Ausshole Academy

DOG TALENT ASSOCIATION

PART TWO

THE THINKER CATAGORY

 The Thinking Talent Track will focus you on teaching your dog to solve problems and life puzzles, figuring things out independently and broadening their vocabulary and understanding. It also provides plenty of focus and opportunities for you to develop your dog’s scent discrimination and scent work in general. 

As with the foundation you will be required to do 10 tricks, a creativity section and a trick of choice.

NOVICE THINKER TRICK LIST:

1. Give specific paw Give left or right paw as requested. Demonstrate that the dog is able to give both paws. 

2 Paw on On cue dog places one paw on an object which is not the handler’s hand. Repeat with 3 different objects. 

3 Close the door On cue dog closes a door using paws or nose. Repeat 3 times. 

4 Get inside the box Dog hops in or steps into a box with 4 sides at least the height of the dog’s elbow. The box length needs to be smaller than the dog’s body length. All 4 paws of the dog need to be in the box for minimum of 3 seconds. 

5 Take a bow Dog takes a bow or curtsey by lowering the front feet to the ground while its back legs remain upright. Hold the position for 3 seconds.

6 Lie down On cue dog lies down flat on its front like in ‘down’ position but with its head resting on the floor. The dog maintains this position for 3 seconds. 

7 Ring the bell Dog rings the bell either using its mouth/nose or paw. The bell can be hanging or on the floor as a button. 

8 Bark Dog gives a single bark on cue.

9. Which hand Handler holds a treat or a small object in one of the closed hands and the dog indicates either by nosing, a focused look or with their paw which hand the treat is hidden in. Repeat twice. 

10 Find all the treats Handler hides 10 small treats around a room or a defined small outdoor area while dog is not watching. Invite the dog in and on cue the dog actively searches for and finds at least 9 of the 10 hidden treats without help from the handler. Dog must not pause and do something else while doing the exercise. Treats need to be placed at or below the dog’s nose level. Dog can use any indication method to show the location of the treats of just pick them up when it finds them. 

11 Pots search for treats Handler hides a treat underneath or inside one of 5 objects and dog indicates where it is. The objects could be flower pots with drainage holes on the top, cardboard boxes or loosely covered containers etc. Dog must not turn the pots over or open the containers to search for the hidden treat. It needs to examine all of the containers and indicate the one with the treat. 

12 Hold Handler gives the dog an object or a toy to hold. The dog holds the object in the mouth for 5 seconds and then releases it to the handler’s hand on command. Demonstrate with 3 different objects. 13 Tug Dog tugs on a rope on handler’s cue. 

14 Hand signals novice Dog performs 3 different behaviours on silent hand signals from the handler. The behaviours can be from any category. 

15 Go right Dog, on a verbal command from the handler without a hand cue, goes right for at least 3 steps, looks right or turns right. 

16 Go left Dog, on a verbal command from the handler without a hand cue, goes left for at least 3 steps, looks left or turns right. 

17 Go straight Dog goes straight forward from the handler for at least 5 steps. 

18 Look up Dog looks upwards. 

19 Quiet Dog stops barking. 

20 Pick up Dog picks up the object and holds it for at least 2 seconds. 

21 Ground On command dog looks down onto the floor or the ground. 

22 Make friends On command dog places head onto the helper’s or handler’s lap and keeps it there for at least 2 seconds. 

23 Nose in Handler holds fingers making a ring with them or an object with a hole. On command the dog puts the nose into the hole and holds it there for at least 2 seconds. 

24 Distance work novice Dog performs 3 tricks at a distance of approximately 5m away from the handler. Voice or hand commands or both are allowed. Any tricks are permitted. 

25 Bring your leash On command dog brings handler the leash and gives it to their hand. 

26 Knows other words Handler demonstrates that the dog knows/understands 3 non-trick command words which could be things that you tell dog such as “dinner time” or “walk”, “no” or names of objects, people, animals or activity. 

27 Hug-hold Dog puts one or two feet around a vertical object (stick, leg, umbrella etc) like if holding in a hug position and holds the position for 3 seconds. The object needs to be supported by the handler

28 Competitive heel Dog walks with the handler at competitive style heel position maintaining eye contact with the handler with high raising front paws- for 5 dog steps 

29 Relaxed heel Dog walks at heel position maintaining contact with handler’s leg but with a relaxed natural head position 

30 Right heel On cue dog walks on the right of the handler at a heel style position for at least 5 dog steps 

31 Roll left From the “down” position dog rolls left and ends up lying flat-on it’s left side 

32 Roll right From the “down” position dog rolls right and ends up lying flat-on it’s right side 

33 Speak quietly On cue dog makes a quiet whisper bark like sound. Repeat twice

As you can see there is an enormous variety of tricks to choose from in just the novice thinker catagory.

Next post will see the Advanced thinker.