We are living exceptional times because of COVID and many agility halls and fields have been closed until summer (at least). However, we wanted to keep our promise about training challenges and try and also take this exceptional situation into consideration in the challenges.
This training challenge includes two tricks that you can do indoors. All you need is treats, a clicker, a couch, a pillow and yes, some toilet paper. But if you haven’t any, no problem, you can use e.g. a cardboard box. Both tricks teach the dog to offer behaviors, but also to understand his hind feet better, which will be very beneficial e.g. in RC training and almost anywhere in agility.
Exercise 1 - Handstand
If your dog knows 2 on 2 off, it’s easy to start by putting a pillow against the back of your couch and gradually change the angle on which the pillow is set. Little by little the dog feels comfortable in lifting his hind feet to the back of the coach (or a wall if you prefer that).
If your dog doesn’t know 2 on 2 off, teach him the trick of setting his hind feet on a higher surface than his front feet. This can be done anywhere: in the forest, in your backyard, in the living room etc, and the higher object can be e.g. a pillow, a box or a tree stump.
Exercise 2 - Pee trick
This is a trick that can be e.g. modified from 2 on 2 off very easily. Start with some low object, like a pillow and start clicking when the dog lifts his first hindfoot to go to 2 on 2 off. Soon he realizes what is expected and you can name the behavior. There are also other ways you can teach this trick.
Always remember to train both sides.
We hope that in spite of the sad situation in the world right now, you get to enjoy training and simple time with your dog.
Check out also other training challenges!
(new stuff twice a month)