But in the meantime -- I use trick training as a stress reliever, and these tricks can be molded into tasks when done properly. Even when we're working, it's good take him over to the side and run through a bunch of his fun and most favorite tricks.
Yesterday, on my lunch break, I bought a neat book by Kyra Sundance, who has a Weimariner who cute as a button. The book came complete with 30 flash cards, a DVD, and a workbook which also helps you to mold each trick into a different trick (such as "shake" into "high five"). I'm excited to get started, and will hopefully blog each trick.
But, going through all of these flash cards, there are some Howie already knows (the ones in italics are the ones he doesn't know and we will learn):
- Sit
- Paws Up (onto my lap or a chair)
- Take a Bow (learning)
- Say Your Prayers
- Shake Hands
- Jumping Through a Hoop
- Jump Through My Arms (he's 60 pounds, we probably won't do this - maybe over my arm?)
- Wave Goodbye (kind of knows - he'll "high five," which I can mold into waving)
- Spin Circles (knows both ways!)
- Sit Pretty/Beg (will have to work on balance)
- Cover Your Eyes
- Sing (for him, it's "talk")
- Speak
- Play Soccer
- Crawl (he knows this, but I don't encourage it because he uses it to get out of down-stays)
- Which Hand Holds the Treat?
- Shell Game (3 cups, find the treat)
- Turn Off The Light (Howie knows how to turn it ON)
- Fetch (he does it, just not on cue)
- Pull a Wagon
- Get Your Leash
- Hide Your Head
- Ring a Bell to Go Outside
- Get the Newspaper
- Leg Weave
- Balance & Catch (balancing something on the nose, flipping it to catch it)
- Kennel Up (for us, it's just "crate")
- Soda from the Fridge
- Roll Over
- Tidy Up Your Toys
So, we have some work to do! But, notice he can do stuff in each level of difficulty already - some things that might be really difficult to teach!
A couple videos to keep you entertained:
This video was taken 3 days after learning this trick.
I know, my cues are messy :)
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