There are so many reasons why training tricks are beneficial to your dog, yourself and your relationship, tricks aren’t just for entertainment or rainy days anymore! Teaching tricks not only help our dogs learn how to learn but also teaches us how they learn as well. Tricks can be used to teach concepts that appear in competition behaviors allowing us to teach those final behaviors more efficiently and with fewer mistakes. Plus, they allow us to mentally and physically exercise our dogs along with teaching them body awareness and control.
This course will cover a variety of tricks, all handpicked for different functions and benefits. The majority of these tricks are not physically demanding and are suitable for any dog. There is no skill set or previous experience needed for this course.
Teaching Approach
Lectures are comprised of written material with short demonstration videos mixed in. Lectures are released each week and behaviors are grouped together by concept. Feedback is typically given focusing on one or two areas of improvement at a time.
Sara Brueske (she/her) has been training dogs for over 15 years, and has experienced a large variety of breeds and sports during that time. Having graduated as a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner ... (click here for full bio including Sara's upcoming courses)
Dogs of all levels and ages can take this class. We will be using freeshaping as well as luring.
Supplies needed: Low platform 20" or wider (rear foot targeting) Piece of plywood or other sturdy material 1.5'x4' with grippy surface (wall handstands) Bowl with flat bottom large enough for your dog's front paws to fit comfortably on (pivot) 1-2" diameter dowel or pvc pipe, 6"+ long (hold)
Rear foot targeting is beneficial not just for the body awareness aspect but it can actually help a dog learn pivoting as well as be the foundation for backing up or even 2-on-2-off for agility. You can also use it to teach a pop-back stand for obedience as well.
Find a low wide target, it should be a noticeably different texture or raised up off the floor so that your dog can easily distinguish whether they are on it or not. It is better to free-shape this behavior. Mark and reward for any interaction with the target to begin with, then gradually increase your criteria to all four paws on.
Reward placement is important, you want to reward low an in front of the target to encourage front paws off and rear paws on. Reward multiple times for being in the correct place and occasionally toss a reward to reset. At this point, it doesn’t matter how your dog reproaches the target or how they get into the rear foot targeting position.
As your dog begins to understand the correct position, reward a few times in place and then reward slightly further from the target so that your dog has to lean forward (but not step off the object). Mark and reward the weight shift back into position after they eat the reward. Once again, a few rewards in place and then one further away. Gradually increase how far the reward is so that eventually, your dog has to take one step off the object. If they step backwards to get back on the target, jackpot! If they step around and get into the rear foot targeting position any other way, still reward it as you have been.
As your dog figures out to reach back with their feet to get back into the rear foot targeting position, move the reward further and further out until your dog is taking multiple steps back.
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Backup
Continue to place the "out of position" reward further and further so your dog is taking multiple steps back. If at any time, your dog circles to go back to the target instead of backing onto it, you've progressed a little too quickly in regards to distance. Reward at or close to the target once your dog backs up to it.
Add a verbal cue once your dog is backing up multiple steps. Say the cue just prior to when your dog offers the behavior. If they do not do the behavior, do not repeat the cue, just wait them out or toss a reset cookie. Try very hard to not say the cue unless you are sure your dog will back up.
Once your dog is backing up to the target when you say the verbal cue, go ahead and fade the target. Do a few reps with it, and then toss a reset reward as you take it away. When your dog comes back for another rep, give the cue like normal. Mark and reward before they get to the point of where the target used to be. You can always put the target back as needed to reinforce the behavior if performance slides.
A sampling of what prior students have said about this course ...
Amazing class with tons of great information! This was my first class from Sara and now I need to take more! Hoping for an advanced tricks class in the future based on some comments in the forums late in the class. ;) We knew some tricks but some were definitely new and have given us some new things for work on for a while. Keeps training fun and interesting for me and my dog! Thanks again for a great class!
I am so glad we took this class! My dog is already charming her therapy group with her new tricks that Sara helped us with!
Sara,you’re such a great instructor! Your shaping posts were awesome and incredibly helpful, something to relook at and identify an “oops” in my awareness with what I was doing! Thanks! Ps this was an incredibly fun class and also variably challenging depending on “ the dog”.
Excellent instruction, demos and individual assistance. Tricks are so much fun! Thank you Sara! Several tricks I have been wanting to train, I now have a blueprint (and working on them!) to be successful.
Thank you Sara, you da best! Really enjoy your classes and your creative problem solving.
Registration
There are no scheduled sessions for this class at this time. We update our schedule frequently, so please
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Registration opens at 10:30am Pacific Time.
The instructor will be participating in the FDSA in-person training camp in Oregon from October 4-6 and will not be available to answer class forums. Class will be extended to compensate and will end on November 13, 2024.