Tricks Training can be viewed initially as fun silly things to teach dogs when there’s nothing else to do but in reality teaching Tricks can be much more complex and help towards so many goals and results for dogs and their families.
Playbow by Candydash Images
Today we are focusing on how we can use Tricks to help shy dogs feel more confident at home and when out of the home.
When dogs feel shy, lack in confidence, are worried or overwhelmed by too much happening they can feel safer in a quiet space that is a smaller area like under a table, in a crate or round the side of sofa. There are still lots of Tricks we can start with without needing to coax them out from their safe space and without needing to move in too close either.
If your dog likes food such as treats or even their own meals then we can use this to reward for training. If not, then we can use toys and play if they like to play. At other times we may use verbal praise, fusses and smiles as a reward if this is what a dog likes. Using a toy can sometimes take a little longer to teach something simply because we give the toy and then need to give a dog time to play so it’s actually a reward whereas with a treat we give the treat, they eat it, we repeat the Trick, but it can still be very productive to use play.
Luring is one way to help teach your Dog a Trick, depending on what the Trick is! A Nose Boop to Hand can be lured by having a treat inside your closed hand and offer to your dog to sniff, and a Watch Me Trick can be lured but showing your Dog the toy or treat and lifting it up towards your eye line.
Shaping can be used for a Trick that isn’t easy to Lure or for a Dog who is too shy to commit to following a treat in your hand. Shaping is presenting your Dog with an item to do a Trick with and praising even the slightest movement towards the item, building until your Dog has offered something with it. For example if you put a Drinks Coaster on the floor for them to put their paw on you would first of all praise them looking at it and roll a treat to them. Then praise when they step closer, then if they sniff it, then if they paw it etc. It can take a little time at first but can really boost a Dog’s confidence as every stage is their choice and they will offer what feels right for them.
A third style of Tricks Training is called Capturing and this is a great one for something like the Playbow Trick; when you see your dog having their morning big stretch that looks like a Playbow you praise and reward them as they do it! This means they start to offer it more and once you add a cue word to it as well it can become a learnt Trick. If it’s something your dog only does once every week or two then this will take longer but again the nice part of this training style is you already know it’s something your dog can easily do.
Each time your Shy Dog gets part of a Trick right they will be greeted with praise, rewards, and positive energy which in turn can help their body release endorphins, serotonin and adrenaline for the ‘feel good’ feelings!
Some ideas for Tricks that can help boost confidence include:
Nose Touch –
Teach your dog to bop your hand with their nose
Spin and Twist –
Your dog can learn to turn in a circle either clockwise or anti clockwise
Peek A Boo –
Dogs move behind us and end up between our feet – you can add a sit or down etc here too
Go Round An Item –
Guide your dog to move around something like a large flower pot, chair or person!
Circle Round Handler –
Help your dog learn to move around you in either direction
Using Tricks to help with confidence boosting and dogs who are shy gives us something fun and upbeat to work on, without the formality or seriousness often associated with ‘Obedience’ training and some sports too. Tricks are informal, fun, adjustable and help lower our expectations from our dogs so they are more comfortable and willing to learn too.
To learn how to teach your dog new tricks you can;
⭐️ Look for a certified tricks trainer near you to work with them in person.
⭐️ Work with a certified tricks trainer online via private sessions or group classes online
⭐️ Look up the tricks you want to do on YouTube, Google or Pinterest
⭐️ Look at trick training books so you don’t need to rely on internet access when training
When Tricks Training with a shy dog keep sessions short per trick and take each stage slowly to keep the training fun and prevent overwhelm for your dog.
Recommendations for Tricks Training at Home or when travelling;
Check Out National Pet Tricks Day on 30th September for a host of Tricks Fun to take part in online for free.
Sign Up in September or October here
Visit the Pet Tricks Day fb page any time of the year:
Try a few tricks if your dog is shy or under confident and if you’d like a little help drop me a message.
Joe x
Certified Dog Tricks Instructor since 2013
Kennel Club Accredited Dog Trainer since 2014
Running Dog Training since pre 2008
