Trick Training is for Everyone!

On Monday, I had the pleasure of evaluating a rescue Saint Bernard for her AKC Novice Trick title.  The owner, a retiree, had been working hard ever since she rescued this sweet, eager-to-please dog.  They'd been working on obedience and confidence building and had earned their CD (a title designating that this dog had completed the first level in obedience), but wanted to take their training in a different direction, hence the trick training.  While the AKC suggests certain tricks for each title, there is also room for a good deal of creativity.  Advanced titles can be set to music and choreographed, for example!

While the AKC does allow for dog owners seeking tricks titles to submit videos to evaluators for review, this owner asked if we could do the evaluation in person.  I told her that we could comfortably do this evaluation in person, if she had a large backyard where we could easily practice social distancing and wear our masks.  Her dog executed each of 10 trick behaviors two times, including tricks that involved fun props like a table, a balance beam, and even a jump! Watching a young Saint Bernard having so much fun working with her owner made my whole day, and reminded me, once again, how much dogs love tricks.  To them, tricks are just other behaviors that we ask them to do BUT they recognize that, for whatever reason, we find more joy in these behaviors than in others we might ask of them.  I know Ozzie sure loves his "flying touch," behavior where he is invited to jump as high as he can to reach my hand much more than practicing sits and downs, for example.  I know I enjoy his flying touch too.

You certainly don't need to work toward earning a tricks title for your dog unless you want to do so.  You can, however, teach your dogs tricks as a way to keep their minds engaged and challenged, particularly when we are all still spending a lot of time at home alone with them.  And don't forget about your senior dogs! While jumps may be too much, there are plenty of other tricks they can do which will help keep their aging brains active and stimulated.  It's never too late to earn a fun title!  If you are interested in getting one of those trick titles for your dog, visit www.akc.org and click on the link for trick dogs under the AKC Family Dog Program tab.  Don't forget I'm happy to evaluate your dogs for these trick dog titles virtually via video or Zoom, or in person, if you are in the area and willing to socially distance and mask up to do so.  It's always nice to see you, even if I can't hug you or stand closer than 10 feet away :)

As always, if you have questions about your dog's behavior, you know where to find me.

Ozzie and I practicing his flying touch!