Even if we dog owners know that there is no such thing as bad weather, only wrong clothing: When it rains, storms or is slippery on the paths, the dog laps are a little shorter.
But of course our dogs still want to be busy – and you can do that pretty well if you keep coming up with a few new game ideas for the dog.
This not only stimulates the gray cells of your four-legged friend, but also brings a lot for your dog-human relationship, because practicing a trick means, for example, that you have to concentrate fully on each other.
In this way you strengthen your bond in a playful way. So test the 3 game ideas for the dog and start now with the first tricks – then you may soon be able to perform one or the other trick.
Game idea 1: roll out the carpet
You need:
- Treats
- a small rug (e.g. bathroom rug, thick bath sheet, or a double-folded dog blanket)
Difficulty level:
A real circus trick – also suitable for old dogs who are no longer so agile.
Thats how it works:
- Lay out the rug on the floor and let your dog see what you do next. He should be curious about what the carpet is all about.
- Roll up the carpet and hide a treat in the roll with each turn.
- If the carpet is rolled up, it must be positioned so that your dog can roll it up with its snout. The starting edge of the carpet is on the floor.
- Now let your dog sniff the role. He’s sure to nudge the carpet quickly with his snout and automatically find the first treat.
- Encourage him to keep looking. Brake him if he wants to dig for the treats with his paws or if he wants to shake the carpet with his snout.
- Only let him on the carpet roll when he uses his nose.
- Praise him when he has “exposed” a treat again.
If it does not work:
If your dog doesn’t understand what you want from him, you can only roll up the end of the carpet at first. Or you can help him by pointing your fingers where he would set the roll in motion by nudging.
You can also give him a little push if he doesn’t use enough force and is too timid to roll up the carpet.
So it goes on:
Over time, you no longer put a treat in every rotation, but reduce the number until you can only find something with the last push. The trick is perfectly learned when your dog no longer needs treats in the carpet, but at the end picks up a reward from you.
Game idea 2: run through your legs
You need:
- Treats
Difficulty level:
A nice trick that makes a lot of impression, especially with viewers – and requires a lot of trust from the dog.
That’s how it works:
- Call your dog to stand next to you.
- Have a treat in each hand.
- Now you take a big step forward with the leg that is not next to your dog.
- With a treat in your hand, guide your dog through the resulting opening.
- If he has walked all the way through, he gets the reward.
- Now you put the other leg forward and use the other hand to lure your dog out from under your leg.
Important: Always curl it so that it runs through your legs from the inside out. Otherwise you will stumble over him at the latest during the second step, as soon as it goes smoothly.
If it does not work:
Some dogs are afraid to crawl through their legs. It is too close to people for them and they feel restricted. In such a case, proceed particularly slowly and praise your dog as soon as he sticks his head under your legs. In time he will dare to run right under it.
So it goes on:
Once your dog has understood what it is about, you can slowly leave out the treats. Then just curl it to the side with your open palm.
The reward is only given when four or five steps have been taken. You can also introduce a voice command such as “dance” and then, over time, drop the hand curl.
Game idea 3: spinning tops
You need:
- Treats
Difficulty level:
This trick is one of the game ideas for the dog, which is also suitable for absolute trick beginners. Only old dogs with a few back problems should not do this exercise.
Thats how it works:
- Stand in front of your dog and hold a treat in your right hand.
- Hold the treat in front of your dog’s nose, then run your hand around your dog’s head in a small counterclockwise circle. (This is important so that you can later practice turning in the other direction with your left hand, see below).
- Your dog will follow the movement and turn on itself in the process.
- When he gets back to the front, you give him the reward.
If it does not work:
You will have to experiment a little bit how to get your dog to exercise. Your own hand may need to lure the dog into a circular motion at shoulder level. Try it out until you notice that your dog has now understood what to do.
So it goes on:
Initially, practice turning the dog to the left with only your right side. Also introduce a voice command, such as “turn left!” And leave out treats more and more often.
Only when this works reliably do you take your left hand and now direct the dog to turn to the right. This is not that easy for the dog to transfer – and you will quickly see that your dog has a good and a bad side, to which it turns differently.
Recommended Reading:
- Lowchen in the Dog Breed Portrait
- Diet for pets – fitness tips against winter fat
- Coronavirus in dogs and cats
Image Source: Photo by Anthony Duran on Unsplash
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