How to teach a dog to "TOUCH"?

Kellys Heroes

Kellys Heroes

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Our behaviourist has given us some more ideas for mental stimulation for Roxy - playing hide and seek which she loves, playing with bubbles, hosepipe, box fun which is hiding food in boxes so she can rip them apart to find it (although she is a bit gentle!)
I want to teach her to "touch" with her paw, almost like a signal, and work towards playing scent games - like putting food/toys under plantpots and getting her to 'touch' which one has the food in.
How would I do this? And what other scent games can I play? She is a GSD and VERY fast learning! (She got hide and seek with food in 2 attempts and now I only need to say "find it" and her nose is on the floor!)
K x
 
my touch command is different to that - i use it to touch my hand - i do that by touching their nose with my flat palm, click (if you use that) and reward, then soon get the hint and slowly move your hand away and they end up coming towads you ....


you can then use this by teaching them to touch target diffeent things... eventually sticky notes on doors to do the below;;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtwhkDDmjhA&list=UUb7ann7anjQyZwCSba-Ot7g&index=7&feature=plcp



keeps them very busy ad SO hand when you really cba getting up to close doors!!!


she also "targets" with her paws.... she will target a drink mat and stay there until i tell her to move :) (probably what you asked about but i just use a diff command :) )....i taught her target by clicking as soon as her paw hit what i wanted her to target....now all i have to do is point at an area/thing and say target - she flies to it and waits for her treat :)


shes a smart dog and i adore her :)
 
Fabulous, thank you!
I shall teach both in time :)

As a puppy she was locked outside and I don't think she knows how or that she's allowed to open the doors, so the post-it notes were another idea that we decided on :)

I think I'll start with touch that seems easiest.
K x

ETA - what was I saying???? Touch is more or less 'got'! :D
 
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We learnt the 'touch' game at training when I took my rescue dog (approx 11 mths old at the time). They used coloured 'touch' cards and my dog picked it up really quick but they had to touch it with their nose. It was very simple to teach though - you firstly rub a bit of whatever treat you have on to the card and ask themto "touch" - which they will do as it smells of the treat - you then reward (i rewarded with a treat) and work towards then putting the card further away and asking them to touch it.

My dogs loves this game - I just use an envelope in my house and, even though I don't do the game very often my dog knows exactly what to do and gets very excited about it! What you should then be able to do is put the card a far distance away - great if you have a large garden/yard and get them to touch it then.
 
KellysHeroes said:
Fabulous, thank you!
I shall teach both in time :)

As a puppy she was locked outside and I don't think she knows how or that she's allowed to open the doors, so the post-it notes were another idea that we decided on :)

I think I'll start with touch that seems easiest.
K x

ETA - what was I saying???? Touch is more or less 'got'! :D
Click to expand...


ahh good!

turn touch - to post,it notes!! then start putting them on doors etc - they do lock themselves in a few times till they learn :D which is ace when they are naughty!!

Mine i will say "go in the lounge (key words for her = lounge) and DOOR" she will go in and shut the door thus locking her in :D :D



Touch is definately the easiest and the most exciting!!!

find it -is my dogs speciality - she should have been a drugs dog!...her tennis ball gets hidden - she can find it in my jacket pockets etc...other good tricks...


erm what about "lift".... lifting back legs to a touch??? also get a trick training stick!! (another way to touch target!....) gets them trusting you to guide their scnozzle :D around the room etc -

Mine has hip dysplasia so i have to be careful how wound up she gets too! but theres tons of stuff you can do that keeps them active in mind rather than really wound up and mental :)
 
Great ideas! :)
Just to check she did actually learn it, I've just asked her to touch now and she's got up and come and nudged my hand, bless her heart.

Never give up on a rescue dog! ;)

She does love "find it" and "watch me" (she knows cheese is coming her way!) I want to teach "focus" eventually, so she will look at me for a bit longer as opposed to a quick glance.

Definitely going to go down the post it note route - hopefully I can teach her that she CAN nudge the door open and she's allowed to :)

I want to try and incorporate the scent thing into a game - sort of like...4 pieces of fabric, one with peanut butter on or something, folded, then telling her to find it and let her sniff it out. Ideally I'd want her to "signal" (sit down, paw it etc) that she's found it - any ideas on that?
K x
 
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