30 - North Shore News — Teach WHENEVER guests come to our home, my. husband Wayne pulls out the party favourites. He runs to the fridge to ’ grab a handful of liver” treats. No salmon paté, our friends get. dried liver ... I’m ing tricks stimul Sunday, June 4, 2000 kidding! He Shen calls Harley (our pointer) and says, “Do your Boogie!” Harley begins to quickly lift up one paw after the other repeatedly. looking like he is dancing and it is hilarious. Then Wayne holds a treat in the air and says, “Stand tall.” Harley rises onto his back feet and bal- ances himself in an upright position. My husband then places a treat above ‘Harley’s lead and says “Walk.” Harley, gingerly balanced on his back feet, hops and stag- gers around the living room, just like a human. Well, maybe a drunk human. Our guests are now rolling on the floor retching with =~ PETS laughter. Dog tricks are not only a great way to keep guests entertained, they are an excellent way to stimulate a dog’s mind and teach them something fun. Positive motivation train- ers have been teaching dog tricks for ages. Lassie was trained to crawl out of a ragging river and look exhausted. Eddic, on the . show Fraser, is taught to’ steal sips of beer and take a bow. All of these dogs and many others, are taught to do these tricks for a simple treat reward. No choke, prong or electric shock col- lars on these dogs. The key to teaching av TRO. Winpow MFG. LTD. #103- Fane 281-6 03-6200 )Damiey. St., Bumaby B. c. retrowindow@telus. Buy Factory Direct ~ Renovation Windows. - Supply and Install. © Sweaty windows « Drafty windows?. © Tired of wasting monay? dog to do a trick, or even to sit (which is nothing more than a trick) is to find the right motivation to incite a dog into following direc- tion. Most often it is a homemade liver treat (for home-made treat recipes visit my Web sight at ). But some dogs wili do tricks for a favourite tennis ball or toy. Once you find the right motivation, the fun begins. Shaking a paw is the easi- est of tricks to begin with. Some dogs will naturally paw at the air when they want something, so the behaviour can Be captured and rewarded. When Fido lifts a paw on his/her own, quickly say “Yes” and follow that with a treat before the paw reaches the ground. Next. time, as Fido paws the air, say “Shake a. paw,” and ‘immediately reward with a treat. After about'a dozen . repetitions Fide will get the picture and do it on com- mand. Another way is to mould a dogs behaviour. With Fido sitting, say “Shake a paw” and touch the back of his/her leg, coaxing ~ him/her to lift a paw. If a paw is lifted, say “Yes” and quickly give a treat. The drawback with moulding is that a dog may learn to wait for a tap on the leg before a paw is lifted. But with patience and practice it will appen on its own. Take a bow is a cute ick. A dog is supposed to bow his/her head between its front legs. Have Fido standing at your side. Place a treat in front of his/her nose and move it towards his/her _ chest, so Fidos nose almost - touches his/her chest. Now . move the treat down to the floor from there. This may ~ et a little tricky (no pun ~ intended) because Fido may lic down, thinking that is what you are asking. If this. happens say “No” and’ , remove the treat. Start from the beginning, and as seo as Fido gets into a halfway bowed: position say “Yes’ and quickly give the trea Now begin again, but first say “Take a bow” and begin the luring process. There are books available through pet as well as book stores to assist in teachin Fido tricks. Check out Trick is in the Training, by Stephanie Taunton and ~ Cheryl Smith; Dog Tricks Step by Step, by ary Ann Zeigenfuse and Jan Walker or Tricks for Treats, by Si Sternberg: ° But really all you your dog, yummy treats, ; commitment to having 1. < ‘joan@sicrra 3 a Comments: inthe.