# Favorite trick/command



## coulter (Oct 13, 2012)

I'm sure there is a thread just like this. But I didn't see one. So here goes..

Let's start a simple thread where all you do is post your favorite trick or command and then explain how you teach your dog to do it. It can be anything simple to something more advanced. That way any owner/ handler no matter the skill base can learn something from this. 

I'll start,

The "place" command. 

Very simple and both my gsd have already picked it up including my 13wk old. 
I make Sage sit in front of me and I say "place" and give my hand signal with my right hand in a fist down at my side. Then, with treat in hand I lead her around my right side, behind me and back between my legs and as soon as she gets there I treat. I start over and each time lead her with my treat hand and as she gets better I don't reward her until she sits between my legs and has her eye on me. 
I've done this more and more with distractions and it's a great way to call your dog off of something and get them between your legs where you can control them better if necessary or to protect them when off leash. 

Let's make this fun and educational!!

Your turn


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Attack- self explanitory


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I love the front command with either a side or around finish. Park it is up there too. I point tell them to park it and they go chill out.


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## Mister C (Jan 14, 2014)

OUT!

This one can be a lifesaver for dogs that have gotten in to something really bad like poison or your brand new expensive shoes. 

Also helpful to rein in the dog after Bailiff yells Attack!


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

So far at my limited abilities...."perch"...my brother briefly said "if she is supposedly so smart, then have her perch on your arm like a bird".....she 'perches" with her two front legs on your arm if extended at 90 degrees below one's waist...no verbal required. So I told my bro to screw off....see, no problem ! He loves the dog and plans to get a GSD soon.

SuperG


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## The Packman (Jan 31, 2011)

My FAV command...Give Me Kisses !


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

My favourite tricks are wave and whisper... Hunter tries SO hard to whisper so quietly but sometimes he is just so happy and excited he lets out this big unexpected bark that rattles me. Most of the time he does whisper, and I just love his jaw snapping trick! When he waves... it's just cute. :3

I taught wave by teaching shake a paw first, which I just literally grabbed his paw when I said it and marked it. Then I moved on the wave by saying "wave" and holding my hand out like I wanted his paw, but not letting him put his paw in my hand, and marked it. 

For whisper.. I don't remember.


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## Serbrider (Jan 30, 2014)

I haven't trained a whole lot yet... but so far my favorite is "stay" or "come"... I do a lot of stuff outdoors and off leash, so those things are lifesavers.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Wild Wolf said:


> My favourite tricks are wave and whisper...
> 
> I taught wave by teaching shake a paw first, which I just literally grabbed his paw when I said it and marked it. Then I moved on the wave by saying "wave" and holding my hand out like I wanted his paw, but not letting him put his paw in my hand, and marked it.
> 
> For whisper.. I don't remember.


I liked the idea of waving so much I dedicated a short session today and taught her how to wave. My wife got home and I showed her the new trick....wife loved it...it is a nice little add on.

Thanks for the idea,

SuperG


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## rena (Nov 19, 2005)

*Say your prayers*

People go nuts with that one. My female is stubborn on putting her head down but she will. My male was real easy.

First thing is you make sure you have treats. I start by making them sit and put their front paws on the chair. I do that on and off throughout the days. I always push the chair in front of them in the beginning. That way they connect chair, trick, treat. Always say as your doing it, say your prayers, say your prayers..Usually as they learn, they either sit in the chair and they put one paw up or try to climb onto the chair.  Correct and make sure you put both. As that gets better as you say say your prayers, push their head down. Not mean!! Gently. And say over and over good boy say your prayers. 

They will eventually fly to a chair and do it so well. Remember positive reinforcement. You want to attach this trick to happy times..not drama.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

"Down" is so useful and keeps her safe.

The fun thing Molly does is "speak" whenever she sees another German Shepherd. She definitely recognizes her own breed.


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## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

Teaching them to file their own nails.

I did this on a whim a couple of weeks ago and man, I wish I'd taught that one _years_ ago. It is dead easy (even Crookytail, who has all the cranial horsepower of a shut-down glue factory, picked it up in less than a minute), I never have to worry about quicking my dogs again, they both love doing it, and their nails are shorter than any groomer has ever been able to get them.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Mine is kind of silly. 

My GSD knows a lot of voice commands as well as hand signals but my favorite command is "up."

No matter where he is or what he is by, if I say "up" he will jump onto whatever it is that is next to him. I can tell him "up" and he'll jump into the bathtub, onto a tree trunk, onto a chair, into a car, onto my lap, onto a slide, onto whatever he's by.

I don't know why I like it so much but I do. Even if he is scared, nervous or unsure he will do it every time. :wub:


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## mego (Jan 27, 2013)

favorite command? "place" command , kinda like up. Teach the dog to put all four paws on an object and they aren't allowed to move until released. Keeps them out of the way, when they're hyper you force them to relax, etc. I find large rocks or benches and put my dog in a place while I go pick up her poop on walks and it's super convenient. 

My training class has a wall of pictures called "fire hydrant club" showing off dogs who can place on top of firehydrants


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## carsona246 (Feb 17, 2014)

I'm relatively new to training, but have been experimenting with my mothers dog now that I know I will be getting a puppy within the next year or so. 
I'm not sure what the name is, but I call it "right here". The dog goes wherever I point to and sits. I taught it almost by accident for agility, and use it for other things now.


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## Juliem24 (Jan 4, 2014)

My favorite command is "kennel up", but I use "go to your place" if we are not near the crate. He will go to his throw rug or coolaroo. Keeps him out of trouble, and I use it to break the squirrel watching. They can make him crazy with their taunting.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

Wild Wolf said:


> My favourite tricks are wave and whisper... Hunter tries SO hard to whisper so quietly but sometimes he is just so happy and excited he lets out this big unexpected bark that rattles me. Most of the time he does whisper, and I just love his jaw snapping trick! When he waves... it's just cute. :3



For my pup the command is "secret" so if I ask him to "tell me a secret" or "do you know a secret" he does a quiet woof. I tell people I trained him through frustration. I just sat in a chair, held the treat up and said "secret" until he got the quiet woof and I rewarded it. Luckily I taught him this BEFORE the big bark command. 

I had a ridgie mix that could count your fingers up to five. She would bark for each finger I held up. It won her a prize at a kid's dog show one spring. So much fun (grin)


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