How long per trick....

[rwprivette]

How long should I wait between teaching Tyler new tricks? We're only on sit and he does it pretty good but only with treats. Should he know it completely before teaching him a new command?

[Britster]

I would think you should probably make sure he totally knows sit before going on to something else. Usually sit is taught pretty easily, what method are you using to teach him? I always just put a treat in my hand and sort of lift it up in their air, so it sort of makes them look up and they automatically sit their bottom down. If that doesn't work, I gently push their little butt down and say "Sit." Jackson got it within ten minutes.

Regarding other tricks though... for example, when I was teaching him "Bang bang" (play dead) it took a few weeks of pushing him over and saying bang bang for a few minutes every night until he finally got it. But in between that trick, I taught him others like stay, come, down, shake, etc.

[rwprivette]

I'm holding his treat above his head and push it back a bit. We've only been working on it for two days, LOL (:

[capt_noonie]

I think you can go on to the next trick, but make sure you always start with "sit", then maybe shake next, then beg, but always do it in the same order until they really, really get it, then start to mix it up. You'll notice when they really get it is when they do the next one when you haven't even said the command yet! They will know what's coming next.

[QuickSilver]

Usually it's best to do one trick at a time. That being said, I tend to overlap tricks, or teach two very different tricks at the same time. I guess I feel like Thor can focus longer that way.

For instance, tonight, I was teaching Bang! (by the way, Britster, he's getting really close! I have to shoot him four or five times, but he WILL roll on this back on his own, it's just darling. He's even gotten into position the first shot a few times), and Speak. I'd be working on Bang! and suddenly Thor would bark, and I'd switch to Speak until he tried rolling over, at which point I switched back to Bang!, etc.

[alaskayorkie]

Good question. I don't really know what's right. I know in obedience class, they'll show us several skills all at once that they want us to work on during the week. We might practice sit, down, stay, come, heel all in one class. Then, during the week, I'll work on each a few minutes a day.

That said, outside of class, I do generally work on one trick at a time until I think he gets it. I might go back and try to perfect other tricks while working on new ones. Or I might give up on one he's struggling with and try something new.

I think the key is to always quit on a success.

[Britster]

Originally Posted by QuickSilver

Usually it's best to do one trick at a time. That being said, I tend to overlap tricks, or teach two very different tricks at the same time. I guess I feel like Thor can focus longer that way.

For instance, tonight, I was teaching Bang! (by the way, Britster, he's getting really close! I have to shoot him four or five times, but he WILL roll on this back on his own, it's just darling. He's even gotten into position the first shot a few times), and Speak. I'd be working on Bang! and suddenly Thor would bark, and I'd switch to Speak until he tried rolling over, at which point I switched back to Bang!, etc.

Aw, yay Thor!! It's so cute when they start doing it for the first times, isn't it?!

[JoeyP]

Never try training different tricks in one session
You can have them perform tricks they know
before going on to something else
and That's a good way to get them into thinking ... ok this is training

But one trick per session is a general good rule

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by JoeyP

Never try training different tricks in one session
You can have them perform tricks they know
before going on to something else
and That's a good way to get them into thinking ... ok this is training

But one trick per session is a general good rule

That's a good idea! Just curious: Would you teach a second trick in a separate session before they master the first?

[JoeyP]

That depends ..... usually I wait until they get the hang of one before going on to something else

My guys have trouble focusing

[Nancy1999]

I took Joey to a tricks training class, and they suggested two new tricks a week. We would always practice the old tricks along with the new. The instructor said to be careful that they don't learn to do the whole routine on one take, in other words, some dogs will sit, roller over, crawl, beg, and pray, and you've only given them one command. The important thing is to keep training sessions short, two 5-10 minutes sessions a day is better than one long session. I use Joey's meals for training purposes because he was getting to chubby with all the extra treats. This site has some great advice with videos. Dog Tricks! Shake, Crawl, Beg, Kiss, Roll Over, Bow, and more!

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

I took Joey to a tricks training class, and they suggested two new tricks a week. We would always practice the old tricks along with the new. The instructor said to be careful that they don't learn to do the whole routine on one take, in other words, some dogs will sit, roller over, crawl, beg, and pray, and you've only given them one command. The important thing is to keep training sessions short, two 5-10 minutes sessions a day is better than one long session. I use Joey's meals for training purposes because he was getting to chubby with all the extra treats. This site has some great advice with videos. Dog Tricks! Shake, Crawl, Beg, Kiss, Roll Over, Bow, and more!

Great advice and cool site! Thanks.