Dog's First Trick ?
- Thread starter lil joe
- Start date
southerngirl
Honored Member
I would start with a simple trick such as, leg weave, shake paw, shut door, spin, circle objects, pick up items. Those are just some of the beginner tricks. If you need to know how to train one of them me or anyone else here are glad to tell you how or might make you a tutorial video.
Emily Marston
Well-Known Member
Shake, roll over, sit up and speak are good to start with 
648117
Honored Member
I would disagree with "sit up" and "speak".Shake, roll over, sit up and speak are good to start with
If you mean "beg" or "sit pretty" by "sit up" then I wouldn't recomend it first because some dogs cannot do it and unless the dog offers it naturally it seems to take a long time for the dog to build up the muscle memory and strength to perform it (although some dogs can probably get it quickly). With Holly it took about a month (I got her to try it once or twice a day only, to prevent her damaging herself or overdoing it) for her to figure out how to balance and have the strength to hold the "beg" and she's a small dog so I assume it's even harder for a large dog. If this is the first trick that someone tried to teach it could be very frustrating for the trainer if the dog needs time and it might seem like the dog is not very smart when it actually just doesn't have the muscle/balance for the trick.
With "speak" it seems like a lot of people don't recommend it first because it can make a dog become more vocal (not always, but it can) and some dogs just don't bark. It can be very hard to get some dogs to bark.
But I guess it depends on the individual dog.
The tricks that seem to be easy for most dogs, I think, are "shake paw", "roll over", "spin", "jump over leg/through arms", "wave"
Emily Marston
Well-Known Member
I completely agree
Breeds such as poodles and Maltese's are great at sit up, and heavy boned dogs like Bulldogs and Bassets will take much longer to pick it up. It all depends on breed. I find jump quite hard and easy at the same time. I still can't get my cocker to jump straight up. But my Scottish Terrier mix could automatically do it. All breeds are good at some things, and not so good at others. It just depends on their body, and how well they can use it.
Anneke
Honored Member
The first "trick" I teach dogs is shake paw. Twist and turn are quite easy. And roll over, too(just make sure you do this on a soft floor, most dogs don't like to roll on concrete or wood. Carpet, grass or sand will do)
Sit up(beg, sit pretty) isn't as easy for larger dogs, but with patience it is good for their balance skills. It took me a few months to get mine to offer a well balanced sit up with a few seconds of duration.
Take a bow is nice, most dogs can do it, although it somtimes isn't easy to teach.
Sit up(beg, sit pretty) isn't as easy for larger dogs, but with patience it is good for their balance skills. It took me a few months to get mine to offer a well balanced sit up with a few seconds of duration.
Take a bow is nice, most dogs can do it, although it somtimes isn't easy to teach.
Dogster
Honored Member
Great advice above
I would also start with shake, roll over, play dead (on your side), roll over, spin, bow, target (with paw), touch (with nose) weaving through legs...
If you need any advice on how to teach these tricks, you can search the trick up on YouTube and tutorials will come up.
I like Kikopup's tutorials, they're very helpful:
http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup
This user also has great tutorials:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Krissykris1468?feature=watch
I would also start with shake, roll over, play dead (on your side), roll over, spin, bow, target (with paw), touch (with nose) weaving through legs...
If you need any advice on how to teach these tricks, you can search the trick up on YouTube and tutorials will come up.
I like Kikopup's tutorials, they're very helpful:
http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup
This user also has great tutorials:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Krissykris1468?feature=watch
madeleine
Experienced Member
Nice tpoic!
I thought Dazzle the sit first, then down. (Offcourse after introducing the clicker, which i don't count as trick)
The first trick Dazzle learned herself was give paw, she saw our other dog do that and when we asked her (my boyfriend did, though I said I had not trained that to her yet) she did it perfectly. Also the other paw when he asked that. :-) doggy see doggy does!
With next dog I would start with the handtouch first, makes a good 'marking point'. Gives a wide basic to begin all tricks with.
I thought Dazzle the sit first, then down. (Offcourse after introducing the clicker, which i don't count as trick)
The first trick Dazzle learned herself was give paw, she saw our other dog do that and when we asked her (my boyfriend did, though I said I had not trained that to her yet) she did it perfectly. Also the other paw when he asked that. :-) doggy see doggy does!
With next dog I would start with the handtouch first, makes a good 'marking point'. Gives a wide basic to begin all tricks with.