Cool Tricks

[jelly8bean]

Hey.. I've been taking a focus class with my rottie and we are learning alot of cool tricks. That I have been trying to transfer to my dobies. We have now gotten the norms.. sit/down/stay. And spins/twirls, shake hands, speak, bow, and rollover (that one is hard!). I am currently working with my rottie to have her sit/stand and down based on signs on paper vs hand or spoken signals. Anyone else have cool tricks? And how to teach them?

[magtie]

that sounds interesting. why teach signs on paper?

[Rich S]

Focus class eh? Magnum could use a class like that. He would have to start at pre-school level though.

I'm curious to know the rational behind that paper signs as well

[Rich S]

I could use a focus class myself.

[BlueDobeGroup]

Can you tell us some more about the focus class? It sounds interesting. I've never heard of anything thing like that.

[jelly8bean]

This class is kind of a distraction proofing class. My dog has the sit/down/stay stuff.. so we work on "watch me" and distractions. Every class starts with us all having our dogs sit or down, and then the instructor walks around us with a toy or a rattle whatever and we have to keep them watching us for 30 sec. One time with treats, one time without. We have also learned lots of fun tricks and are working on heeling. (not going so well with my rotty though - which is why we need focus!). The signs on paper are just a trick..like spins and twirls and bows. No reason but I am a very competitive person and the other dogs in the class are aussies and we have to have a great trick to blow them away. Now if I can just get her to really do it. So far we are at the point where I show the paper and she is just cycling thru the 3 items till I let her know it was right. (I use "sound it out" to let her know that is not it). We will keep working on it.. the class is tomorrow night!

[BlueDobeGroup]

Interesting, thank you for sharing.