Look What We Can Do!

I've decided that I need to keep a better video log of my training with the dogs.  I'm not off to a great start so far as I just had the girls do most of what they know and videoed it all in one day.  Hopefully I can get myself to start videoing at least one training session a week for both dogs, then I can actually keep an accurate visual record of their training.

This video starts with a bunch of obedience stuff, sits/downs/stands, heeling, and come.  Nothing fancy, but the girls are very attentive and know their stuff!  Then the tricks!  Gracie knows more tricks than Gidget, because I'm a bad trainer and train the dog that's easier/more fun to do trick training with more than the other.  I'm trying to fix that though.  I did leave a couple things out, namely Gidget fetching, and both of them fetching over a jump.  Left out a lot of basic obedience exercises too.  That's ok, I'll catch them eventually.

Now to the video.  Please note that the boots I throw on for one trick are to protect my toes from Gracie's toe nails.  They are not some special part of the trick, nor a fashion statement (it would be a horrible statement!).  I was just too lazy to put on real shoes.  Here's the video:

The "Cover Up" trick is my new favorite trick with Gracie, it's just too cute!  And she's already starting to generalize that one to other "blankets" as you can see in the blooper.  It took quite awhile to teach that.  She seemed to pick it up better with long breaks (nearly a week!) between sessions of teaching that trick, but she eventually got it!

The next trick on our list is play dead.  So far the hardest part is getting Gracie to have enough self control to stop her roll in the middle.  Gidget's working on recognizing her back feet.  Basically I'm doing 2 on 2 off type stuff (which is what led to Gracie's hand stand) with her just for fun.

I think trick training is important for a lot of reasons.  For Gracie it improves her confidence and her focus, not to mention it's great brain exercise!  For Gidget it's more of a bonding thing, something for just the two of us.  There can also be great physical and proprioception benefits that are great for agility.  Most of all it's just plain fun to show off all the cool tricks your dog can do!  Happy agility!