Archive for the ‘Dog Training Games’ Category
Heeling in 6 weeks: Week 1 Day 1
April 25th, 2010
I have a theory that dogs can heel but they need to be taught very specific things. I’m testing this theory out on my own dogs and hopefully some of you will try it and give your feedback.
So for week 1 the goal is to teach the dog to find that place. There is a game we use when teach recalls which makes it really fun, the dog chases food, goes through your legs, its high energy, its fast and it builds drive. So why not use the same concept with heeling. Initially we can’t just start out running around having our dogs catch up to us, but we can use a fun game that encourages the dog to find our left side.
Heeling in 6 weeks Week 1 Day 1
Start with two treats (and a bag full of treats to grab from somewhere on your body). Put the two treats in your left hand, place the hand on your belly (as you would if you were heeling). Lure the dog to your side, click, (or say yes) and then toss the treat behind you. The trick to this game is all in the toss. By throwing it in the right direction your dog will likely line up nicely.
With blaze my puppy I had to angle the treat back slightly about 6-8 feet behind me. Then I called his name and placed my hand down as a target to give him another treat. After a few repitions I could stop placing my hand down and I could keep it up on my belly button. When he got to me I clicked and gave him a treat in the exact position I wanted him. For my dogs I like to turn their heads forward so they are straight when they get the treat. After a few minutes I could begin to vary the position I was throwing the treat – always keeping it behind me.
With my larger dog Nitro, he would get confused and come to my front I would just say uh oh, take a few steps, then readjust myself and toss the treat back again.
The keys to this game:
1. Feed your dog in the heeling position exactly as you want them
2. Stand as though you are heeling while the dog is getting the treats
3. Keep two cookies ready so you can move the game along quickly.
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Kong Wobbler Review
March 24th, 2010
Well it came! My new Kong Wobbler. After all the excitement, I can finally share my thoughts about how it really is.
Here are my pros and cons:
Pros: dishwasher safe, not too loud, pretty easy to fill, reasonably priced
Cons: I think its a little big for smaller dogs, toy dogs could NEVER use this. There is no difficulty setting – its equally difficult or easy for all dogs. My puppy doesn’t get it at all 
My dog could unscrew it. I found it difficult to screw the top on.
Watch the video to see all my thoughts on the kong wobbler. I finally got my puppy to learn how to use this by toss a treat on the floor near the wobbler every time he nosed it. Eventually he moved it enough to get food to fall out own his own and he is now a proficient kong wobbler user in just a few hours.
and the puppy finally gets it
New Kong Wobbler
March 18th, 2010
I’m SO excited, kong has come out with a new wobbler dog toy. What is a wobbler? Well, its a kong shaped toy that you can open and fill with dog food or treats. Your pup can roll it around and get food out.
For the longest time I have used buster cubes, tug a jugs, and other food delivering items but there were a few issues. First you couldn’t wash them appropriately and second, they were just loud! The new kong wobbler is now available from what I can tell in only one size, but we ordered two and hope that it will make breakfast time more fun for our dogs. (In addition to wearing htem out)
Have you gotten your kong wobbler dog toy? What do you think of it?
Chew Proof Dog Toys
February 4th, 2010
I have a lab that can destroy anything. He can shred a toy in less than 5 minutes, or destuff a toy as it may be. After spending lots of money on toys, I finally found a good solution. Orvis has a line of toys that they fully back, if your dog destroys it you can get your money back, get a gift card or even get a replacement toy. They also have dog beds if your dog destroys them called tough chew. I use this for my puppies since they have sharp teeth!
Orvis is so amazing that we once bought a dog bed from them and my dogs just didn’t care for it. We actually kept the dog bed for a period of time to see if the ywould warm up to it and they didn’t. I called several months later, and no questions asked they sent me a gift card so I could buy something else. Their customer service is amazing.
For dog toys, the ones that have worked well for us are the ring, the octopus and the boomerang. I’m curious to see how these chew proof dog toys hold up for the new puppy but if there is a problem I know I can just call customer service! Well worth the money in my opinion!
Tags: Hyper Dog
December 21st, 2009
Its been a busy week before Christmas and poor Nitro has had much attention. We also had a bit of a rain / ice storm so its been kind of yucky outside and I haven’t been up for walking him. I suppose I’m a bad doggie mom!
Second to exercise is always dog training for wearing out your dog. I have a few things I like to do. The first is jump training. If you are doing agility or obedience you already know how to train this. If not, i get a low jump (so they dont have to over jump and hurt themselves) – you can use a broom stick on some cinder blocks. Toss treats over the jump and say “over”.
Another game to play is the come / recall game. I stand in a long hallway and toss food through my legs yelling here and get it! That works wonders to get a dog racing back and forth.
You can even do the recall / come game with a few people in the house, just make sure everyone has some food to reward the dog with.
Lastly, I opt for a chew bone of some kind. I personally feed raw bones which is great for their teeth but you want to find organic kinds or a raw food distributor. This can last for hours with my boy and man is he exhausted by the time that is done!