Being the guardian of a busy Australian Shepherd who loves to be the center of attention keeps me on my toes. Considering I like to take Bliss everywhere with me, and she's a therapy dog who visits children in the hospital, I
had
to come up with a way for her to show off her talents in any
situation. Being a writer, I started to
string tricks together into little vignettes in the form of Fairy Tails. The
first was “Sleeping Doggie Beauty,” starring Bliss, of course. Now you and your dog can entertain and amaze humans wherever
you go!
“Sleeping Doggie Beauty”
Props: Tiara,
Feather Boa
Behaviors: Shake,
Sit up, Speak, Weave through legs, Hide (behind your back), Roll over, Play
dead (Go to sleep), Jump in the air.
Level:
Intermediate
Sleeping Doggie
Beauty
Once upon a time, there was a Princess named ___________
Have dog give you its
paw
She liked to sit pretty on her throne
Dog sits up on hind
quarters
She liked to speak to her constituents
Cue dog to speak
And she liked to walk through the forest
Dog weaves through
legs
One day, she was walking through the forest and she saw a
scary witch so she hid
Dog hides behind your
back
But the witch saw her and placed a spell on her
Dog rolls over
So she fell asleep
Dog lies on side with
head down
Until her handsome prince came and woke her up to dance all
night!
Dog jumps in the air
for cookie
Step-by-step instructions:
The Sit
·
Hold treat above nose
·
Guide dog by raising treat slightly above its
nose
·
When he sits, give verbal command, “Sit”
·
Keep food close to the nose the entire time
·
Praise and reward in position
·
Say the command only once
Hand Signal: Hold hand palm up facing toward you at waist
level.
Give Paw (Shake, High
Five and Wave)
·
Kneel in front of your dog and pick up its paw
·
Place dog’s pad on your open palm about dog’s
shoulder height
·
Reward (Fine Dining) as long as dog’s paw is in
your palm
·
If dog removes paw, remove treat
·
If you run out of treats, release paw
·
Cue verbal command, “Shake,” as long as dog
holds position
Tip: Reward only
while in position
Hand Signal: Hold hand palm forward at waist level.
Sit up (Beg, Pretty
Please, etc.)
·
Start with dog sitting in front of you
·
Lure into sit by holding treat over dog’s nose,
slightly out of reach
·
Let dog stretch up for treat while sitting
·
Help it raise front feet by gently lifting them
·
Say command, “Sit Pretty”
·
Reward dog in position.
Tip: This
position requires the dog to have a strong core to support its spine. While
training, position dog against a support such as a couch or wall to build up
core muscles.
Hand Signal: Hand above dog’s head, palm facing toward floor.
Speak (Start training
by capturing dog’s natural behavior)
·
Have someone knock on the door
·
When dog barks, cue verbal command, “Speak”
·
Reward
Hand gesture:
Finger on side of your face
Weave through legs
·
Start with dog in heel position (on your left
side)
·
Place your feet a little more than shoulder
width apart
·
With treats in both hands, lure dog with left
hand to turn into you
·
With right hand, lure dog through your legs to
your right side
·
Repeat from right to left, luring dog from left
hand
·
Reward dog each time
Hand gesture:
Hands at both sides of your legs.
Dog hides behind back
·
Lure dog to hide behind you
·
Reward while in position behind your back
·
Cue verbal command, “Hide”
Hand gesture:
Hand behind your back.
Roll over (From
down position)
·
Lure dog’s head to middle of his body until he
transfers weight to one hip.
·
Lure into rolling onto his back and onto other
side.
Tip: Luring is
helpful while dog has its paws in the air.
Hand gesture:
Hand in circular motion in front of dog.
Sleep/Play Dead (This
is one of the more difficult to train)
·
Put dog in down position
·
With treat in hand, get dog to transfer weight
to one hip until lying on its side
·
Lure head to floor
·
Keep treat close to dog’s nose to keep its head
down
·
Fine Dine, then quickly slide treat away and
instantly back along floor
·
Reward, while repeating verbal cue, “Sleep”
·
Repeat and lengthen time away from dog’s nose
Hand gesture:
Circle wrist, then open palm
Dance
·
Lure dog on hind legs with a treat
·
Use command “Dance” when dog is up on hind legs
·
Add seconds to time and lure in a circle
·
Use treats or toys
Hand gesture:
Hand above head.
The Down
From Sitting Position
- Stand
in front of your dog.
- With
your dog sitting, place a treat in your fingers and lure his head down
between his front paws. Pull lure (toy or treat) forward until his elbows are
on the ground and he has settled into the down position. Applying gentle
pressure or stroking over his shoulders will encourage him to lower his
body and keep his hind end on the floor.
Hand Signal: Point finger towards floor.
From Standing
Position
- Stand
in front of your dog.
- With
your dog standing, lure him by lowering food or a toy straight down
between his front paws until he lowers his elbows to the ground and folds
back on his haunches. (This is faster than Down from a Sit.)
Hand Signal: Point finger towards floor.
The Stay
Note: The most
important part of the Stay is the Release. “OK!” “Finish!” “Release!” are some
verbal release commands to choose from.
- Work
your dog on a 6-foot leash
- Ask
for a sit
- Facing
your dog, say the command, “Stay,” once.
- Combine
verbal command with hand signal: Open palm facing dog.
- Step
back one step, count two seconds (silently), return to your original
position and reward. If your dog does not break, try stepping back two
steps, then three, etc., until you can go to the end of your leash without
him breaking the sit.
- Remember
to quickly return and reward after each sequence of steps.
- Your
job is to smile and repeat in a calm, low, encouraging voice, “Good Stay.”
- If he
breaks, move in quickly, put him back in the position and request the
“Stay” again. Smile.
- As he
becomes confident in the behavior, add more time and distance.
Tip: It is essential
not to rush the process. Do not add distance or time until you know your dog
will not break.
Hand gesture: Open
palm facing dog. If dog is in heel position, fingers are facing toward floor;
if facing your dog, fingers face up as in the “Stop” signal.
The End
Among the first cities covered by DogTrekker.com, this breath-taking region is brimming with dog-friendly hotels, resorts, restaurants, shops, tours, historic sites, dog parks, cabins and vacation rentals. There are plenty of areas for dogs and their owners to explore where rivers, mountains, wildlife and spectacular scenery collide. There are also dog-friendly events including the annual Ducky Derby, Art in the Park and the Bark, Wine and Brew celebration.
