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What makes a good dog trick? A good dog trick is any trick that you and your dog have fun
learning together. A good dog trick is also something that entertains your friends and
your family and a trick that helps your dog to improve their overall behavior especially
outside of the home. A dog like River, a little chihuahua, who has a tendency possibly to
be a little bit fearful around new environments probably is going to feel that much better
when meeting new people and in new environments when she's practicing the behavior she's learned
at home and she's had fun doing.
Some of the best dog tricks are those tricks that help your dog to feel more comfortable
and relaxed in environments outside the home. So, for example, teaching your dog to take
a bow is a great trick for most dogs because the play bow is a gesture of play. And teaching
your dog to do so on request is a great way to help them stretch, and calm and relax themselves
when they're in potentially stressful situations.
Some other really cute tricks are teaching your dog to wave or to sit up on their hind
legs and stick them up. Those are tricks that, again, help your dog to stretch and relax
which is a natural posture when a dog is soliciting play from other dogs.
If you're looking for a trick that's going to impress your friends you might want to
teach your dog to jump over objects whether it be your leg, or even more impressively,
jumping through a hoop. You can make sure that you choose a hoop that's appropriately
sized for your dog. So, for example, with River we went to a kids play store and got
her a little tiny hoop. If you have a bigger dog you can go and get a typical hula hoop
for your dog.
One of the most important things to consider when teaching your dog tricks is not only
to use an approach to training that's about having fun with your dog but also making sure
that you're choosing tricks that your dog can physically master. Don't expect a little
dog like River, for example, to do something that's too physical that might put her in
harm's way. Make sure that you choose tricks that are going to be fun and safe for your
dog and also have the benefit of delighting you, your family, and your friends.