Let’s Get Tricky! Teach your Dog to Army Crawl

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Ammo

Being a super hero I need to have certain tricks up my sleeves and on my tool belt. Tricks that can get me out of sticky situations, help me combat evil, and well, make me quicker and more agile when shimmying down groundhog holes! It’s because of this that I have learned to army crawl!

Let's Get Tricky! Teach your Dog to Army Crawl with Ammo the Dachshund

Teach Your Dog to Army Crawl

Learn to be stealth, agile and quick on your feet! Most importantly, fit down those groundhog holes with ease.

What you need: A handful of training treats, clicker

Let's Get Tricky! Teach your Dog to Army Crawl with Ammo the Dachshund

Step 1: Place a high value treat (something your dog really loves) in the palm of your hand, making sure that he knows it is there.

Let's Get Tricky! Teach your Dog to Army Crawl with Ammo the Dachshund

Step 2: Ask your dog to lay down by placing your hand on the ground in front of him.

Let's Get Tricky! Teach your Dog to Army Crawl with Ammo the Dachshund

Step 3: Slowly inch your hand away from your dog, encouraging him to shimmy across the ground after the treat. As soon as he moves closer to your hand (without lifting his front legs out of the lay down position) click and reward. If your dog pops up out of his lay down, ask him to lay again, and repeat the process until he does it properly.

Let's Get Tricky! Teach your Dog to Army Crawl with Ammo the Dachshund

Step 4: Continue asking your dog to inch along the ground until he understands what is wanted, you can then begin adding a verbal cue, such as the word “crawl”, and asking him to shimmy across the ground several times before getting his reward.

Let's Get Tricky! Teach your Dog to Army Crawl with Ammo the Dachshund

Congratulations, your dog can now army crawl. Now meet me at the groundhog holes, we’ve got some shimmying to do!

Disclaimer: The Let’s Get Tricky blog feature is designed to provide general information, instruction, and techniques that may not be suitable for everyone. Please note that we are not liable for any of your activities while attempting to teach your dog the techniques listed on this blog. Please train responsibly.

Let’s Get Tricky! Teach your Dog to Play Dead

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Ammo

One of my most popular tricks is the Play Dead trick. Guaranteed to make children giggle and adults oooh and ahhh – it’s a favorite that’s sure to win them over!

Most all of my tricks are taught and mastered with the help of clicker training, so before beginning you might want to read up on how to introduce your dog to a clicker*.

*Disclaimer: this post does contain some affiliate links

Ammo the Dachshund // Lets Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to Play Dead

Teach Your Dog to Play Dead

Every great dog should know how to play dead – if only to be used as an ice breaker at parties, to scare the ground hogs in the backyard, and to generally just make you look totally awesome.

What you need: A handful of small training treats*, clicker

Step 1: To start your dog should already know how to lay down on command. Place a few treats in a fist and place your hand on the ground in front of your dog as you ask them to lay down.

Ammo the Dachshund // Lets Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to Play Dead

Step 2: As your dog sniffs the treat tilt your fist up and over the top of your dog’s head, encouraging them to lay on their side. You may need to gently push your hand into your dog to entice them to lay on their side. Click and Reward your dog as soon as their side touches the ground.

Ammo the Dachshund // Lets Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to Play Dead

Step 3: Continue asking your dog to lay on their side with treats in the fist of your hand until you can ask them to lay on their side with just an open palm (treats removed) – then click and reward.

Ammo the Dachshund // Lets Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to Play Dead

Step 4: Once your dog is laying on their side consistently you can begin to add a verbal and visual command to it. Point your finger at your dog and say Bang, Bang – if your dog doesn’t immediately flop on their side you can then use the open palm of your hand to remind them what to do, click and reward. Slowly begin waiting longer and longer to show them what to do with the flat of your hand until they offer laying on their side on their own. Jackpot treat your dog when they get it right.

Ammo the Dachshund // Lets Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to Play Dead

Step 5: When your dog is consistent in laying on their side when you ask you will need to add a release word. Part of the appeal of a play dead trick is that your dog will “remain dead” until you tell them to come back alive. So after asking your dog to play dead, wait a few seconds and say OK (before your dog gets up on their own) to release them and then click and reward. The key is to time this right before your dog gets up on their own. Gradually begin asking them to stay on their side longer and longer until you are certain they will not get up until you give them the verbal OK.

Ammo the Dachshund // Lets Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to Play Dead

Congratulations! Your dog can now play dead! You can now bring laughter and smiles to everyone!

Learn how to teach your dog to high-five!

Let’s Get Tricky! Teach your Dog to High-Five

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Ammo

I decided it was high time I started a new feature on the blog, and what better thing to write about than trick training! I thought by sharing with you how I have learned some of my amazing tricks over the years (and attempting to master new ones too) it would inspire me to keep up with my training as well. Most all of my tricks are taught and mastered with the help of clicker training, so before beginning you might want to read up on how to introduce your dog to a clicker. (contains affiliate link)

Ammo the Dachshund // Let's Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to High-Five

Teach your Dog to High-Five

A small twist on the standard one paw high-five, my method is doubly awesome with a two-pawed high-five. (mostly because us dachshunds have stubby little legs and it’s way easier to high-five with two paws).

What you need: A handful of small training treats, clicker (affiliate links)

Step one: Place a treat in the palm of your hand and close it into a fist. Let you dog sniff your hand with the treat in it so he will know that it’s there.

Ammo the Dachshund // Let's Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to High-Five

Step two: Put your closed fist with the treat in it directly in front of your dog but slightly above their head and high enough that they cannot reach it with all 4 paws on the ground.

Step three: Your dog will likely begin to sniff at the treat, but pay close attention to their paws, and as soon as they lift both paws or one off the ground be ready to click and reward once they touch a paw to your hand (do not give them the treat in your hand, but a different one). Continue clicking and rewarding for a paw(s) touching your fist until it is consistent.

Ammo the Dachshund // Let's Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to High-Five

Step four: Once your dog is consistently touching a paw(s) to your fist, then remove the treat inside your hand and begin placing an open palm directly in front of your dog above their head. Click and reward for your dog touching a paw(s) to your hand.

Step five: When your dog is consistently touching a paw(s) to your open hand you may add a verbal cue to it, such as High-Five. Say “High-Five” then place your open palm in front of your dog to touch – then click and reward.

Ammo the Dachshund // Let's Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to High-Five

If your dog has mastered this trick with one paw (sometimes easier for larger dogs) but you would like them to high-five with two, give your verbal cue, put your open palm out and do not reward the dog for touching it with one paw, simply wait until they offer another behavior (placing two paws) then click and reward. If your dog needs a little help you can place one paw on your palm then pick up and place their second paw on your hand. Immediately reward with a jackpot of treats (one treat after another in a rapid succession). The more excited and animated you are when your dog gets it right, the faster they will learn!

Ammo the Dachshund // Let's Get Tricky // Teach Your Dog to High-Five

Sponsor Welcome: Dog Agility Shop

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Ammo

I’m super excited to welcome my new blog sponsor, the Dog Agility Shop!

Dog Agility Shop // DIY Agility Equipment Supplies // Ammo the Dachshund

The Dog Agility Shop is the perfect place for those of you who want to build your own set of agility equipment at a very reasonable price. From jump cups and pole placers to full package starter sets, they are your one stop shop for all of your agility equipment needs.

Dog Agility Shop // DIY Agility Equipment Supplies // Ammo the Dachshund

Not only that, but they ship all over the World – with free shipping to anywhere in the United States!

Dog Agility Shop // DIY Agility Equipment Supplies // Ammo the Dachshund

You might remember that I purchased some of their jump cups to use on my own set of DIY Dog Agility Jumps. They’ve worked wonderfully and saved Mom so much money by being able to build the jumps herself.

Dog Agility Shop // DIY Agility Equipment Supplies // Ammo the Dachshund