Who Is Interested In A Trick Challenge?

[Ripleygirl]

Just an idea... What about sometime in the future a challenge along the lines of "pick 30 seconds of any top class canine freestyle routine and try to replicate it with your dog?"

If you already compete in freestyle it might be rather tame but otherwise modelling a good freestyle routine would maybe help to start thinking about how to make the tricks we teach add up to something. We would each have the freedom to pick a section of a routine that suited our individual dog and tricks, obviously it wouldn't suit perfectly but it could give us some useful experiences, it would certainly take me well out of my comfort zone LOL.

What do you all think?

Great idea! Would love to try that.

 

[running_dog]

I know there has been a bit of discussion on this thread about what we are happy for our dogs to do from a safety point of view so I thought I would post a link to this video of Kikopup's about the difference between what we can train and what we should train. I'll always try to post options to safely accommodate everyone who wants to train in a trick challenge but if I've missed something please tell me and I'll try to adjust the Challenge.

 

[MaryK]

Excellent video, I have seen it before. Ego does get in the way with some people, the 'my dog can do extraordinary stuff' without a single thought to the dog's well being, especially their future well being. Think elite athletes who end up with all sorts of permanent injuries at a relatively young age.

 

[brody_smom]

I have seen it before also, but it never hurts to be reminded. Thanks, running_dog.

 

[southerngirl]

I've noticed that you and I believe some other members have wanted or have to teach the challenge using shaping. Maybe the next challenge or one of them could be a trick to teach using shaping.

 

[running_dog]

I've noticed that you and I believe some other members have wanted or have to teach the challenge using shaping. Maybe the next challenge or one of them could be a trick to teach using shaping.

Good idea... I've given it as an option but I don't think we are all that good at choosing things we think will make it harder for us. So all being well some time soon Shaping is going to be a compulsory part of a Challenge

 

[MaryK]

Oh dear!!!!!!!!!!! Our weakest point - Shaping!

 

[southerngirl]

I'm really interested in trying shaping and I'm going to look around for a fairly easy trick to shape. I've never tried anything else but luring.

 

[MaryK]

I'm really interested in trying shaping and I'm going to look around for a fairly easy trick to shape. I've never tried anything else but luring.

Do let me know what trick you find please Danielle. Leaf had to do shaping at Dog School and best we could manage was with an old straw hat on the floor which she put her paw onto. However, she had already learned to paw a 'target' on the floor, so not sure if this was a case of 'cheating' of not.

 

[southerngirl]

Do let me know what trick you find please Danielle. Leaf had to do shaping at Dog School and best we could manage was with an old straw hat on the floor which she put her paw onto. However, she had already learned to paw a 'target' on the floor, so not sure if this was a case of 'cheating' of not.

Will do.

 

[MaryK]

Will do.

Thanks

 

[kassidybc]

I finally got a skateboard for Chloe, so when it's time to do the skateboarding trick challenge, we are ready.

 

[running_dog]

I finally got a skateboard for Chloe, so when it's time to do the skateboarding trick challenge, we are ready.

Great! I was just wondering whether you had it yet!

Do let me know what trick you find please Danielle. Leaf had to do shaping at Dog School and best we could manage was with an old straw hat on the floor which she put her paw onto. However, she had already learned to paw a 'target' on the floor, so not sure if this was a case of 'cheating' of not.

Skateboarding or a variation might be a good one to shape on from this and hopefully we will have that as a challenge soon

 

[ellieh]

oooo i am off to buy a skateboard to join in

 

[running_dog]

What would you all like for the next challenge...
Skateboarding - (I have variations for those who know the basics) this will be a shaping challenge so clickers ready
Do as I do - this is going to be fun because we'll all have to figure out how to train it first.
Reading - River already knows this but maybe he could learn some new words if he wants to join in
Blindfolded tricks

I have a list of things we'd said we wanted to train but it has become a little dated and we seem to have lost impetus and besides there have been a few really cool ideas for trick challenges recently so lets have something a bit more showy to work on for a change we can come back to the list later.

What do you want to do first?

 

[Ripleygirl]

Personally I fancy the 'do as I do' but am happy to join in with any of the above.

 

[southerngirl]

They all sound great, I'm not sure which one I'd like next.

 

[kassidybc]

I don't really care, they all sound fun!

 

[kassidybc]

Another idea for a trick challenge... We even have a fantastic how-to video for it! http://www.dogtrickacademy.com/forum/threads/veronicas-dishwasher-trick.7071/

 

[running_dog]

I'm inclined to go for "Do as I do" next as some people might get involved from that thread.

As groundwork for "do as I do" we each need a minimum of 3 tricks that we know our dogs will perform on voice cue only, we need to know for sure that we are not giving body cues. I had some fun with this today trying to get Zac to obey a few simple cues while I was standing perfectly still facing away from him (you don't need to do this it was just the way I chose to make sure I wasn't giving unconscious cues). We did sit, stand, down, sit pretty, spin and turn. Oddly Zac does "turn" better when I have my back to him but won't "spin", when I face him he will spin but not turn