Dog Tricks

I spend more time practicing tricks with the Duo in the winter than at other times of year. Shyla and I have mainly been working on her learning the names of her toys. I say "Find Ring", and she needs to go to the big pile of toys and bring me the one we've labeled "ring". She's learned pretty fast and knows the names of four toys so far.

We've also been practicing the trick of balancing a treat on Shyla's nose, tossing it in the air, and catching it. She's mastered the first two steps. Balancing it and tossing it.

The problem comes in the catching the treat after she tosses it. This one was a definite miss.

Closer on this one...

A success!!!

R is a master at this trick except when I try to take photos. He's learned that I can't enforce that he must wait with the treat on his nose while I get ready with the camera. So, he tosses it and catches it before I snap a single photo. He's smarter than I am!

We've also had fun with the dogs trying to learn to do tricks next to each other. They each independently know some of the same tricks. However, I've discovered that they immediately "forget" how to do the tricks when they are side-by-side. Over the winter, I taught them to wave simultaneously while side-by-side. However, I don't have any photos because they "forget" how to wave when I take out the camera! Slowly introducing the camera is the next step in that trick.

But, they did let me take a photo of them taking bows next to each other! You can see their different styles - Shyla likes to have her chin on the ground and R doesn't. But I was thrilled that they cooperated for a photo!