Training Ideas in the house

    • Gold Top Dog

    Training Ideas in the house

    Hi,
     
    I have a 4 month old Lab/Coonhound named Kobi.
     
    I have tuaght him the basics and even a few not so basic (hi-five, shake).
     
    Any ideas for any 'fun' training ideas to teach him.  He is so willing to learn and loves' 'working'.  He's getting bored of the same old down, sit, come, shake, off, get in (sit beside me)etc.
     
    Any ideas would be appreciated!
     
    Thanks,
    Greg
    • Gold Top Dog
    roll over(both directions if possible, on cue[;)])
    play dead
    directionals (ie-turn right, turn left)
    hide and seek
    beg/say hi
    dance
    catch a treat off the nose
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    ring a bell, turn the light on/off, ride a skateboard, go find the TV remote and/or cell phone and/or car keys, open and close doors, fetch slippers.  I'm trying to figure out how to teach the dogs to do housework, but so far no luck.
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    I tought Knox how to clean his toys.  He scours the house for toys and drops them drops them in large tupperware container.
     
    I also taught him to bow, weave in my legs, roll over, hi five, shake, take food gently from my mouth... he's talented.
    • Gold Top Dog
    My coonhound's favorite tricks are "touch" and "spin". It figures that his favorite behaviors are the ones with the least actual utility! If only he showed as much enthusiasm for "down"!
     
    Touch actually can be quite useful in teaching heeling and proper placement for competitive obedience and agility. With touch, you teach the dog to touch an object with his nose. I just use my fingers, but other people use a special targeting stick. I put my index and middle fingers together so that the gesture for "touch" is different than my usual "go over there and stop bothering me" pointing. It can be great for wearing a dog out too because you can hold the target waaaay over their head and make them jump for it. Later when you want to teach "heel", you can just hold the target where you want the dog's nose to be in a good "heel" position and get them started that way.
     
    Spin is just totally useless and silly--he spins around clockwise.
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    Kobi loves te tricks/commands I have tought him to do so far, but I can tell he's redy (and wanting) more.
     
    I keep trying the treat on nose trick, but he wont let me get it on there......I give him the off command as I get closer with the treat, but he just can't resist going for it resist (18 weeks old).  I think it will come with time. I can put it on his paw and get it real close to his mouth on the floor nd not have hum take it, but its something about me moving the treat towards his nose that drives him crazy!!
     
    Any other suggestions, great ones so far!!!
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    The all important STAY
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    FREESHAPING!!!!

    This is very mentally stimulating/tiring for dogs, let him figure out what the next trick is. It's easy if he's already accustomed to clicker:

    1. Sit in a chair with some treats and watch dog.
    2. Wait for him to do something. It can be anything, just not a behavior he already knows on cue. It could be touching his butt with his nose (half a spin), putting his hand on you (almost high-five or shake), etc.
    3. Click and treat.

    Repeat at least every 30 seconds. It doesn't have to be the same behaviors, it can be different ones. Treat less often in the beginning and he gets frustrated and it's no fun. Treat more at first and then develop a behavior.

    The pup will start having to figure out why he is getting treated--what behaviors make you click. This is very fun for everyone, better than TV. And when he's done he's mentally exhausted. Better than an hour at the dog run.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Oh, as he starts offering one behavior over others, start shaping that behavior. Click and treat for a butt-touch that looks more like a spin--just keep giving yourself new parameters for what you treat for. Once you've got what you want, he knows the trick. Then you can put this trick on cue and it's just part of his little floor show.

    Stop treating for it when you do freeshaping and see what he offers next.
    • Bronze
    ORIGINAL: gbjork50

    I keep trying the treat on nose trick, but he wont let me get it on there......I give him the off command as I get closer with the treat, but he just can't resist going for it resist (18 weeks old).  I think it will come with time.

    Teach him to stay.  When you are feeding him, make him sit and stay.  Put the food down a few feet in front of him and insist he stay.  Pointing at him is a good way to keep his attention on you and not the food.  If he makes a lunge simple pick the food up and start again.  Once he stays in front of the food for a short time, then give him an eat command.  Before you know it he'll not only have a reasonable stay, but it will be a food resistant stay.  He will then get the idea not to grab the treat going on his nose when in stay mode. After that you can slowly increase the time he waits for food.  Even to the point where you leave the room for a bit.  Its not a flashy trick but its a powerful training tool in its own right. 

    My father the farmer beleives that the best thing to teach a dog is what he calls brakes and a steering wheel.  IE he can use the dog like a remote controlled car.  It takes a lot of time and space to do that but dogs sure love to be doing teamwork to that level.