Hello

[maisie]

Just signed up to the forum and thought I'd better introduce myself before browsing threads.
I have 2 miniature schnauzers, Hettie who's 3 and Wilson who's nearly 2. They have both been going to various classes since they were pups. We are in the UK and they have both got the Kennel Club Good Citizen bronze award. The class they both go to is a mixture of KCGC and tricks with a little RallyO thrown in, a real mixture and they love it. Wilson likes any trick where he can play the clown and get a laugh, Hettie prefers running around and wound entertain anything undignified like rolling over.
Let's see if I can add a photo

 

[running_dog]

Hi Maisie, Welcome to DTA
What nice schnauzers you have, I meet some when I'm out with my dogs, they always look very lively and happy dogs (they sometimes have a lot to say for themselves too!) I think they must be fun to work with because they seem very enthusiastic and full of character.
What tricks do they know? Do you use a clicker?
I'm in the UK too

 

[maisie]

Yes we use clickers as for tricks they know quite a lot
Spin/twist
Leg weaves forward and back but not reverse
Figure of eight weaves
Wave
Sit pretty/big bear/beg
Play dead
Close the door
Got to target
Ring a bell
Cute
Bow
Peek
Cop cop
Paws on
Reverse around (anti clockwise only)
I'm sure there's more

They can chain some behaviours too so will go to target, through a door and close it.

 

[running_dog]

I keep getting an error message when I try to post a reply

 

[running_dog]

Well that one worked so I'll try again and post in sections so I find out what it doesn't like...

That's a good selection of tricks! I'm always forgetting what tricks Zac knows as well in fact it is a common problem with us trick trainers!

What are "big bear" and "cute"? Also how do you manage the two dog scenario when clicker training? It's one of those things which I find can be a little frustrating at times.

 

[running_dog]

So far so good... let's see if it'll take the last part of what I was trying to say!

Here are a few random trick ideas that you can probably very easily build up from what you have:

Peekaboo + Cop cop:
walking peekaboo in all directions (you may have this already, back steps in peekaboo are a good foundation for reverse weaves and that trick where the dogs spins and reverses into peekaboo)
moving into and out of peekaboo position from all directions (front back and sidestep)
Three legged race trick - dog stands beside you and puts one paw on your foot and you walk like that.

Paws on:
The elephant trick - dog has front (or back) paws on an object and pivots around it while keeping paws on the object.
Marching feet - taught using paw touches to your hand/foot/or target.

 

[maisie]

Big bear is siting on haunches with front paws over head.
Cute is chin on paws.

What's peek a boo? They do a peek, between my legs from behind which goes into cop cop. Hettie can reverse around anti-clockwise into a peek.
Loving the idea of a three legged race.

Elephant turns they can do, I'm working on back paws on now. And have just got Hettie to scoot under a hoop (hoop flat on floor, lifted with nose over body)

 

[maisie]

I train Hettie more when Wilson is at agility on Sunday evening. They don't like rain so if I need to tire them I'll train both, they are good at taking turns, we've done it since Wilson was a pup. You can see them watching each other to work out what to do.

 

[running_dog]

Wow! Your dogs are going to be super tricksters! BTW on the photo which is Hettie and which is Wilson?

Sorry for any confusion, peek a boo = peek.

I liked the three legged race idea (my dog Zac thought of it ) but the people I know are all profoundly uninterested in dog tricks... maybe you will be able to popularise it instead

I nearly always have both Zac and Gus together when training. We train mostly when we are out walking. They are usually pretty good about taking turns and understanding who is getting clicked but if I spend too long with either one there starts to be problems - Gus is a bit of an attention seeker and Zac gets anxious (and quickly becomes ill with stress) if he feels he is being marginalised.

Are you training towards something such as canine freestyle?