Dog Trick 7. "Bow"

After his trick routine, teach him or her to bow to the audience

A number of approaches are required to teach your dog this trick:

• The first involves praising your dog when he naturally exhibits the behaviour, for example when he stretches or crouches when playing. You have to be pretty alert to spot when he does this, so it can take some time before he fully grasps this.
• You can speed up the training process:
  • Knee down and get your dog to stand in front of you.
  • Hold a treat near the ground in between his front legs. As he bends down (even just a small amount) to reach it, praise and treat him.
  • Repeat this and gradually increase the amount he has to bend down before he is allowed to have the treat. As he gets the hang of it, start to introduce the command word "BOW".
• If, after a few training sessions your dog is not grasping this trick, you can also try this:
  • Ask your dog to stand at your side. Please a treat on the floor just in front of him.
  • Ask your dog to lie down using whatever command he understands this with.
  • As he lies down, hold his tummy up. Treat and praise whenever he displays even a small amount of movement in the right direction.

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