Teaching Your Dog "Bow/Worship/Stretch/Want to Play?"
If your dog is already familiar with lying down at your command, you should be able to teach your dog to "bow". It's a great trick, especially for performers. When you train a dog to bow, you get several benefits. It stretches your dogs spine and should naturally put your dog in a calm and playful mood.
1. Have your dog sit infront of you. Next, place a treat right at your dog’s nose. Allow the dog to smell and even lick the treat throughout the whole exercise. When he is interested and engaged, slowly lower the treat to the floor.
2. Most dogs will follow the treat down to the point that their elbows touch the floor. If your dog does this, click the clicker to mark the behavior and reward it with the treat.
3. Once the dog is performing the action, add your command just before you lower the treat.
Here are some extra tips for teaching your dog to bow.
- Don't overload the dog especially on the first day. Practice this exercise for 10-15 minutes only. It should be difficult for your dog but don't give in.
- If your dog just isn't getting it, use a situation of when your dog is likely to bow, like when it's stretching and use that situation to teach the command.
- You may have to pull the treat down between the paws and then towards the dog’s body to get a better pose.
- If your dog lowers his rear end, keep your other hand under his belly to keep its rear up. Over time, you can phase this part away.
2. Most dogs will follow the treat down to the point that their elbows touch the floor. If your dog does this, click the clicker to mark the behavior and reward it with the treat.
3. Once the dog is performing the action, add your command just before you lower the treat.
Here are some extra tips for teaching your dog to bow.
- Don't overload the dog especially on the first day. Practice this exercise for 10-15 minutes only. It should be difficult for your dog but don't give in.
- If your dog just isn't getting it, use a situation of when your dog is likely to bow, like when it's stretching and use that situation to teach the command.
- You may have to pull the treat down between the paws and then towards the dog’s body to get a better pose.
- If your dog lowers his rear end, keep your other hand under his belly to keep its rear up. Over time, you can phase this part away.
HTML Comment Box is loading comments...