Trick training is a great way to build your relationship with your dog. It can also help improve both your own and your dog’s confidence by working together as a team. One of my 2019 resolutions is going to be to spend more time training both Ralph & Luna. It blew my mind how quickly Luna was able to pick up “Spin” for our Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop back in October, so I just know that she’s ready to tackle even more complicated and fun tricks next year.
I might have to start a little smaller with Ralph, but I can’t wait to see how excited he gets when he does something right. That little pup just beams when he makes us happy and even more so if there’s a tasty treat in it for him. For both Ralph & Luna, I’ll be following several of my own pieces of advice to ensure we are successful and happy.
To help us talk about trick training, we’re partnering with Full Moon for Day #8 of the 2018 Stocking Stuffer Giveaways. They have been so amazing to sponsor today’s giveaway of a dog treat prize package including a few treats that are excellent options for trick training. Keep on reading to find out how to enter to win!
Affiliate links are used in this post and I may receive a commission if you click and/or purchase from the link to help support this blog. Do not worry, these links do not affect the price of products.
Disclaimer: Full Moon provided product free to review. I am being compensated to help spread the word about Full Moon. I received no other compensation or additional benefits for mentioning the brands or products in this post. The opinions and ideas in this post are my own and are uninfluenced by any other person or business. Full Moon is responsible for all giveaway prizes including shipping.
Keys to Teaching Your Dog a New Trick
Start Small
Many of the more complicated tricks have other progressive tricks that lead up to them. For example, Luna mastered “Down” and “Stay” before we tackled “Roll Over” or “Play Dead”. If you want to teach your dog to do something complicated and specific, be sure to break it down into simpler components. Work on the basics of “Sit”, “Down”, “Stay”, etc. first before taking on the fancy stuff. Your pup will get there with time!
Stay Positive
No matter what happens stay positive. Reward when your dog makes progress towards what you are asking him or her to do. Instead of getting upset or frustrated when you dog doesn’t quite get it right, think about what you can do to simplify the task or ask for a little less at once. Your dog will pick up on any negative feelings and that will affect their ability to learn. Treats, praise, and clickers are great positive training resources.
Pick the Right Treats
My rule for an ideal training treat is that it is extremely palatable, a little smelly, low calorie, and bite sized (or able to be broken into small pieces). For the last few years, two of my top choices have been the Training Treats and Savory Sticks from Full Moon. Both come in either Organic Chicken or Cage-Free Duck and are soft and moist. The Training Treats come in small pieces already while the Savory Sticks can be torn or broken into bite sized morsels for training. They definitely get all four paws up from both Ralph & Luna and I always have their attention as soon as I open up a bag. You can find these training treats from Full Moon on Target.com and Amazon.
Be Short & Sweet
Don’t plan to spend hours at a time training. Instead, set aside anywhere from 15-30 minutes working on one thing at a time. I find it helpful to have a routine or even to print out a training calendar that specifically tells me what we’re going to work on and for how long each day. That way there’s not much thought involved and it becomes part of our regular day. I’d also recommend scheduling separately for each dog and avoiding back to back sessions, so you don’t become tired, bored, or disinterested.
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat
Be consistent! Schedule training for a few days a week. The more often you do it, the more progress you and your dog will make together. One good training session won’t do much good if you wait a whole week or month to pick it up again. Your dog will learn and remember much faster if you are consistent and frequent with your training.
End With a Winner
No matter what you’re working on or how well the training session went, make sure to end on a successful positive note. So if you’re teaching “Roll Over”, but your pup hasn’t quite nailed it yet end with a “Down, Stay”. It will help boost both of your confidences and leave you feeling great about the whole experience.
About Full Moon
Full Moon offers human-grade, natural dog treats that are made right here in the USA in small batches. The best part is that these treats are affordable and accessible to nearly every pet parent. You can find them in stores like Target and online at Amazon. Full Moon ensures that only USDA approved meats from local and trusted farms are used.
Ralph & Luna have been massive fans of every Full Moon dog treat that they’ve ever gotten their paws on, so I’m sure you’re dog will enjoy them too! Even if the Training Treats or Savory Sticks wouldn’t be your dog’s top choice, Full Moon is sure to offer something that is. They also have jerky treats in a variety of different meat options (chicken, duck, pork, and beef) as well as Ralph’s favorite – Chicken Nuggets!
If you want to learn more about Full Moon, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Don’t forget to check out the Full Moon website for the latest on their natural dog treats.
TWO lucky Beagles & Bargains readers will receive a Full Moon Dog Treat Prize Pack!
Residents of the United States are eligible to enter via the Rafflecopter below. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Winners will be notified via email within 48 hours of the giveaway closing and will have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize.
Two (2) winner will receive one (1) Organic Chicken Jerky 16 oz, one (1) Organic Beef Jerky 14 oz, one (1) Organic Duck Jerky 8 oz, one (1) Organic Chicken Training Sticks 6 oz, and one (1) Duck Training Sticks 5 oz. Estimated value is $57.95.
Don’t forget to check out our Holiday Guide!
And don’t miss any of the 10 Stocking Stuffer Giveaways!
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What is your dog’s favorite trick to perform? How did you teach him or her the trick?
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