Read About Pet Trick Training

Pet trick training requires patience and consistency. It also helps if you - and your pet - have a sense of humor. Beyond simple obedience, pet trick training is a fun way to bond with your pet and it gives you a chance to show off your animal in an interesting or amusing way. The most often used method of successful pet trick training with any kind of animal is conditioning and positive reinforcement.

No matter what kind of pet you have, before you begin pet trick training, you need to decide what specific behavior you are trying to achieve. Make sure you know exactly what you want your pet to do. Once you begin reinforcing his behavior, changing your mind about the specifics of the trick can be confusing for the pet. Be sure the trick you are trying to teach is not too complex. Start with something easy that can be mastered before moving on to move difficult pet trick training. Keep your training sessions short and enjoyable. Be sure to reward good behavior with praise and treats, but do not reward your pet for bad behavior or failure to perform.

A popular and easy trick to teach your dog is to give his paw or "shake hands." At the beginning of the pet trick training session, have your dog sit in front of you. Facing your dog, get down on his level and give your chosen command, such as "Shake" or "Give me your paw" then pick up his paw. Praise him well, and repeat the process. You will soon find that your dog raises his paw as soon as you give the command, provided you use the same exact command in the same tone of voice and praise him each time.

A good example of simple pet trick training for your horse is to teach him to "smile." The easiest way to do this is to introduce a strange smell, which will likely make the horse curl his upper lip. Hold something strong smelling, such as a cut onion, under his nose and use whatever command word you choose, like "Smile!" or "Say cheese!" While most horses will respond to a strong smell by curling their upper lip, some may not. In this case, try lightly tickling him on the upper lip while repeating the command phrase. Be sure to praise and reward him when he curls his lip. Once your horse has mastered the trick with the strong odor, begin moving the source of the odor away until you are able to remove it entirely.

Birds can learn tricks, too. To teach your bird to nod his head, decide on a simple command, such as "Am I right?" and repeat it to the bird while offering a treat over his head, just out of his reach. Move your hand slowly downward, still slightly out of his reach, repeating the command. When your bird moves his head up and then down, following the movement of the treat, reward him by giving him the treat and plenty of praise. Continue doing this, gradually starting to move the treat a little further away from the bird. With time and patience, your bird will nod his head when you ask, "Am I right?"

Pet trick training should be done in very brief sessions, on a frequent and consistent basis. Once an easy trick has been mastered, you can move on to other types of pet trick training. The key is to keep the pet trick training fun and keep the rewards consistent.