approach: Associating the sound with rewards
Using a clicker effectively
Looking at examples of clicker training
Checking out why it’s not for everyone
Taking Training to Another Level with Targets
Delivering to a target flag
Standing on a target disc
Pointing the way with a target stick
Chapter 3: Understanding Your Dog’s Natural Abilities and Limitations
Making Your Lessons Age-Appropriate
Puppy head start (under 6 months)
Teenagers (about 6 to 14 months old)
Mature dogs (about 1 year and older)
Sorting by Breed Characteristics
Sporting group
Hound group
Working group
Terrier group
Toy group
Non-Sporting group
Herding group
Mixed breeds
Considering Body Type
Tagging Your Dog’s Personality
Rolling with Your Dog’s Natural Gifts
Carrying: The Retrieving Rover
Entertaining: The Enthusiastic Acrobat
Problem-solving: The A+ Academic
Moving: The Agile Athlete
Chapter 4: Encouraging Self-Control before You Launch into Lessons
Reviewing Basic Commands
Calling your dog
Getting your dog in position
Teaching patience
Saying no
Introducing Temptations
Sounds
Motion
People
Off-lead or untrained dogs
Out and About: Putting Training to the Test
Going on field trips
Hitting the town
Working toward Off-Leash Control
Part II: Teaching Tricks with Positive Reinforcement
Chapter 5: Minding Manners and Trying Out Some Tricks
Giving Your Dog a Place to Settle Down
Creating comfort stations at home
Time for bed: Directing your dog to his place
Using comfort stations when out and about
Party Time . . . I Mean, Potty Time
A polite request: Adding a bell to get your attention
Teaching your dog to potty in one place
Fending off Frustrating Habits with Fun
Rehabilitating the incessant barker
Reconditioning the jumper
Rehabilitating the chewer
Starting with Some Simple Moves: Tricks for a Happy, Loving Dog
A tail-wagging trick: Are you happy?
“Give Me a Hug”
“Kisses!”
Introducing Interactive Play
“Hide and Seek”
The name game: Where’s Sally?
The shell game
“Catch Me”
A treasure hunt game: “Digging for China”
Chapter 6: Engaging Favorites
Playing with the Plain Ol’ Paw
Doing the basic “Paw”
Paw variations: Shaking things up
Celebrating success: “High five” and “Go for ten”
“Hit it!”: Targeting paw tricks with lights, doors, and music
Going on a Roll
“Roll over”
“Pup-in-a-Blanket”
Sitting Up: Ain’t Too Proud to Beg
The naturals: Teaching the art of begging
Bowser bracers: Begging for a little help
Expanding Your Repertoire with Stretching Tricks
Super stretching
Taking a bow
Chapter 7: Go Fetch! Finding and Retrieving Tricks
Snoop Doggy Dog: Training a Canine Detective
The basics: “Sniff” and “Find”
Finding toys
Finding the keys
Locating the remote
Fun Fetching Tricks
Mastering the basic fetching sequence
Getting the paper
Fetching whatever you need
Fetching a fax: A four-footed delivery option
Carrying This and That
Mastering the fine art of “Carry”
Creating variations on the theme
Advancing with Fetching Skills: Pulling Out Tissues and Raiding the Fridge
Achoo! Getting a tissue
Bringing you a drink
Part III: Tackling More Advanced Tricks
Chapter 8: Jumping and Dancing for Joy
Dancing Dog and Other Two-Legged Tricks
Basic steps: Getting your dog on two legs
May I have this dance? Dancing together
Trying four-paw and no-paw dance moves
Pushing a cart or carriage
Leaping Up and Over
Clearing bars, poles, and broomsticks
Jumping over the kids
Jump rope
Jumping Through
Through the hoop
Through your arms!
Jumping Into
Into your lap
Into your arms
Into a box
Chapter 9: Barking, Counting, and Singing on Cue
Barking and Not Barking on Cue
Getting your dog to speak up
Commanding “Shhh” for peace and quiet
From Counting to Calculus
Doing a Doggone Duet
Choosing your instrument
Barking to the beat
Teaching Your Dog to Sound an Alarm
Alerting you to visitors or strangers
Warning you of fire and other dangers
Turning Off the Bothersome Barker
Silencing a door barker
Shhh-ing a motion detector
Curbing a car barker
Dealing with an attention hound
Quieting a protest barker
Chapter 10: Adding Drama with Clever Tricks
Acting Emotional
Showing sadness
“Sneezy”: Acting offended or annoyed
Looking embarrassed or disgusted
Being Zany
“Chase your tail”
Around the legs: “Crazy Eights”
Getting Ready for Bedtime
“Say your prayers”
“Go to sleep”
Balancing Acts
Flipping and catching a treat off the nose: The seal
Balancing books for good posture: Eliza Doolittle
Playing Housekeeper
Before you get started
Collecting the laundry
Picking up the trash
The Action Hero: Evading the Bad Guys
Crawl, baby, crawl: The snake
Running for cover
Bang! Shoot-out at the O.K. Corral
Part IV: Exploring the World of Agility
Chapter 11: Considering Agility Training
Discovering Agility
It’s All About the Obstacles
Jumps
Contact obstacles
Tunnels
Weave poles
Table
Deciding Whether Your Dog Has What It Takes
Personality traits suited to agility
Evaluating your dog’s body type
Being realistic about sensory limitation
Considering your dog’s age
Chapter 12: Laying the Foundations for Agility
Modifying Familiar Commands for Agility
Introducing New Agility Commands to Your Dog
Using Positive Reinforcement with Agility
Envisioning cooperation
Practicing positive reinforcement
Calling In Reinforcers: The Tools of the Trade
Finding A Good Instructor to Help You and Your Dog
Choosing between private and group instruction
Considering specialty camps and agility retreats
Getting Some Agility Equipment of Your Own
Purchasing agility equipment
Making some standard pieces
Chapter 13: Introducing Your Dog to Jumps, Tunnels, and Tables
Planning for a Good Training Session
The Jumps: Taking a First Leap into Agility Training
Setting up the jumps for training
Going over: Making the jumps
Working on specific types of jumps
Going through Tunnels
Introducing your dog to open-ended tunnels
The chute: Introducing your dog to closed tunnels
Modifying tunnel positions
Waiting on Tables
Stage 1: Encouraging quick positioning
Stage 2: Going to the table
Stage 3: Practicing table positions