Looking for some new fun tricks

[niko]

We are taking a few weeks off official training classes. We have had Niko for 3 months now and have spent all but 3 of those weeks in training classes. Hubby and I are ready to take a little break but we want to keep challenging Niko.

He already knows the standards (watch, sit, down, stand, stay, wait, leave it, heel, finish and around) and we have started teaching him a few fun ones like crawl. He also just learned 'Where's the kitty?' much to Valerie's dislike.

So what tricks have you taught your dobes? Which are their favorites? Any other challenges you can think of that we can give him?

Thanks
Niko's Mom

[Dobs4ever]

You can teach them to back up in heel position. I find this on actually useful for backing up and getting out of my way. Play dead, spin and twist is fun especially since so many of them like to spin anyway. I just teach them to go both ways. Retrieve the dumbbell, retrieve the dumbbell, retrieve the dumbbell - Oh did I mention retrieve the dumbbell!!!

[niko]

I bet Niko would love the spin one! We did start the training on play dead at class, we will have to work on that one again too. He doesn't do to well with retrieving things, we have been trying to teach him that out in the yard, the best we have gotten is him bringing the item about 5 feet away and dropping it there.

[Dobs4ever]

Unless mine are natural at bringing it back to me I have a tuggy that goes on a long line where I can retrieve it and get it back. With the fun of tugging I have found that they do not release and drop it. This has helped me to get them to focus more on bringing it back. For the actual dumbbell - I start out in a chair with them between my legs and just ask them to bring - At this point all I want them to do is take it and hold it. They have already learned the command from the above exercise. If they hold it a few seconds I say Aus and take it from them and give them a reward. Once we start this game they are never allowed to drop the dumbbell.

This also helps them learn to sit straight for the front later. Then I move to the Sch I dumbbell - I have a pull rope on both ends and I will just flip it out a foot and tell them to bring - they are pretty good at that point at going and picking it up as soon as they do I say bring and move in using the rope to help hold the dumbbell until I get them to front then ask for the hold and release. WE play this game for a couple weeks throwing it further as they get better.

I use to start them with the bigger Sch dumbbell but then when I went into the AKC ring that look at that little tiny dumbbell like that is not a dumbbell. Now I work with both once they are solid on the bigger dumbbell.

[RKCM]

Silly games we play here. We turn on music and point to teach the dog how to dance. Lucy twirls around, moves around me, takes a bow, and rolls......kinna funny and from the look of her tail she loves it. She watches me when the music comes on, wagging her tail like: let's get the party started. LOL.

We also have tunnels and platforms that the dogs like to go through or get on when we point to it. Some play ball, some prefer the tugs....we just try to find games they seem to find rewarding.

Fun games that the dogs seem to enjoy.