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Our Favorite Dog Trick Isn't Really A Trick | Positive Pet Training Blog Hop

6/2/2014

12 Comments

 
Typist: Bethany
I am going to be completely honest: besides a "bow" Wilhelm, Brychwyn and Huxley don't know any tricks. It's true. No "roll over." No "play dead." No "high five." Not even "gimme paw." Nothing. I have trained a lot of basics that lead to tricks and we have made games out of trick training but I have never proofed an actual trick. Never. It's not that I don't want the dogs to know tricks. It's not that I don't know how to train literally hundreds of tricks. It's not that the dogs and I don't enjoy training. It's just that we have had other major focuses in our training. With three working dogs, I often let them decide what they want their job to be. And since our cross country road trip last year, all of them have grown to love their job of posing for pictures.
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We have been asked "can I take your dogs picture" in nineteen states.
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Every time the dogs pose for me, strangers snap some shots too.
So when I originally considered the question "what is our favorite trick" my answer was going to be "stay." But the picture posing trick has evolved beyond a simple "stay" command. It is a combination of "paws up," "huppity" (jumping onto an object,) "sit," "down" or "stand," a "watch" and a "stay." The dogs often pick places to pose as well as the order and positions I photograph them in. Yesterdays candid black and white Sunday photos are a perfect example of the pride the dogs take in their photo posing trick. (Yes, those shots are candid. I did not put them on that rock. They climbed up there as I strolled along the beach towards them. I simply asked them to "stay" from a distance and hurried closer to capture the moment.) If we are out and about and I see a photo opportunity I say "picture" and the dogs begin to find their pose positions. It is truly a wonderful, um, trick.
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When a passing hiker said the dogs against the mountain was "stunning" and asked if he could take the dogs picture, I tested their distance "stay" by coming down to where he had shot them for my own photo.
I know our favorite trick isn't going to win us any titles or smart dog competitions but it does make people happy. Passers by enjoy the dogs poses and photos that make the cut are enjoyed by our blog visitors. I am very proud of being able to photograph the dogs absolutely anywhere. Most importantly, Wilhelm, Brychwyn and Huxley truly like their modeling job. And super models get to see the world, garner tons of attention and are showered with treats. Maybe the dogs know a really great trick after all...
Do you, your dog or any of your pets have a favorite trick? Tell us about it in the comments or link up a "tricky" post on the Linky list below (the list is open for seven days!) We co-host the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop on the first Monday of each month with  Dachshund Nola and Tenacious Little Terrier. Please join us on Monday, July 7th, when our theme will be sharing recent training triumphs, successes and goals. As always, any posts about positive based training are welcome. Happy training!
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12 Comments
Tenacious Little Terrier link
6/1/2014 06:13:18 pm

Mr. N also adores having his picture taken and thinks of it as his "job." I had no idea your dogs don't know "tricks." I would have thought they would know dozens lol.
I would like to get Mr. N titled as a trick dog champion one day... but he has to fetch in order to get it! I found this video that is an alternative method of teaching fetch for non-mouthy dogs and it's really working for us. Let me know if you want me to send it to you.

Reply
Bethany
6/1/2014 06:56:56 pm

As I typed this post I realized that they do know dozens of tricks... which they use in posing for photos. I am such a picky trainer that if a command isn't proofed, I don't consider it part of our repertoire.

Maybe you and Mr.N will inspire Wilhelm and I to go back to trying "fetch..."

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Ann link
6/1/2014 06:28:11 pm

I think they are wonderful tricks! Shiner really is not good at those kinds of tricks, but she does know how to sit, shake and lay down pretty well. Stay is another story!

Reply
Bethany
6/1/2014 06:59:57 pm

Thank you, Ann. Every dog has their own "trick" qualities. My dogs can "stay" but would never tolerate some of the fun things you put on Shiner for photos!

Reply
Molly The Wally link
6/1/2014 09:49:07 pm

And they do pose so nicely. I think getting dogs to stay still and pose for a shot is far herder than tricks for treats. Have a marvellous Monday.
Best wishes Molly

Reply
Rebecca link
6/1/2014 11:50:23 pm

Love your "trick" because its one I also use for all my picture taking!! And with that trick you have gotten some awesome pictures of your guys. Good job!!

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Taryn link
6/2/2014 01:15:28 am

This is a great post! I know Wilson considers posing to be his job and he does an excellent job of it. He will look into the camera for as long as needed and stay wherever I put him. Jimmy understands the job as well but is a bit put off by the big staring eye of the camera so I often have a hard time getting him to look into the camera. Both boys are wonderful at their stays in this context, and definitely know to strike a pose!

Both boys know some tricks, with Jimmy being the more eager, but it's not my favorite activity to train tricks. I figure teaching them to run agility courses satisfies that itch :-)

Reply
Reilly & Denny link
6/2/2014 06:45:31 am

You know we always get complimented on the fact that the boys will sit and while I take photo. Reilly knows just about every trick there is to learn but I still think his 'wait' trick is the best :)

Reply
Dachshund Nola link
6/2/2014 01:03:04 pm

This is such a great post! Nola is the same way - being a model is her job! On our favorite off leash beach, there's this huge old piece of drift wood. As soon as Nola sees it, she goes running up to it, hops up and strikes a pose.
DM

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Marquie link
6/3/2014 04:45:23 am

Those are great tricks! Tricks that make people happy are the best kind, I think. :) You get some really great photos of them. They truly are fantastic models!

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Bailey link
6/3/2014 05:43:57 am

As a blogger it sounds like one of the better tricks you could have.

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Lara link
6/4/2014 02:18:25 am

I love your "huppity" command! I think deciding on the word to use (that is distinct from others) is one of the bigger challenges of trick-training. Ruby has been getting the hang of picture-posing, too.

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