How to Train a Greyhound to Do Easy Dog Tricks
Introduction
Whether it's 'shake', 'bow', 'high-five', or 'roll over', teaching your Greyhound easy tricks will take some patience. Remember to take your time and try not to push her too quickly. Be clear in your commands and gentle in your corrections. If it seems like she's getting bored or losing interest, stop the session and do something fun. With practice, your dog will be able to do a number of new tricks.
Defining Tasks
You'll also want to teach her basic commands first. Obedience training creates the foundation for responsiveness, good manners, and a willingness to learn. Teaching commands like 'come', 'sit', 'stay', and 'down' establish your bond and set your dog up for successful training later in life. If you have adopted a retired racing Greyhound, you may have a lot of work to do to get her ready to learn a few tricks. Make sure you know your dog well and what she needs before you move on.
Getting Started
- Training treats
- A leash
- A martingale collar your dog can't slip out of
- A quiet place to learn
You can read directions to train three easy tricks below. Take your time and be sure you are training on your dog's schedule. With time, you'll add three fun tricks to her repertoire and have a fun time bonding together.
The Crawl Method
The Shake Method
The Bow Method
Success Stories and Training Questions
Training Questions and Answers and Success Stories
Chelsea
I am trying to teach her to give paw. She will sit but not for a long period of time . She also has a very short attention span . From a standing position she loses balance when I try and lift her leg. Help ! How long should it take to teach her this ?
706 Dog owners recommended
Hello Wesley, Generally, paw should be taught from the sitting position first. Try having her sit before beginning the training to get her to lift her paw. Wait until she knows the trick really well before you try to transition to doing it standing. How long the training takes depends on several factors. For example, it can depend on how many repetitions that dog or breed of dog generally takes to learn something new (A Border Collie is said to be the most intelligent breed, and a Greyhound is ranked as #46 out of 79 ranked breeds). A Border Collie for example may learn something as soon as 5 repetitions, a Labrador in about 20 repetitions, and a greyhound may need 30-40 repetitions. These number can vary a lot depending on your teaching skills, your individual dog, and whether they are physically capable of doing the trick behind performed - or need to develop the balance or muscles for that trick overtime - such as standing on hind legs. The general point is that you most likely need to keep practicing and be patient with pup - knowing that it's probably normal for her to need a lot more practice still. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
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