One of the most enjoyable dog training tricks for the canine family is teaching your dog how to “Pay For Itself”. With this simple dog training trick, your dog will have the satisfaction of demonstrating that they are capable of doing something on their own without your supervision. Dogs can be taught a number of skills through dog training tricks such as fetching, but there is nothing quite like seeing them actually doing it. Here’s how to teach a dog to paw for itself.
Before you begin training how to teach a dog to paw for itself, you need to get it used to the idea that its paws are not to be used for things other than exercise. To do this, first have your dog on a leash and hold it at your chest with both hands. Have a ball or any other small ball close at your left ear. This will serve as a distraction for your dog, and it will learn to keep its attention on you. When playing with a dog, make sure that you do not use any toys that might scratch the dog’s skin. Instead, encourage it to play with the ball at your ear.
You should then begin to teach your dog the idea of going up and down with the ball. To get started, throw the ball as high as you can and then let it rest anywhere from your shoulder to your elbow. If the dog tries to reach it, say “No!” and walk in the opposite direction until the dog understands that you mean no when it tries to touch the ball. Repeat this step until your dog has learned that if it touches the ball while you are holding it, you must either stop and let it touch the ground or distract it by pointing to another object.
It is easy to see how the dog training tricks listed above can be confusing to your dog. However, this doesn’t mean you have to resort to beating around the bush with your dog. Sometimes, it is easiest to just give your dog directions and ignore him. If your dog does not understand what you are trying to teach him, you can point out the goal and redirect his attention.
One of the most important dog training tricks is how to teach a dog to paw for the toy. If the dog does not learn how to paw on the toy because you have punished him, he will not know where to look for it when he wants it. Punishing him before he has accomplished anything is never a good idea, so make sure you always stay calm and consistent.
Once your dog has learned how to pay for the toy, you must then get down to the actual training. The next thing you should do is take your dog for a walk. If you don’t want to take him for a walk, you can always just take him right to the dog house or yard. If you show your dog that the dog training tricks are nothing without a good walk, he will begin to look forward to these times each day instead of dreading them each day.
In addition, another way to start off with your dog training tricks is to practice at home. You can use a small toy or a stuffed animal to distract your dog while you work on the basic commands. You can also take a couple of dog training books along with you so that you can read them as you work with your dog. When your dog gets frustrated and begins to bark out of turn, simply stop what you are doing and ignore him for a few minutes. He will soon realize that barking in this manner does not please you and will try to be less irritating to you.
By following these simple steps, you will quickly see results. Although it might take some time to see them occur, your dog will learn how to pay for the toy and will soon be asking for your attention when he wants it. As a result, he will have a much happier and calmer dog and you will have more time to spend with him. Good luck with your dog training tricks!