Where To Start?

tx_cowgirl

Honored Member
Staff member
So, finals are next week and I won't have class again until next semester in mid-January. Today was my last day at my full-time job after 3 years, and I'll be starting a part-time job very soon that will leave me lots of free time.
I'll be able to get my studying in and have time for my dogs again like I used to. :) So where should I pick back up again? I have had very, very little time for any new tricks. I've done some shaping just to keep them occupied, but really no one has learned new tricks since......gosh I don't even know how long. Except for Gypsy, who has learned weave, stay, and come. Well, and Z learned BOING! a few months ago.
Gypsy is pretty much a completely empty mind; the only tricks she knows are spin/turn, sit, and weave. She's learning down and stand. She does know stay and come; we are advancing those cues. Her recall is incredibly important; she is going to be trained for shed hunting and blood trailing. A lot of her work will eventually be off-leash so I'm putting a ton of emphasis on her recall. Not sure where I want to start with her as far as tricks(aside from very basic ones which we will start soon) but I have already started testing her recall and stay with distractions.
Z's recall needs improvement; he's incredibly high drive and when I still had a life I was working on improving his self-control and recall. He knows about 15-20 different tricks, but not sure where I want to go next with him. I would like to do some double-dog tricks with him and Gypsy.
And Mud...she knows close to 100 tricks and I've kind of hit an inspiration dry spell; I have no clue what to teach her next.

So I guess what I'm asking for is ideas. :LOL: Where should I pick up with everyone?
 

sara

Moderator
Staff member
How about teaching targets with Gypsy? I find teaching foot targets, and nose targets to be a fantastic base for alot of trick training... I should have started with a target stick alot sooner than I did, that's for sure! Might be a good place to start. Have you started teaching Trebball? Might be alot of fun for Mud and Zeke... Those are my ideas, anyway :)
 

tx_cowgirl

Honored Member
Staff member
I typically start with the basics, sit/down/stay/come/stand, and targetting, then I start training whichever trick I feel like next. Usually spins, which she already knows, various paw targetting tricks(wave, high-five, shake), then weave, and then it just depends on the dog where I go next. But any specific trick ideas next with Gypsy?
I still need to learn a little more about Trebball, but I do think Mud and Z would love it! I'll have to look into it some more to see where to start with them.
Thanks!
 

running_dog

Honored Member
For a way out suggestion you could teach Mud to paint a picture? Hold a paintbrush in her mouth, dip paintbrush in paint pot, touch paintbrush to paper...
 
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