Tricks and Games to Teach Your Dog: 75+ Cool Activities to Bring Out Your Dog’s Inner Star

355 Pages·2014·11.17 MB·English

by  Sophie Collins

TRICKS
GAMES
AND
TO TEACH
YOUR DOG
75+ FUN INDOOR & OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR DOG
SOPHIE COLLINS
with SUELLEN DAINTY
Tricks and Games to Teach Your Dog will open your eyes and your
dog’s mind to countless canine possibilities. Authors Sophie Collins and
Suellen Dainty apply positive-training techniques–lots of tasty treats and
upbeat praise–to show you how to teach your dog over 75 fun indoor
and outdoor tricks and games.
Beginning with simple tricks, such as shake a paw and rollover, and
advancing to more complicated, multi-step tricks that are guaranteed to
impress your guests, this abundantly illustrated book is ideal for training
dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes.
Imagine your friends’ reaction to your genius pup when he shuts a door
on cue, passes them the TV remote control, or brings them a tissue
when they sneeze! Soon you’ll be a beaming pet parent when your dog
“Takes a Bow” for his brilliant performance. Cue the applause and let
the fun begin!
Contents
INTRODUCTION
Keep It Safe
Working with Your Dog
Saying What You Mean
Clicker Training
Refreshing the Basics
SIMPLE TRICKS
Return to Sender
Play It Again
High Five
Shake a Paw
Left Paw, Right Paw
Say Please
Stand Up
Walk Along
Standing Ten
Rollover
Spin Around
Off to Bed
Learning a “Stop” Signal
Answer the Door
Buried Treasure
RAINY DAY TRICKS
Tray of Treats
Shy Dog
Are You Ashamed of Yourself?
Take It
Dinnertime
Lion Tamer
Hugs & Kisses
Play Dead
Take a Bow
Chasing Bubbles
Cross Your Paws
Under the Bridge
Commando Crawl
Back Up
Squeak, Piggy, Squeak
JUST THE TWO OF YOU
Take My Arm
Catch the Owner
Walk Around
Walk & Weave
Come Find
Follow the Target
Look Left, Look Right and Cross the Road
Walk Yourself
Carry My Bag
Peekaboo
Fetch My Keys
Treat Trail
MIND GAMES
1, 2, 3, Treat!
Learn the Name
Fetch the …
Weave Around
Cone Ball
Caught a Cold
Pass the Parcel
How Many Fingers?
Mark It
Show Me
Night, Night
THE HARD STUFF
Touch the Spot
Shut the Door
Open the Door
Fetch Your Snack
Mail Call
Catch the Treat
“Over”–Hurdling
And “Under”–Limbo
Laundry Service
Freeze
Push the Ball
Head the Ball
AGILITY CHALLENGE
Making a Backyard Agility Course
Hurdles
Hoopla
Tunneling Out
Race Against the Clock
Group Agility
Competing at Trials
EXERCISING WITH YOUR DOG
Walking Together
Running and Cycling
Hiking and Camping
Frisbee Fun
Tug of War
Doggy Volleyball
Doggy Softball
Acknowledgments
Index
Introduction
H ow much does play matter to your dog? If he has good
food, plenty of exercise and somewhere comfortable to
rest during his downtime, do you really need to play with him,
too? Or spend your own downtime teaching him tricks? Well,
yes. Why? There’s a whole host of arguments for teaching your
pet lots of games and tricks, but here are just a few of them:
Dogs are one of the few species–humans are one of the
others–to enjoy play as adults. There are social, practical
reasons for this, as research suggests that dogs use play both
to learn things and to get rid of stress. Dogs are clever–some
very clever–and, just like people, they need to stretch their
minds as well as their bodies to stay healthy and avoid
boredom (and remember, a bored, bright dog may well be a
dog who gets himself into mischief). As social mammals, dogs
need plenty of interaction, too, whether that’s with you, their
honorary pack leader, or other dogs, and play is one of the
most enjoyable ways to interact.