Can anybody recommend a book of tricks to do with your dog? There are plenty on the market so I would find a recommendation very helpful. We are doing the basics, sit etc, several times a day. I'm bored never mind the dog. Seriously, as a mum and a dog owner I have always believed the old adage 'the devil finds work for idle hands/paws' very true. I like to keep 'em busy I will be coupling my purchase with "Total Recall". The novelty of rushing up and plonking her furry little bum down in front of me has worn off for Molly now she is the great age of four months. It is Toddler time. At least with a pup you can pop them in the crate
Re: Book of tricks Brain Games For Dogs by Claire Arrowsmith is good, I think Angela originally recommended this one. I don't have a lot of motivation to teach tricks, I prefer useful things (some of the tricks are also useful though). So I tend to work on things like open mouth for teethcleaning, hold up bit of body for inspection, stay still for ear drops, co-operate getting washed, or paws wiped - stuff like that. It's still fun to teach, and I just find it more satisfying. I also do a lot of impulse control training in the house - watch, leave it, settle, stay on mat etc.
Re: Book of tricks I was about to recommend the same one. There are loads of ideas in there http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1842862774/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (other book-sellers are available!)
Re: Book of tricks I do the impulse control stuff and am teaching her to cooperate when being groomed. She is strictly a pet. I chose a Lab, as I'm not getting any younger and want a gentle dog for my dotage, but before I get there I have Grandchildren and Labs are great with them. They are intelligent animals and it wouldn't be fair to her not to give her something to do.
Re: Book of tricks I used to play retrieving games with Sam , also hiding things . Would shut him outside a room whilst I hid an item and then get him in to find it, never took long On fine weather days I would transfer this game to the garden , he loved it
Re: Book of tricks We had 10 for dinner on Friday ....Dexter required a certain amount of 'management' ;D.....he will snooze all night when it's people he's really familiar with but when there's people in numbers,laughing,music and boozing he wants a piece of the action!i save any kind of cardboard boxes ( current favourite is the nespresso tubes) put a few prices of kibble or chicken in and give him them every so often to play with.on Friday I cranked the game up and started making him sit/lie down stay and hid the tubes around the garden....Max of 3 at a time.he got the first one every time no matter how tricky I made it ....by the end of the game I realised he could find the second one as long as I took him back to the place I had made him stay in originally,remembering the 3 rd one was too frying for his brain but with practice I'm sure he will be able to do it....kept him occupied and settled him down for a while afterwards and he redeemed himself in my friends eyes after barking intermittently through dinner I've got lazy about proofing 'on your blanket' when we eat because he always does it when it's just chris and I.....( and we are lazy blighters and have 'teas on knees) we've picked that up today.I feel a bit of a lemon sat at the dining table having my breakfast alone ....but he lay down good enough the whole time I ate so any visitors between now and my parents arriving mid feb are going to find themselves having whatever refreshment they choose sat at our dining table so I can proof Dexters settle!x
