In this blog post, I will try to put into words some of the benefits I think there are of training your dog to do tricks. Because even though some may think it's a bit silly to spend time teaching your dog fun tricks - along with many other (equally) important skills - I am convinced that the tricks have more benefits than just a little cuteness factor.
Tricks and sub-moments:
Trick training can include many different things, and there can be many different reasons for training certain tricks. Oswald and Otto have learned, and are still learning, many different tricks. Some tricks are mostly for fun, and some tricks are what help to increase the difficulty level in a freestyle program in dogdancing. In addition, some tricks are also small sub-moments that can be used in, for example, rally obedience, which both boys also train.
Before Oswald and I started rally training, we already had a large repertoire of tricks from dogdancing, and several of those tricks were a huge advantage when putting elements together in the rally signs. For example, being able to spin both ways in the place/heel position while walking, being able to run out to a cone and around it, running around the driver and being able to reverse in different positions. Many of those exercises came easily to us or were learned quickly because Oswald already knew parts of the exercise, and that helped us when it all had to be put together. In this way, our trick training has helped us on our way in both rally and dogdancing.
Floor exercise:
Trick training is absolutely brilliant here! We all know the wet and dark winter days when it's not super easy to go out into the garden and train. And here I just have to say that trick training is absolutely brilliant. I usually fold out a vet bed on the living room floor, and then you can easily and straightforwardly do a nice training with your dog without needing a lot of space, equipment or time. And a good and nice training with your dog always pays off - even if you just train a trick for the sake of it.
Body awareness:
Another advantage of trick training is the dogs' body awareness. In rally and dog dancing, the dog gets to use its whole body, on both sides of the handler, in different directions, tempos, etc. This means that we work with the whole dog and its body. When we train trick training, the dog learns to use its whole body. Being able to lift its paws separately from each other, training its core by sitting in a teddy bear position, being able to bend over and/or look at its belly button and thus use its back muscles in different ways, backing up both around and straight out, spinning around itself, touching itself on its snout or hopping on three legs. All of these exercises help to make the dogs aware that they can use their bodies in all sorts of different ways.
Collaboration through body language:
In trick training, I have experienced that Oswald and I have learned to respond to each other's small signals. It is one thing for Oswald to perform a desired behavior on command, but through trick training we have learned together how small weight shifts or hand positions or even small glances help to refine our cooperation in both the training of new tricks and in the refinement of already learned tricks. Without sounding completely hocus pocus, I think that trick training has improved our body language communication.
These are some of the benefits I think there are from trick training, and for me it's a
just as important a part of my training plan as many of the other skills your dog sport requires of yourself and your dog.
Would you like to try your hand at some tricks or are you already looking?
new inspiration, you can find both on my Instagram @oswaldthelabrador. Here you will find both small trick guides and various trick videos. And if you need good advice for a trick, send me a message and I will try to give you my best advice on a
procedure.
Potato bag from
Oswald and Trine
About the blogger
Trine lives in Djursland with her husband Oliver, two old cats, and Oswald, who is from 2020, and Otto, who is from 2025. On a daily basis, Trine works as a pedagogue and teacher at a local elementary school, where Oswald is a school/reading dog twice a week. In addition, they train tricks, dog dancing and rally, and they have just started sniffing out FCI rally. When Trine is not at work, her free time is spent with Oswald and the weekends are often filled with dog training and competitions.
Oswald is a big soft boy who loves everything and everyone - and preferably with all his 37 kg at once. He may be big on the outside, but he is sure that he was born to be a lap dog. He loves to sleep at the foot of the bed under Trine's blanket, and preferably on his back with all his paws in the air.
Oswald loves to go wherever the trip takes him, whether it's visiting family, a picnic, training or when he goes abroad on vacation.
If you want to follow their everyday life a little more, you can find them on Instagram under @oswaldthelabrador.
Why train tricks with your dog?
In this blog post, I will try to put into words some of the benefits I think there are of training your dog to do tricks. Because even though some may think it's a bit silly to spend time teaching your dog fun tricks - along with many other (equally) important skills - I am convinced that the tricks have more benefits than just a little cuteness factor.
Tricks and sub-moments:
Trick training can include many different things, and there can be many different reasons for training certain tricks. Oswald and Otto have learned, and are still learning, many different tricks. Some tricks are mostly for fun, and some tricks are what help to increase the difficulty level in a freestyle program in dogdancing. In addition, some tricks are also small sub-moments that can be used in, for example, rally obedience, which both boys also train.
Before Oswald and I started rally training, we already had a large repertoire of tricks from dogdancing, and several of those tricks were a huge advantage when putting elements together in the rally signs. For example, being able to spin both ways in the place/heel position while walking, being able to run out to a cone and around it, running around the driver and being able to reverse in different positions. Many of those exercises came easily to us or were learned quickly because Oswald already knew parts of the exercise, and that helped us when it all had to be put together. In this way, our trick training has helped us on our way in both rally and dogdancing.
Floor exercise:
Trick training is absolutely brilliant here! We all know the wet and dark winter days when it's not super easy to go out into the garden and train. And here I just have to say that trick training is absolutely brilliant. I usually fold out a vet bed on the living room floor, and then you can easily and straightforwardly do a nice training with your dog without needing a lot of space, equipment or time. And a good and nice training with your dog always pays off - even if you just train a trick for the sake of it.
Body awareness:
Another advantage of trick training is the dogs' body awareness. In rally and dog dancing, the dog gets to use its whole body, on both sides of the handler, in different directions, tempos, etc. This means that we work with the whole dog and its body. When we train trick training, the dog learns to use its whole body. Being able to lift its paws separately from each other, training its core by sitting in a teddy bear position, being able to bend over and/or look at its belly button and thus use its back muscles in different ways, backing up both around and straight out, spinning around itself, touching itself on its snout or hopping on three legs. All of these exercises help to make the dogs aware that they can use their bodies in all sorts of different ways.
Collaboration through body language:
In trick training, I have experienced that Oswald and I have learned to respond to each other's small signals. It is one thing for Oswald to perform a desired behavior on command, but through trick training we have learned together how small weight shifts or hand positions or even small glances help to refine our cooperation in both the training of new tricks and in the refinement of already learned tricks. Without sounding completely hocus pocus, I think that trick training has improved our body language communication.
These are some of the benefits I think there are from trick training, and for me it's a
just as important a part of my training plan as many of the other skills your dog sport requires of yourself and your dog.
Would you like to try your hand at some tricks or are you already looking?
new inspiration, you can find both on my Instagram @oswaldthelabrador. Here you will find both small trick guides and various trick videos. And if you need good advice for a trick, send me a message and I will try to give you my best advice on a
procedure.
Potato bag from
Oswald and Trine
About the blogger
Trine lives in Djursland with her husband Oliver, two old cats, and Oswald, who is from 2020, and Otto, who is from 2025. On a daily basis, Trine works as a pedagogue and teacher at a local elementary school, where Oswald is a school/reading dog twice a week. In addition, they train tricks, dog dancing and rally, and they have just started sniffing out FCI rally. When Trine is not at work, her free time is spent with Oswald and the weekends are often filled with dog training and competitions.
Oswald is a big soft boy who loves everything and everyone - and preferably with all his 37 kg at once. He may be big on the outside, but he is sure that he was born to be a lap dog. He loves to sleep at the foot of the bed under Trine's blanket, and preferably on his back with all his paws in the air.
Oswald loves to go wherever the trip takes him, whether it's visiting family, a picnic, training or when he goes abroad on vacation.
If you want to follow their everyday life a little more, you can find them on Instagram under @oswaldthelabrador.