Beginning Dog Dance For Fun or Sport

Tips on selecting suitable food for training

How to use food luring and praise effectively to teach your dog Dog Dancing

This lecture shows what an "engaged" dog should look like. Your dog should be interested in the rewards that you have to offer. You need to have something that the dog "wants" in order to start training.

You will need a distraction-free training area

Learn how the teach your dog to place their right or left paw on your hand, and how to then teach your dog to place their paw on your leg. This trick can be used as a start or finish pose, or within your routine.

Learn how the teach your dog to place their front paws on a step or raised prop. This trick can be used as a start or finish pose, or within your routine. See the lecture on Pivoting in the Heelwork section for additional ways to use the Paws Up trick.

Learn how the teach your dog to jump up onto a prop. This trick can be used as a start or finish pose, or within your routine.

Learn how the teach your dog to jump into a prop such as a basket or suitcase. This trick can be used as a start or finish pose, or within your routine.

Learn how the teach your dog to go away from you a short distance to get into a prop such as a basket or suitcase, and how to stay in the prop until called. This trick can be used as a start or finish pose, or within your routine.

Learn how to teach your dog to walk backwards, including backing away from you while you stand still, and walking backwards as you walk forwards.

Learn how to teach your dog to "Take A Bow".  This trick can be used as a start or finish pose, or within your routine.

Learn how the teach your dog to "Sit Pretty", which is to sit with their paws up, or with their paws resting on your arm. This trick can be used as a start or finish pose, or within your routine.

Learn how the teach your dog to spin in both directions (clockwise and anti-clockwise). This trick can be used within your routine.

Learn how to teach your dog to move into the middle position (between your legs) and to move with you while remaining in middle position.

Learn how the teach your dog to circle around you. This trick can be used within your routine.

Once your dog has learned the Circle Handler trick, here are some ways you can use it in your routine.

Learn how the teach your dog to go around a prop. This trick can be used within your routine.

Learn how the teach your dog to Go Around a prop from a distance, and also how to send your dog around two props in a figure-8 pattern. This trick can be used within your routine.

Learn how to teach your dog to weave through your legs, either in a figure-8 pattern while you stay still, or in continuous weaving through your legs as you walk forwards. This trick also helps with the heelwork transition (change from one side to the other) using a single weave through your legs.

Learn how the teach your dog to jump over a prop, over a cane held in your hand, over your leg or arm, and through your arms or legs. This trick can be used within your routine.

Learn how to use a treat stick to teach your dog to follow the end of a cane, wand or other prop.

This video shows how the dog that was previously cautious of the Treat Follow Stick has become confident, and also demonstrates how to solve two problems that may arise when using the Treat Follow Stick - the dog may try to jump up and nudge or bite the cup, or the dog may not follow the cup if there is no food in it.

Learn how to use a step stool to teach your dog to pivot (keep their front feet still and rotate by using their back legs). this can be used as a trick as part of a routine. And it will help develop good rear-end awareness so your dog can turn neatly in heel position.

Learn how to teach your dog to walk in a correct heel position (dog's shoulder in line with your leg) on both the left side and the right side. Demonstrated with a dog that does not already know this exercise, so you can see how to remedy any problems.

Learn how to teach your dog to move in a variety of Heelwork positions suitable for a Starter routine - including on your left side and right side, with dog facing forwards and backwards, as well as dog across the front of you.

Learn a number of transitions, which are ways that the dog can move from one Heel position to another Heel position. Transitions demonstrated include dog and handler both turn with dog turning towards or away from the handler, dog turns as handler goes into reverse, dog does a single weave through the handler's legs, and dog comes across the front of the handler and turns into position on the opposite side.

How to select suitable music for your routine - things to consider. Can the music be edited to a suitable length and still "make sense"? Is the music something that your audience will enjoy listening to? Does the music have phrasing that makes it interesting? Does the music have a theme, tell a story, or contain lyrics you can build your routine around? Does the music lend itself to a specific costume?

A great way to see if your music matches your dog's movement is to video your dog, then watch the video while you listen to some of your music choices. Watch your dog's footsteps - are they in time with the music? When your dog moves, does it look like the music "suits"? This exercise will allow you to get a "feel" for whether the music will suit your dog.

What are props and how do you use them? What should you think about when deciding on a costume?

How to plan out your routine. How much content should you include? Tips for deciding how to structure the routine. Remember that the dog is the star!!

Learn the why and the how of joining tricks together. These small "chunks" or sequences, consisting of 3-4 tricks joined together,  are the building-blocks for your routine. It's also how you start the process of teaching your dog to do multiple tricks for each reward. Examples of short sequences are demonstrated.

In preparation for performing your full routine, practice in a full-size ring without your dog as well as with your dog. practice without carrying food, but give your dog a big reward at the end. Practice in different places, but make sure your dog is comfortable in that environment first.

At the end of your training session, do something your dog really likes,  such as having a game with a toy, or enjoying a relaxing walk.

Thank you for watching, and I hope you have fun training your dog in Dog Dancing!