Advice from the Team: Dog Training with Tania
Are you ready to embark on a journey of training and bonding with your furry companion? Meet Tania, our Petdirect Customer Care Agent by day and expert puppy trainer by playtime! When she's not providing exceptional customer service, she dedicates her free time to teaching our furry friends some impressive tricks and behaviours. Today, Tania shares her valuable insights and techniques on how to teach your dog some fun and useful tricks. Let's dive into the details...
Sit instructions:
To teach your dog to sit, start by placing a treat in front of their nose and slowly raising it above their head while keeping it close to their nose. As their head tilts up, their hindquarters will naturally lower, resulting in a seated position. Remember to use a calm and encouraging tone, and be patient as your dog learns this new behaviour. Make sure you don't keep repeating "sit" as they don't know what this word means yet, three times max! If they aren't responsive, give them a break and try again later.
Note: If the dog is jumping, lower your hand and remember to keep the treat nice and close to their nose!
Down instructions:
Begin with your dog sitting, then lower the treat between their front legs while keeping it close to their chest. Gently guide them downwards with the treat until they are lying down comfortably. Hold your hand against the ground until they lower themselves. This trick may take some time for your dog to master, so offer plenty of praise and rewards for each step of progress. Bear in mind that a dog will only lie down when they're entirely comfortable with their surroundings, so if you try it for the first time in a park, they may not oblige!
Note: Try on a slippery floor like tiles for the easiest results!
Shake instructions:
Start by sitting your dog and holding a treat in a closed fist in front of its nose. Gradually tilt your hand to one side, encouraging your dog to shift its weight and raise one paw, once they do this, grab their paw gently. This trick is a fun way to interact with your dog and strengthen your bond. Did you also know that if your dog naturally places their paw on you without prompt, this is them petting you?
Note: You may need to tilt both ways to see which paw your dog favours (yes, doggies can be right-pawed or left-pawed!)
Play dead instructions:
Guide your dog into a lying-down position, then gently nudge their shoulder to one side to put them off balance. This means they end up lying on one side, holding your choice of hand gesture in place, thus creating a PLAY DEAD. Again, the dog needs to be completely comfortable with its surroundings to teach this trick. Remember to keep training sessions short and enjoyable, and always end on a positive note with plenty of praise and treats.
Note: Take note of which side the dog is already leaning. Some dogs favour one side over the other, so use this to your advantage. Dogs are visual creatures, so using hand gestures greatly increases your chances of success!
For successful training sessions, it's essential to use delicious treats that your dog finds irresistible. Check out our recommended treats to reward your furry friend for their hard work and progress!