Archive for the ‘Dog Training Games’ Category
Halloween Costumes
December 14th, 2009
Looking for the perfect doggie Halloween costume? Here are a few easy favorites.
Dress your dog up as a football player!
You can purchase a doggie jersey and get a stuffed football. If you have a light colored dog you can even put some mascara under their eyes to make them have a tougher look. This is one outfit that can also work on game day for your favorite team.
Simple costumes
If your dog doesn’t like to wear costumes, you can go with something simple like a bandana or cute collar. This is an inexpensive idea but can really be cute!
Getting them used to it!
Not all dogs are used to being dressed up. If your dog is like that, start with one small piece of the costume and only have it on them when they eat. Do this for a few days and then add more to the costume. You can also practice stays while the costume is on. If the costume is one large piece, considering trying a bandana, then a t-shirt, maybe a hat and work your way up that way.
Dont forget…
Halloween is a scary time for dogs – kids look awfully strange! Read our Halloween safety article on some great tips!
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Rain Rain go away…
January 7th, 2009
Our yard is mud. Its rained off and on for the last few weeks. Its January and its cold. WAlking these poor dogs doesn’t feel like an option. What do you do with a young dog when its nasty out and they haven’t had exercise? You guessed it, TRAIN!
When you are training a dog with a lot of energy its a great idea to get them moving. For example taking a hyper dog and working on stays is going to be very difficult. There are two games I like to play that expend a lot of energy.
1) Target training.
I like this game because I can create a lot of distance pretty easily. Get a lid to a tupperware bowl – hold it out and ask your dog to sniff it (I say touch). When they do, say “yes” and give a treat. Repeat this a number of times and then start moving around. You can even put your dog in a sit stay while you move around the room. Now, put the object on the floor, see if you can get the same behavior. If you can you just created a fun game – run out, touch it, come back to me for the reward! Obviously it may take some learning time but most dogs pick up really fast.
2) Place.
This is training a dog to lay down on command on something. You treat the matt like a bullseye – and walk in circles around it asking for the down command. Once your dog is offering it, you can call it place or matt- whatever you like. With dog training try to move slowly. Wait for several right responses before you make it more difficult. Once your dog lays down, toss a treat to the side, they will run and get it, and then you can ask for the behavior again. Slowly create more distance between yourself and the mat and you have not only a training game, but a way to wear out your dog!
Have fun and happy training.