Archie Squares
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup powdered dry milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. brown sugar or honey
6 tbs. meat or bacon drippings, cold right from refrigerator, not melted or soft!
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup Ice water

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Combine flour, dry milk, garlic powder and sugar. Cut in meat drippings until mixture resembles corn meal. Mix in egg. Add enough water so that mixture forms a ball. Using your fingers, pat out dough onto cookie sheet to 1/2" thick. Cut dough into squares appropriate for your dog size. Prick each cookie with fork. Bake 25-30 minutes. Remove from tray and cool on rack. Store in airtight container.
Newfie Goodies Dog Treats

Bad Breath Banishers
2 cups brown rice flour
1 Tablespoon activated charcoal (find this at drugstores, not the briquets!)
3 Tablespoons canola oil
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2/3 cup low fat milk

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Combine flour and charcoal. Add all the other ingredients.Drop teaspoonfuls on oiled sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake 15-20 minutes. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.
Newfie Goodies Dog Treats

Beardie Coolers
2 fresh beef (or other species) marrow bones, each at least 1 in long
water
1 beer

In about a 2 qt pan, put the bones, and add enough water to cover the bones. Bring water to a boil; continue to boil for at least 10 min. (More time is ok, for a richer broth.)

Remove bones, and return any beef marrow to the liquid, along with any meat that you can get off the bones. Cool the broth to room temperature. Pour liquid only into 2-4 ice cube trays. Chop up the marrow/meat/gristle into little bits, and put them into each section of the tray. Freeze solid. Serve 2-3 cubes to your beardie on a very hot day. (Not too many if you made the broth very rich with extra bones or lots of marrow.)
Drink the beer yourself, while your dog enjoys the beardie coolers.

Beef Biscuits
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
6 tbsp margarine or bacon fat
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 small jar strained beef or lamb broth (baby food)
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1 egg

Mix ingredients. Knead 3 minutes. Dough should form a ball. Roll out 1/2 inch thick. Cut into dog bones. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Beef Potato Pie
1/2 cup ground dog biscuits (preferably homemade)
2 Tbs cooking oil
1/2 cup cooked ground beef (lean)
1 small potato (peeled, cooked & mashed)
1 tsp Cheddar cheese (low-fat)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  To prepare the crust, grind dog biscuits in
a blender or food processor.  Place ground biscuits in a bowl and add the
cooking oil, mix well.  Press mixture into a 5-inch pie pan.
Fill with ground beef then top with the mashed potatoes.  Cook for about 10
minutes or until warm.
Sprinkle cheese on top of pie right after baking (while still hot).  Cool
before serving.

Note:  You could use instant mashed potatoes.  Variation:  Try leftover
meatloaf instead of hamburger.

1 cup wheat flour
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder ( not garlic salt!)
1 tablespoon soft butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk

Mix flour and cheese together. Add garlic powder and softened butter. Slowly add milk till you form a stiff dough. You may not need all of the milk. Knead on floured board for a few minutes.

Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 350 degrees oven for 15 minutes. Let cool in oven with the door slightly open till cold and firm. Refrigerate to keep fresh.

Doggie Delights
2 cups whole wheat flour
6 tbsp. bacon fat or margarine
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 egg (beaten)
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 tbsp. molasses
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
water, approx. 1/2 cup

Combine dry ingredients. Blend in fat or margarine. Add egg and molasses. Mix thoroughly. Add enough water to form a dough ball. Roll out 1/4 inch thick and cut into dog bones. Placed on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees F. Makes between 30 - 40 cookies, depending on the size of the dog bone cookie cutter.

German Shepherd Meat Pie
6 oz  meat scraps
1 cup whole-wheat flour
8 oz dog meal

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Grease pan.
Spread half the meat in pan.  Sprinkle the meat generously with whole-wheat
flour.
Spread remaining half of meat into pan and salt (optional) to taste.
Sprinkle again with whole-wheat flour.  Cover with 8 oz dog meal and pour
broth over the meal.
Bake for 45 min. and then allow to cool.  Serve warm.

Hush Puppies
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water (boiling)
2 cups old fashioned oats
3/4 cup white cornmeal
1/2 cup skim milk
1 cup Cheddar cheese (grated)
1 egg
2 cups flour (white)
2 beef sticks (cut into 1/2" pieces) or Jerky (cut into bits)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the dough by combining oil, boiling water and oats.  Let mixture stand
for a few minutes, then mix in the cornmeal, milk, cheese and egg.  Slowly
mix in the flour.  The dough will be slightly sticky.  Take 1-2 Tbs of dough
and roll with your hands; press a small piece of beef stick inside and roll
again.  The beef stick should be completely covered with dough.  Spray a
baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or use a greased or non-stick pan.
Place balls on the baking sheet and flatten each one slightly.  Bake for 50
minutes for a slightly soft biscuit, or 60-70 minutes for a harder biscuit.
Turn several times while baking.  Turn off the oven and leave biscuits in
until cool.

Note:  For a pretty variation roll the dough and gently press the piece of
beef stick into the center.  Do not re-roll.  Bake as directed above

Liver Cake
Approx. 375g of Liver, 2 eggs and 2-4 cloves garlic. 

Whiz in a food processor - add in 1 cup of Self-Raising flour. Spread out thinly on a large baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes in a moderate oven. Cool and chop. Freezes well.
Bon Appetite Fur babies!

Meatloaf
1-1/2 lbs ground meat (hamburger or turkey)
1 lb chicken liver (pureed in food processor)
3/4 cup spaghetti sauce (or tomato sauce)
2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup parsley (dried)
1/4 cup grated cheese (your choice)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Mix together ground meat, chicken liver and
spaghetti sauce.  Add oats, garlic powder, parsley, and the cheese; mix
well.  Place mixture in a greased loaf pan.  Bake 45 minutes at 400, then
reduce heat to 350 and bake another 15 minutes.  Cool before slicing.

Note:  You can place the mixture on a cookie sheet and shape into a large
bone shape for special occasions.

Peanut Butter Patties
1½ cups water, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup applesauce, 2 eggs, 2 tsp. vanilla, ¼ cup peanut butter (crunchy works great), 2½ cups whole wheat flour, ¾ cup regular flour, 1 cup cornmeal, ¾ cup oats

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix liquid ingredients together well. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients bowl and mix thoroughly until smooth. Roll into a ball; place ball on floured surface. Roll out to ½" thickness. Cut into desired shapes (bone-shaped cookie cutters work great!). Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 20 minutes; turn off the oven and leave the biscuits in there for one hour to harden.
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Roman Parmesan Biscuits
3-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley flakes
2 Tbs catsup
4 Tbs cooking oil
1 tsp instant beef bouillon granules
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 egg (beaten)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine flour, powdered milk, grated cheese, bread crumbs and parsley, mix
well.  Add catsup, oil, and beef bouillon to boiling water, mix well.  Add
egg, then slowly blend in the flour mixture.  Knead dough until stiff (you
may need to add more flour).  Roll on floured surface to 1/4" thick.  Cut
into small bread stick shapes.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or use a greased or
non-stick pan.  Bake 30-35 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning).

Simple
Bake piece of liver in oven (gas 7) for 15-20 minutes to make it firm
and easier to cut. Cut into 1/4 inch cubes and spread on baking tray.

Sprinkle with garlic powder, put back in oven for approx 40-50 mins
until baked hard.

As they are completely dried, they are not messy and keep for weeks.

Soft Doggie Cookies
3 (2 1/2 oz. each) jars of baby food; either beef or chicken
1/4 cup Dry milk powder
1/4 cup Wheat germ or cream of wheat

Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Roll into small balls and place on well-greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake in preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes until brown. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate to keep fresh or freeze. Great for older dogs with teeth problems.

Spinach & Liver Snippets
1/4 package frozen spinach
1 cup water
1 egg
7 cups flour (white or whole wheat)
2 tsp liver powder
1 cup cracked wheat

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Defrost frozen spinach in microwave for a few minutes and then chop finely.
Add water and egg to chopped spinach and process in a blender or food
processor.  Slowly add spinach to flour, liver powder, and cracked wheat.
Work dough until well blended, then knead (add more flour if needed).  Roll
to 1/2" thick on a lightly floured board.  Cut into bone shapes.  Bake on
greased or non-stick cookie sheets for 30-40 minutes.  Turn oven off to let
Snippets cool completely.

Stampede Stew
1 lb. beef (any nice cut)
1 Tbs margarine
1 cup water
1 carrot (finely chopped)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbs liver powder
Parsley flakes

Cut beef into bite-sized chunks, then brown in margarine.  Add water,
carrot, garlic powder, liver powder and parsley.  Simmer slowly until meat
is tender (about 1/2 hour).

Note:  If you use a piece of meat that has a bone, be sure to discard the
bone before serving the stew.

Tasty Turkey Balls
1 lb ground turkey
1 cup rolled oats
1 egg
2 heaping Tbs plain yogurt
1 tsp garlic powder
Parsley
Mix together turkey, oats, and egg.  Add yogurt and garlic powder.  Form
mixture into small balls, and sprinkle with parsley.  Pan fry Turkey Balls
until slightly brown.  Add 1 cup water and steam for 15 minutes.  Cook
before serving.

Turkey Treats
2 cups cooked turkey, cut up, 2 garlic cloves, 4 tsp. grated cheese, 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped small, 2 eggs, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 tbsp. brewers yeast, 2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Combine turkey, garlic, cheese, parsley and mix well. Beat the eggs in a bowl and pour over turkey mixture. Add the flour, yeast, and oil. Stir until thoroughly mixed and all ingredients are coated. Drop into small lumps onto ungreased cookie sheet. Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until brown and firm. Store in refrigerator.
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Veggie Bones
3 cups minced parsley
1/4 cup carrots, chopped very fine
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella or parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 to 1 cup of water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, rack on middle level. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

Stir together parsley, carrots, cheese, and oil. combine all the dry ingredients and add to veggies. Gradually add 1/2 cup of water, mixing well. Make a moist but not wet dough. If needed, add a little more water. Knead for one minute.

roll dough out to 1/2 inch thickness. Using cookie cutter or a glass, cut out the shapes and transfer them to the baking sheet. Gather the scraps and reroll and cut.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until biscuits have browned and hardened slightly. (They will harden more as they cool.) Speed cooling by placing them on wire racks. Store in airtight tin.

Veggie Kong Omelette
1 Egg, your choice of shredded cheese, any vegetables that your pet may
like, 1 appropriate size Kong toy (see our Which Size guide).

Method: Scramble egg, fold in vegetables. Put into Kong Toy. Sprinkle some
cheese over the top and microwave for about 20 seconds. Cool thoroughly
before giving to your dog. Makes 1 serving for Medium Kong. Double the
ingredients for larger Kongs.

Vegetarian Dog Biscuits
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup dry milk powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tbs. brown sugar
2 vegetable bouillon cubes; dissolved in
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup carrots (optional)
1 egg

Preheat oven to 300F. Mix all ingredients into a ball and roll out to about 1/4" thick. Cut with bone-shaped cookie cutter, or strips, or a cutter shape of your own choice. Place on non greased cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes at 300F.

Please visit Gill Minters site at - http://www.behaviour-Problems.freeserve.co.uk

Baking is fun!
Making dog treats for your dog is a great way to show them your love. They will appreciate your efforts! Try the Garlic and Parmesan recipe below, reprinted with permission from Naturaldogfood.com. Then read on for more tips on making your own treats.

Garlic and Parmesan Cookie Treats
Using a food processor or a stand mixer, mix together:

2 cups flour (white, whole wheat or both in combination)
1/3 cup safflower oil
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 egg
1/3 cup powdered milk
enough water to make a stiff dough

1. Roll out dough and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Score the dough with pizza cutter or other crimping tool into any size or pattern you like. For morning cookies, make them bigger. For training treats, make them really small.

2. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Turn off oven, and allow the cookies to remain on tray in the oven for one hour to overnight. The longer you have them in the oven, the harder and crisper they will become.

3. Break cookies apart and store tightly covered. Put them in plastic zip bags and place in freezer. Pull out as many as you want when needed.

If you want to serve them to human company, cut them into match stick sized pieces, and bake only until lightly brown. Sprinkle them with coarse salt as they come out of the oven.

More baking tips!
1. Never use chocolate. It is quite toxic to dogs and should be avoided. Instead use a sweet natural herb such as Stevia, Ginger, Anise Hyssop or Cinnamon.

2. Most cookie recipes for people can be altered to work for dogs. Instead of vanilla, add beef or chicken broth. Instead of using sugar, use Ginger, Anise Hyssop, Stevia or Cinnamon.

3. If the recipe calls for a large amount of flour, try alternating half flour with half oatmeal. Oatmeal is very good for the skin and is packed with nutrients.

4. Don't be afraid to experiment. Your dog will probably be quite content to eat your mistakes! And what he doesn't want, the compost pile will love.

5. To make a cake, try mixing 2 cups of cooked oatmeal, 1/2 cup chopped raw chicken or turkey and 1/4 cup of chicken broth together. Form it into little squares, add a sprig of parsley to the top and set out to dry and harden. Just before serving, sprinkle pieces of meat on top. Your dog will positively adore you! Shape it into a stocking for dogs or a mouse for cats. If you have a horse, omit the meat and the chicken broth and add grated carrots, grated apples and 1/4 cup of sugar. Shape it into a carrot.

Most of the actions you see dogs doing in movies are simply an assembly of simple tricks.  By teaching your dog to do each trick, you can have him/her capable of being a movie dog (or just a fun pet).  Some of these tricks help the dog in other sports such as agility and in obedience.  Likewise, agility work can be incorporated into movie work.  For example, dogs that can jump obstacles can be taught to jump in and out of moving cars, leap over people or other dogs, or jump in and out of windows.  A-frame work can be used to teach the dog to go over fences or other high obstacles and dog walk training can be used to teach dog to walk along narrow walls, etc.  We use the circle obstacle with the hole covered with saran wrap to teach the dogs to jump through a window.  This list doesn't include tricks such as retrievals which are used often in movies or bite work.  Bite work should only be done by a trained handler as you must do it properly to be effective.  None of these tricks require special equipment.  These tricks are meant to be fun for you and your dog. I have given some instructions on how to do them but there are many ways to teach the same trick.  Use the one that works for you and your dog.

WAVE

Agility use:    none
How:   
Dog in sit stay. Decide on a hand signal. It can be a circular movement of your hand like a wave or hold hand palm up and wave fingers in and out (as in making a fist). I don't recommend doing a real wave with palm facing down. It looks too much like the speak command and can confuse the dog. Sitting close to your dog give the command and hand signal. If dog doesn't do anything     nudge her paw until she lifts it up. Reward. Eventually require her to lift paw higher. Always reward every time she does it. Eventually start to give command from farther back.


HIDE YOUR EYES

Agility use:    none
How:   
The dog can be in a sit or down for this one. The idea is to get her to cover her eyes with one paw on command. It will take some practice to find out the best method for your dog as we find they all respond to different signals. I prefer to do it in a down (I use the bang command). Then with treat in hand, I tell my dog to "cover your eyes". I physically lift her paw over her muzzle and reward. I have also found that if I blow gently on her nose, she will swipe at her face. When she does this I reward. You have to just repeat the command and movement until the dog realizes what is needed to get the treat.

BOOK ON HEAD

Agility use:    balance
How:   
Find a book that is suitable to the size of your dog. Balance book either on head between ears, on withers or on muzzle. This depends on your dog's body shape. Hold the dog      still with left hand and place book with right. Hold book while saying "stay". Eventually remove both hands (slowly) until dog is balancing book. Count to 3 and remove and     release and reward. Idea is to increase time the dog holds the book. The ultimate is to have the dog come while balancing the book. This is a hard one sodon'tt expect instant
success.

COOKIE ON NOSE
Agility use:    none
How:   
Hold dogs muzzle and give "stay" or "leave it" command. Place a cookie on top of nose and continue to say "stay" or "eave it". Let go of muzzle. Dog must hold the cookie     until you give a release command - "take it". Then she must catch the cookie in her mouth. This is a fun way to give treats and looks cute.

FIND IT

Agility use: none
How:
The idea is to have the dog use her nose to find a hidden object.  This is good practice for tracking or utility work.  First start with simple exercises. Show the dog a treat (strong smelling ones work best).  Then let the dog see you place it under the edge of a  towel  about 6 feet away.  Let the dog smell the scent of the treat on your hand. Send dog and say "find it".  Reward with praise when she finds the treat.  The reward is the treat. Start to move farther back from the hiding place and move the location of the treat - put it further under the towel so it is harder to get out. Then leaving towel in same place, put the treat a few feet away from the towel and send the dog.  The dog will have to sniff out the location. Eventually, you will place the dog with her back to the location and have someone make sure she cant see where you put the treat.   Then when that level has been achieved, move the dog to another room, hide the treat, let dog sniff your hand and send to "find it".  Give lots of praise.   You can eventually move from food to solid obstacles such as keys, toys, etc.  This makes the exercise into a retrieval.

GO THAT WAY

Agility use: sending dog to a location
How:
The object is to tell the dog to go in a certain direction and she will move wherever you point.  First use a bait (can be food or toy).  Place three baits - one directly in front of you about 10 feet away, one along the same line (10 feet away) to the right and one to the left.  Dog is in sit or stand beside you on long line (or flexi). On command "go that way", point to the treat you want the dog to go to.  If dog has trouble, toss a treat in that direction to get her started.  Reward when she moves correctly.  If the dog goes wrong way, stop her with the long line and direct again.  Continue to give the command until there is success.  Once dog picks up first treat point to the next one and say "g that way", and so on.  The dog must pay attention and move in the direction you are pointing to.  Eventually you will start to give commands when the dog is in a position.  For example, I will send my dog to the left (may have to toss a treat) When she gets there I tell her to "down" or "sit".  If she does it, I walk in and reward. Alternate commands until your dog will obey from longer distances.

SNEEZE

Agility use: none
How:
The object is to make your dog sneeze on command.  The signal will be the handler cupping her hands around her nose and mouth and saying "sneeze". With the handler seated in a chair, have your dog in a sit/stay in front of you.  Cup your hands around her muzzle, say sneeze and blow gently into her nostrils.  Continue until she either snuffles, sneezes or makes any such motion.  Reward "good sneeze" and treat.  Repeat. This may take a long time depending on the dog.   Some will sneeze immediately, and others will take a lot of work to respond.

SAY PRAYERS

Agility use: none
How:
The object is to have your dog put his head down between his paws on the command "say prayers" and to end the exercise on the command"amen". Start with handler seated on a chair, dog in sit/stay in front.  Put a treat on chair between your legs. Tell dog to "say prayers" and encourage or lift both front paws on to the chair (NOTE: dog must remain seated).  The action is similar to a beg with the paws resting on the chair.  Tell dog to "leave it" so he doesn't eat treat and repeat "say prayers".  Dog should stick nose down to the treat between paws.   Then give release "amen" and reward with the treat. You may find this easier to do on a low table.  While standing behind dog, guide paws on to table and encourage him to lower muzzle between paws towards the treat.

WALK UNDER

Agility Use: apart from teaching a long stretch exercise which is good for warming up, I haven't seen too much related to agility in this one but its fun and looks good.
How:
Same qualifications for dogs as Jumping Dogs.  Once all of the dogs can bow and hold it, line up dogs very close together and give the "bow" command at same time. Tell dogs to "stay" - handler holds treat close to keep attention.  You need to use a very small dog we use a terrier) for the next part.  While the larger dogs are in bow position, the small one starts at one end and walks under their rear legs.  Trick is to keep the large dogs from lying down.  This takes great concentration and muscle control by the large dogs.

SPEAK

Agility use: none
How:
This is usually a simple one to teach if your dog likes to bark at you. Trick is to get her to do it on command and from distances. First decide on a hand signal that is not similar to any other.  I use a motion of opening and closing my thumb and fingers (facing the dog).  I think this looks more like a mouth opening and closing.   Other handlers use a closed fist, twisting motion. Tell your dog to "speak" at the same time.  When she does, reward with treat immediately and say "good speak". If your dog doesn't bark readily, continue to give command until she gets really fed up with you and barks.  Then quickly reward.  She wont know why but if done enough, she'll get the message.  Tasha learned this in less than 10 minutes (she is not a barker).  Gradually give the command verbally only and then hand signal only.  Increase distance to the maximum comfort zone.

WEAVE HEELING

Agility use: improves flexibility
How:
Start heeling off leash.  Have a treat in both hands.  As you step with right foot exaggerate the step and  bait dog under your leg while saying "weave" Dog is to walk under your leg to your right side.  Then as you take the left foot step, repeat to left side.  Continue as you move forward. This trick takes time to learn and if you have a large dog (like mine) it can be very hard.  I am very tall and I still have problems.  The trick is to keep the dog weaving in and out under your legs.  Once you have this one, you can combine it with the next trick (circle me) into a complete heeling pattern.

CIRCLE ME

Agility use: circles improve turns and keeps dog focussed on handler.  May help in direction changes
How:
Start heeling with treat in hand.  Bait dog while saying "circle me" and draw the dog around your body so dog is completing a circle around you. Remember to continue to move forward while doing this.  Make it lots of fun  and get dog to skip around you.  This is a fun trick - not an obedience exercise.  Change direction until dog can circle you in both directions. When you've got this down to a fine art, do two circle me's, 2 weaves, repeat, repeat.  Then make up different combinations.  We do circle me, circle me, weave, weave, circle me, circle me, bow (and then reward). Note that this can takes several weeks to get or your dog may pick it up very fast.

BACK UP

Agility Use: positioning dog at start, repositioning if dog slightly overruns weave poles, general control
How:
Dog is in stand stay alongside a wall with leash on.  Handler in front of dog.  Step into the dog, move hands towards dog in a pushing motion (palms up facing dog).  Dog will have to move backwards as you move into it. Reward with "good back" as soon as dog takes one step.  Best way to reward is to toss treat into dogs mouth.  If you let him take it from your hand it is hard to get distance on this one.  Leash can be used to move dog back if he has trouble.  Wall keeps dog straight.  Gradually stop moving towards dog as you give the verbal command and hand signal.   When learned properly, the dog will back away from you in a straight line for extensive distance (depending on comfort zone of your dog)

TOUCH/TARGET
Agility use: use to send your dog to an obstacle or to encourage touching contact
How:
We train this one by first having dog touch a piece of paper stuck to the wall.  Take dog to wall, command "touch" or "target" and touch the paper. When dog jumps up and touches the paper, reward her.  Then place an object on floor and send dog to "touch or target.  Reward when dog moves to object and touches it.

TURN OUT LIGHT
Agility Use: same as target - a fun trick to do that helps dog learn to go away from handler and touch or manipulate an object
How:
Hold treat at light switch (make sure dog can reach the switch when on back legs. For short dogs, place on sturdy table at light switch).  Give command "turn out light" or "light off" When dog jumps up to get treat make sure her paws hit the switch.  Reward with "good light off/out, or whatever your command was".  Gradually start to stand away from switch and send dog. Toss treat when dog jumps up and paws at light.  You can also teach this by placing the treat on the switch so dog has to knock it off.  I found that the dog uses the mouth to hit the switch more than the paw so I prefer to hold the treat in my hand.

JUMP OVER DOGS
Agility use: Practising jumping obstacles, socializing with other dogs, being handled on obstacles from both sides

How:
This is an interesting trick to do once you have a group of dogs that meet certain qualifications:
1. Get along (ie non aggressive with each other)
2. Keep a still down stay
3. Good at jumping low obstacles

If you have this combination, this trick can look very impressive. First start with pairs.  Have one dog in a down stay with the handler holding the leash short and a treat in hand if required.  The other handler gives the "over" command and while on leash has the dog jump the one who is down.  Repeat in opposite direction to get dog used to jumping on both sides of handler.  Then switch dogs. When the pairs are reliable, put up to 6 dogs in down stays about 3 feet apart (depending on size of jumper).  One dog (on leash to begin) jumps all of the other dogs.  This is repeated several times for each dog and then they change places until all dogs have had a turn jumping.

PLAY DEAD/BANG
Agility Use: to get dog to down on table if you are having problems with this obstacle
How: With dog in sit or stand stay, point finger and pull hand up while saying bang.  This action is similar to the down hand signal.  Dog must lie down on side with head down.  You may have to do in stages - down and side.

CIRCLE
Agility Use: to improve corners and turns and weaving - helps increase flexibility
How: With dog in stand stay in front of you, give "circle" command and entice dog with food treat or toy to turn in circle.  Don't encourage to "chase tail'.  Give reward when dog turns fully.  Gradually give command from greater distances.  For distance, it helps to put reward on end of pole and use to get dog to turn in circle.

BOW
Agility Use: before doing agility, this is a good stretching exercise.  Can also help on down contacts
How: With dog in stand stay, handler in front of dog, with reward (food treat) in hand.  Move both hands in towards dogs front paws (above paws) while saying "bow".  As dog extends head down for treat in a bow position, reward.  This trick is eventually down at a distance and can be down from the side with a single hand command.

CRAWL
Agility Use: Helps dogs who will not go through tunnel
How: Dog in down stay. Hold treat in right hand with left hand on dog's withers (farther back on large dogs).  Move hand with treat up and down (short movements) while saying crawl.  As dog moves forward, hold him/her down with hand on back.   Move treat hand away from dog so dog has to follow to get treat.  Reward initially after any movement and then require longer distances.  If dog has trouble crawling, this can be down under someone's legs or under a solid chair or low agility table.

More Tricks
Patty-cake by Bette

I haven't met a dog that can't be trained to do it. Start with a paw-shake and turn your hand around.  Work on one paw at a time. Graduate from one paw to the other.  Works great to hold a treat in your mouth, I use raisins.  The dog will focus on the raisin and lift one paw at a time.  Danny and I do this for our trick at the nursing home and when we entertain people. We always get a lot of comments and cheers for it. Try it with your dog.  It doesn’t take long

Article courtesy of : www.critterhaven.org

ADVICE ABOUT PLAYING WITH DOGS

Presumably you got your dog to enjoy his company and to have fun with him, but uncontrolled games can be too rough and often do little for your credibility as "The Boss"! These games keep you in control (which can't be a bad thing!) and this helps to stop your dog getting over-excited when playing with you. If he does get difficult to manage, don't punish him or tell him off, just stop the game until he calms down again.Games with rules make your dog use his brain as well as his body. He will probably be more tired after five minutes playing one of these games than twenty minutes "chase me for the ball" or a walk, so don't overdo it, especially when teaching a new game. Use plenty of rewards - titbits, toys or praise. If you use titbits remember to deduct what your dog gets when playing from his daily rations or he'll get too fat to play anything! A good titbit to use is a piece of complete dog food since they are dry, non-messy, well balanced, and don't rot his teeth.Teach one game at a time so as not to confuse your dog. Make all the games really easy to start with and progress slowly. You can't go too slowly, and if you go too quickly you'll put the dog off. If you do meet problems, go back a stage or leave it for a few days and try again. Never get cross, keep it fun - these are games after all!

GAMES WITH DOGS AT HOME

• Hide and seek.
  Tell the dog to stay, and show a toy or titbit. Let him watch you put it under a cushion or behind a chair. Go back to the dog and tell him to "Seek". When he has the idea, pretend to hide it in various places around the room. Leave the reward in one of them (not necessarily the last one you go to) then tell him to "Seek". If necessary go round with him till he gets the idea. Give lots of praise when he finds it. Make the game more difficult when the dog has the idea by using different rooms/places or shutting him out of the room while you hide the titbit.
• Find the person.
  Get someone to hide, having first made it clear to the dog that they have a favourite toy, or a titbit with them. Make it easy to start with by letting the dog watch where they go. Tell the dog "Find Mum/Dad/Emma". Again go with her if you have to till she gets the idea. Once she finds the person, she gets a game with the toy or is given the food. The game can get more difficult (using different rooms) as the dog gets better. Eventually you may want to discard the reward and just get her to find the person. Remember to reward her with lots of fuss though.
• Retrieving.
  Don't let a game of "fetch" turn into "chase me for it" or "tug of war" - it's too easy for your dog to win these! You can teach this one by yourself, even as you watch TV! Offer your dog a toy, and as he mouths or sniffs it, say "fetch" and reward him with praise or a titbit. Once he will touch the toy with his nose whenever you offer it to him and say "fetch", offer it again with the command, but don't reward him. He will be a bit puzzled and when you give the command again (straight away) he should be a bit keener to show you how clever he is; he will probably knock the toy with his nose or even take hold of it, and from then on this is the only action that gets the reward. By working this way, very slowly and in stages, you should be able to get the dog from sniffing to nosing to taking hold of the toy on your command. Never move to a new stage until you have 100% response on the present one. Once you have reached this stage, drop the toy and tell him "fetch"; he should pick it up. You can then throw the toy slightly further away each time and the dog should bring it back to you each time to get his reward. Give plenty of praise and fuss once you have the toy so that it's clear your dog is being praised for fetching it back to you, not just for picking it up.
• Try any of the above on a walk or in the garden, once your dog is good at them. Don't try the tracking games in the house or garden, as your scent will be everywhere!

GAMES WITH DOGS WHEN OUT ON A WALK

You might need help from a dog trainer with these - ask at your local club.

• Tracking.
  Put your dog on a long lead, flexi-lead or rope, and use a fixed collar, not a choke chain. Tell him to stay, or get a friend to hold him. Show him a toy, titbit or stick. Walk along backwards for about 20 yards, dragging your feet to maximise the scent trail, and holding the reward near the floor to encourage the dog to search along at ground level. Try to keep your dog's attention but don't let him follow yet. Leave the reward at the end of your scent trail, and return to the dog along the same path. Tell him to "Track" and encourage him to sniff the ground where you walked until he finds the reward. Don't worry about him pulling on the lead. When he has the idea you should be able to walk gradually more normally when laying the trail. Later try walking in different directions, first in an "L" shape, then in more complicated patterns. Keep him keen by making changes very slowly and make it easy for him to find the reward.
• Find the thimble (er.. toy).
  It's best to teach the track before you try this game. When you are out, drop a toy without your dog seeing you, then continue walking for a few yards. Call the dog and tell her "Look back". Encourage her to retrace your route (she should be able to follow your scent even if she didn't see exactly which way you went) until she finds the toy. Have a good game with it, and give lots of praise. Try using a long lead or rope at first to help you keep the dog on the right track. After a while, increase the distance and make the object a little more difficult to find. Don't throw it away from where you walked, though, or she won't be able to use your scent to find it.

Courtesy of PADS - http://www.gurney.co.uk

Most dogs enjoy playing, it's their choice of play and games which owners often fail to recognise. Many owners, if buying a new toy for their dog, will buy something they like the look of, perhaps a brightly coloured squeaky toy. Whereas, if we had asked the dog what he/she would have chosen, they may well point to a tug type toy, as tugging is their favourite game. They have been trying to tell the owner this for months, by stealing things they shouldn't have and trying to get the owner to confront them, so that a tug game commences.

So, we firstly have to take a long look at the dog, he/she will be advertising the games they like to play, it maybe chase - how do we know? The dog is chasing rabbits, cats, squirrels, cars and anything else that moves! The dog may have a preference for soft toys or hard rubber toys, but what ever they are telling you, its up to you to listen and find out.

Games and playing with toys starts in puppy hood. It is up to us to teach our puppy how to play with toys, for it is not something that comes totally naturally to them.
Many owners do not recognise this fact, but buy many different kinds of toys and leave them all over the floor for the puppy to play with by himself. When he experiments with his mouth, just as human baby's do, we ignore him for chewing and experimenting with his toy, but give him a lot of attention if he picks up something we would rather he did not have. So the puppy never learns how to play with toys, he just learns how to get the owners attention by chewing or stealing inappropriate items

For people taking on a rescue dog, it's often the case that the previous owner has never taught the dog how to play with toys, which is a great shame. A dog that loves his/her toy/s can be so much easier to control in a rewarding way and is fosters a greater relationship between the human/canine. You only have to look round your local park to see this happening, one owner letting their dog off leash who doesn't enjoy toys and runs straight off to play with other dogs, compared to the an owner that lets their dog off leash, produces its favourite toy, that it gets at no other time. This dog can't wait to have a good game with the owner.

The first thing you need, especially if you have an older rescue dog, is patience.
It is going to take time, patience and consistency to teach the dog what great fun toys can be. But the efforts are worth it, for once taught it is never forgotten and your dog will do anything for a game with the toy, which makes training easy!

* Firstly look at what games the dog likes to play and mimic with a suitable toy.

* If its tug games, make sure he does not get those games with anything other than the tug toy. If it's playing with other dogs, limit the access to these games, make yourself exciting to be with. If its chase, make sure you have a toy that can be thrown which your dog shows preference for, like a soft toy, or hard rubber toy, now don't give him the opportunity to chase anything else!

* Make a list of all the things that make your dog naturally excited in the course of a day. A list may look something like this:
(a) When you come home, having been out without your dog and he greets you.
(b) When you are making up his meal in order to feed him.
(c) When you come downstairs in the morning and greet your dog
(d) When you get the leash out, prior to a walk

* If sure you can think of other things that make your dog naturally excited and you should list all of them.

* Now you need to link these things with the chosen toy. So, for example, if you have just come home, having been out without your dog, do not greet him at the front door, but instead walk straight past him, not looking, touching or speaking to. Go and get the toy immediately and have an exciting game with the dog, putting the toy away again, before the dog's excitement ceases and he ends the game himself. Use everything on your list in order to teach your dog to play. If he becomes over excited and starts jumping up, don't worry, this can be easily managed once he is hooked on playing with his favourite toy. If he gets very over excited and starts nipping, then stop the game for a moment, ask him to "sit" or some other control exercise, before resuming the game again.

* Make sure all the "special" toys belong to you, keep them in a place that your dog does not have free access to. It is your responsibility to get them out and play games every day. I suggest very short play sessions 20-30 times a day to begin with 

Points To Remember

1. It is pointless to chastise a dog for inappropriate play, such as chasing cars. He may well stop chasing cars, and instead chase joggers or bikes. In order to stop an unwanted behaviour, we must teach the dog an alternative behaviour and reward him for using it.

2. Keep all the toys you use for playing out of your dogs reach, these are your toys and you must play with the dog as many times as you can, ending the games before the dog gets bored and ends them himself, then put the toy away again.

3. If you like to leave the dog with a toy/s when you go out, to alleviate boredom, just leave a chew type toy or good marrowbone stuffed Kong etc. Dogs seldom play with toys in isolation unless it is a game of destruction. When you return, pick it up and put it away.

4. Once your dog really enjoys playing with his/her favourite toy, in your home and garden with you. Its now time to take this toy on a walk, go to an area which is relatively free from distractions and have a really good game with your dog, then build these games up with distractions, like other people/dogs etc. This special toy is now used on walks only and because it is so special your dog will want to please you in order to get a game with it, so training and control in a rewarding way is a pleasure, for both owner and dog.

Courtesy of - http://www.behaviour-problems.freeserve.co.uk

MIND GAMES

I do not believe that dogs view human beings as if they were other dogs. However, I am convinced that when humans act in specific ways that dogs usually react in a predictable manner. A handler can use these specific reactions to modify a dog's behavior--to help a fearful dog feel more confident and to influence an uncooperative dog into becoming more biddable.

CHECKLIST

Medical exam, including thyroid check

1: No More Kibble From Heaven!

2: No Free Lunches!

3: No More "Pee-Mail"!

4: Learning His Place!

5: Taking Back Your Space!

6: Follow the Leader!

7: Take Control Of Your Dog's Body!

8: S/he Who Owns the Most Toys Wins!

9: Daily Chores!

10: A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body!

11: Rewards From Daily Life!

If your dog shows one or more of the following symptoms, take him to your vet and ask about doing a six function plus TSH thyroid test, before you start the Mind Games. This test usually costs in the neighborhood of $35-40 plus whatever your vet charges for an office visit and blood draw. In Iowa, vets usually send this blood off to the University of Michigan or to Hemovet in California. As far as I know, there is no lab in the state of Iowa that can run this test. If your dog is hypothyroid, problem behaviors can disappear or become much less pronounced with treatment.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include:

• inexplicable and persistent weight gain
• inexplicable weight loss
• unusually heavy or thick coat
• unusually sparse coat
• unusually greasy coat
• areas that have been clipped down grow back very slowly or not at all
• generalized all over itchiness
• generally crabby or crotchety attitude
• spaced out some or all of the time
• lethargy or reluctance to exercise
• seems cold most of the time or seeks out warm places
• suddenly fearful of things that weren't a problem previously
• softening of muscle tone even with regular exercise, particularly noticeable in the face

There are a number of leadership programs around, some of them more detailed than others. The following is what has worked for me and for students of mine but it's not written in stone. If any part of the following is too difficult to carry out or might get you bitten, don't do it! You don't have to play all the Mind Games with your dog to get some benefit from the program. The more Mind Games you play, the faster and more dramatic your results will be.

If you are having serious problems with your dog, consult a dog trainer or behaviorist experienced in working with difficult dogs before changing any of your dog's routines.

Free feeding is the equivalent of kibble from heaven--some dogs seem to imagine that they own their bowl and that the food appears whenever they want it.

Feed your adult dog twice a day (puppies may need 2-6 meals per day depending on age and health status). Before you put the bowl down, have your dog do a sit. If your dog tries to dive on the bowl before you give him permission to eat, pick up the bowl and start over. When your dog stops eating and walks away from the bowl, pick up any remaining food and dispose of it.

Dogs that never have to do anything to earn their living (their food) can become very spoiled. They see no reason to obey their owner at any time because they can get what they want (food) without any conditions at all.

At least four times a week feed your dog his entire meal from your hand. Divide your dog's meal up into 15-25 parts (depending on the size of your dog, this might be anything from individual kibbles to small handfuls). Have your dog perform a simple command for every part of his meal. It doesn't have to be complex--it can be sits, downs, stand, shake hands, salute, roll over, etc.

If your dog is overly rough about how he takes food, work on his eating-from-your-hand skills with his first meal fed this way. If he tries to grab the food roughly from you, pull your hand away, give him a short time out, then offer the food again.

If your dog refuses to carry out known commands, quietly put his food away until the next regularly scheduled meal. It's completely up to him whether he eats or not--don't try to convince him. Let him discover where his own best interests lie!

Dogs sometimes use urination and defecation to mark their own territories. Some males are particularly persistent about urine marking as many places as possible (some bitches do this as well). I call this "pee-mail"--dogs send social messages to other dogs with their urine. Dogs do not need to assert their ownership over a large territory; some dogs who mark the same places on a regular basis become quite territorial.

Urine marking is different from regular urination--the dog sniffs something (often a vertical object or a place where another dog has peed), then moves forward a little and sprinkles that place with a few drops of urine.

If your dog is in the habit of marking during walks on lead, take control of his pee-mail. Give him (or her) two chances to urinate at home and then insist that your dog keep up with you during your walk. You may have to use a head halter to give you control over your dog's nose.

Controlling the best spots to sleep is one of the games dogs play with each other to establish authority. As almost every dog could tell you, the best spots to sleep in any house are the furniture and human beds.

If you are playing Mind Games because your dog lacks respect for you, prohibit your dog from getting up on the furniture and on your bed. If he doesn't respect your "Off!" command, attach a houseline to move him when he doesn't feel like moving. Don't be harsh, just firm and matter of fact.

If your dog has a favorite place to sleep (a particular corner or dog bed), make sure to take control of that place at least once a day by making your dog move out of it and then sitting or standing in it yourself for a few minutes.

If your dog sneaks up on the bed with you after you fall asleep, put him in a crate or shut him out of the bedroom.

If you are playing Mind Games because your dog is fearful or anxious, it is important to get your dog out of the bedroom. British trainer John Rogerson has noted that he has never seen a case of separation anxiety in a dog that routinely sleeps outside the bedroom. I have seen a few cases of separation anxiety in dogs that didn't sleep in the owner's bedroom but did sleep with one or more other dogs. Removing the other dogs did trigger anxiety, so make sure your dog is sleeping in a room alone.

Dogs can take control of a space by lying in the middle of the traffic pattern or by lying in the doorway. Anxious dogs are trying to prevent their owner from leaving, dogs with leadership ambitions are trying to control their owner's movement. In dog society, the lesser ranked dogs have to move around the higher ranked dogs.

If your dog is lying in your way, shuffle your feet and shuffle right through him. You don't want to hurt him (that's why you're shuffling) but you do want him to move for you.

Don't ask your dog to move or warn your dog that you are about to make him move. Make it your dog's responsibility to keep an eye on you and to move as needed to accommodate you.

If you think your dog might bite you, consult a trainer or behaviorist with experience dealing with aggressive dogs ASAP! In the meantime, put a buckle or limited-slip collar on your dog and attach a houseline. Use the houseline to move your dog.

Teaching your dog to follow you teaches your dog to keep an eye on you and to accommodate your movements. You're an important person in your dog's life and if he doesn't know it, it's time for him to learn it.

Tie your dog's leash to your belt or around your waist for at least one hour each day. Go about your every day business without paying particular attention to your dog. Don't warn your dog you are about to move, don't pay attention to your dog, don't coax him to come with you. Make it his responsibility to follow his leader (you!) around.

It's inconvenient to do--but the more often you can do this, the faster you will see a change in your dog's behavior.

Dogs prefer to be touched on their own terms. Some dogs want to be petted constantly and some dogs would prefer only to be handled by invitation only.

If your dog solicits petting constantly, stop all free petting. Insist that your dog earn each petting session by performing one or more commands and keep each petting session short in duration.

If your dog doesn't enjoy being handled, make sure that you handle your dog all over every day. Make sure you can touch and examine every part of your dog's body, including his ears and between his pads.

If it gives you more confidence in handling, wear gloves until you feel safe handling your dog. If you think there is a high probability that your dog will bite you, seek professional help!

Mind Game 8: S/he Who Owns the Most Toys Wins!

In dog society, the dog able to control the most resources is usually the highest ranked. Giving a dog lots of toys that no one else touches can give that dog a mistaken impression of his own rank in the world. Overly confident dogs can become aggressive resource guarders and overly fearful dogs feel stressed by the enormity of their responsibilities.

Pick up and put out of your dog's reach all of the toys, including chew toys. Hold one play session per day with your dog where you bring out one toy and use it to play with your dog for 10-15 minutes.

If your dog declines to play with you, put the toy away without comment.

Remind your dog that he works for his living by holding two short daily obedience sessions. For 5-10 minutes in each session, run through all the commands your dog knows or teach him new ones. These can be combined with hand feeding sessions.

Dogs need physical exercise to stay physically and mentally healthy. Make sure your dog is getting 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every other day. Aerobic exercise is any exercise that makes your dog pant steadily. Depending on your dog's size and fitness level, this can be on lead walking, jogging, road work, treadmill, retrieve games, swimming or pulling.

It's difficult for many people to walk fast enough to give a medium or large dog aerobic exercise (any dog over about 25 pounds). If on lead walking is the only option, you can increase the ooomph factor by teaching your dog to pull a drag from a nonrestrictive harness. I start small with loops of rope and work up to motorcycle tires (depending on the size and condition of the dog). This has an added advantage for conformation people of building the dog's rear.

Avoid retrieve games if your dog doesn't play nicely. Playing nicely means respecting your space when you have possession of the object (in other words, not leaping on you to rip it out of your hands), bringing the object directly back to you and allowing you to take the object out of his mouth.

Make sure your dog is getting a high quality diet with moderate amounts of protein and fat. I believe that a homemade diet based on raw ingredients (meats and veggies) is healthiest for dogs. There are high quality kibbles on the market for those who prefer to feed a commercial diet. Money saved on cheap kibble often gets spent at the vet, so there's no point in trying to economize with cheap dog food.

Mind Game 11: Rewards From Daily Life!

All dogs have things that they enjoy doing. Earning these daily pleasures can help your dog learn confidence and compliance.

It might include things like going out in the yard, going for a walk, being fed, going for a ride in the car, being groomed, being petted, getting scratched in that spot that is always itchy, etc. Before you let your dog have any of the things on that list, have your dog perform a known command, then reward him with the intended activity. If he refuses to do the behavior, don't comment, just walk away, wait for five to ten minutes and try again.

Play as many of the Mind Games as you can for at least a month. If your dog's attitude has improved, slowly start dropping some of the games. I recommend that you keep the first game (No More Kibble From Heaven!) and the last game (Rewards From Daily Life!) for life. You may decide to keep playing more or all of the games. If your dog's attitude starts to get worse again, re-institute the game you most recently dropped for at least another month.

A FEW NOTES
A houseline is a 6-8 foot length of cord attached to your dog's buckle or limited-slip collar for your dog to drag around the house. Spray it with Bitter Apple (or other anti-chewing product) to keep your dog from removing it.

Anti-chewing: If this is the first time you've used an anti-chewing product, make sure your dog doesn't accustom himself to the taste by giving him the "shock" treatment with it. Apply some to a cotton ball or tissue. Then go to your dog and gently pop it into his mouth. He'll go YUCK! and spit it out--praise like crazy, that's exactly the reaction you want. You should only have to do this once. Again, if this is likely to get you bitten, don't do it--consult an experienced trainer or behaviorist as soon as possible.

By M. Shirley Chong
© 2000 Meesoon Shirley Chong

www.shirleychong.com