Teaching Dog To Count

huntyr

Well-Known Member
has anyone taught their dog to count?
I dont want him to bark, I want him to tap his paw.
But really at a loss at where to start.

I search for counting on threads but it didnt turn up anything.
 

MaryK

Honored Member
I'm in the process of trying to teach Ra Kismet to count. I haven't found anything either, so what I have started to do is ask him for his paw (not shake paws) and just saying "One" when he offers his paw. Then moving onto to asking for his paw, saying one and then asking again and saying two. I'm not sure if this is right but so far it seems to be working

I am sure someone here will have taught counting, so hopefully we can both learn:D
 

huntyr

Well-Known Member
oh how fun. Ok I will try this with you and see what happens. Tommorrow is our jack russell fun day and I will be asking a few others that do tricks for advice too *S*​
will share with you what they say!​
 

MaryK

Honored Member
oh how fun. Ok I will try this with you and see what happens. Tommorrow is our jack russell fun day and I will be asking a few others that do tricks for advice too *S*​
will share with you what they say!​
Wow that will be some day:D Great as I am sure there's a better way to teach a dog to count.

Have fun tomorrow - I know you will:LOL:
 

Dlilly

Honored Member
I will ask Delilah 'What's 1+1?' and she will bark twice. How I taught that was I would ask her then do the hand signal for 2 barks. I repeated and repeated until she barked twice with no hand signal and just the question. You can probably do the same with a hand signal too.
 

huntyr

Well-Known Member
but I dont want to teach him to bark. For being a jack russell he rarely barks and I want to keep it that way LOL
I will teach him to tap his paw..... (hopefully)
 

MaryK

Honored Member
Yes HOW??????????????????? I watched very carefully and she never gave the dog a visible clue, not that I could see anyway! Just proves dogs are VERY smart and we at times under estimate them!
 
I'm in the process of trying to teach Ra Kismet to count. I haven't found anything either, so what I have started to do is ask him for his paw (not shake paws) and just saying "One" when he offers his paw. Then moving onto to asking for his paw, saying one and then asking again and saying two. I'm not sure if this is right but so far it seems to be working

I am sure someone here will have taught counting, so hopefully we can both learn:D
Actually me too I'm trying to learn as well but I suggest that we all try what we think might Work and then post what worked!
 

MissyBC

Experienced Member
Yes HOW??????????????????? I watched very carefully and she never gave the dog a visible clue, not that I could see anyway! Just proves dogs are VERY smart and we at times under estimate them!
For the first equation... she gave the dog some help by putting 4 fingers up... then later on in the video when one of the ladies asked the dog, "what's 8 - 2?" the owner showed the dog 5 fingers to help her out. :)
 

2SpoiledAussies

Well-Known Member
This normally isn't taught a signal for 1, then 2, then 3 ect. It is taught with a signal to start barking then a signal to quit barking. Zak George's signal for this is moving the frisbees to his other hand. It seems very subtle, especially it being after the dog has gotten to the count. Kyra Sundance uses a very subtle cue with her eyes. It would take a lot of work to make it this subtle, but is very possible. I would teach this trick, but haven't taught my dogs to bark yet, and it would be more obvious then a paw.
 

Linda A

Experienced Member
For the first equation... she gave the dog some help by putting 4 fingers up... then later on in the video when one of the ladies asked the dog, "what's 8 - 2?" the owner showed the dog 5 fingers to help her out. :)
I think the dog had started counting and she was just telling it to wait. Unfortunately, for most of the video you don't even see the owner.
 

MaryK

Honored Member
For the first equation... she gave the dog some help by putting 4 fingers up... then later on in the video when one of the ladies asked the dog, "what's 8 - 2?" the owner showed the dog 5 fingers to help her out. :)
Had another look and yes, saw what you've just explained, very subtly done, still very clever of the dog.:) Thank you for spotting that.
 
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