Tricks
Students will select, plan, and teach their dog several tricks ranging from the simple (Speak! Tap) to a more complex, sequenced behavior (retrieve).
Among the topics covered:
- How to select the right trick for your dog’s personality and drives
- What is Luring? Capture? Shaping? Free Shaping?
- Why clickers are potent teaching tools
- Picking the right motivation
- How “presentation” can turn a no-brainer trick into a crowd pleaser
- How tricks to improve your dog’s around-the-house behavior
- Why tricks are an essential part of a dog’s management, exercise and enrichment activities
In addition to teaching foundation skills (shaping, targeting, tap, take or pick-up an object, go-to-mat, etc.) students will have the opportunity to select several tricks from the instructor’s “a la carte” list, or, come up with tricks of their own choosing.
The class will begin each week with group warm-ups (group practice of basics skills) segue into tricks, and close with “Dog Chat” where trainer and dog relax on a mat while the instructor leads a short discussion on a topic of interest to trick trainers.
The goal of this class is to have fun, let our dogs wow us with their smarts, and let our creative juices flow. Join us
Prerequisites
- Dogs 6 months or older; handler 13 years or older
- Successful completion of a puppy or basic training class, or equivalent skills/experience. (Your dog should be able to Sit, Down, Wait, or Stay on cue, and maintain the behavior briefly, until released.)
- Dog must be able to work comfortably around dogs and people in a group class setting