Interactive Dog Toys make training your Norfolk fun.

Get it! Run to a baited target (or that toy squirrel) from increasing distances, starting at about 18 inches (or less if need be) and working up to 6 or 8 feet or more.  Don't increase the distance until he is confident and driving toward the target at the current distance.  And only increase the distance by a foot at a time.  Any time his enthusiasm lessens, shorten the distance so he can be successful.

Wait! Making "WAIT!" a game can be enjoyable to both you and your dog. Start with treats in your pocket and an area your dog can easily define - one side of the door or the other, inside the crate with the door open for example. Use a combination of a hand signal and firm but pleasant "WAIT!" and if necessary place the open hand against the dog's chest repeating the command until the dog stops resisting and "waits". Immediately offering the treat with an enthusiastic "GOOD PUPPY!!" Repeat the exercise until the puppy has successfully waited for 3 times (don't extend the wait time yet). Use the same scenario in each training session, slightly extending the wait time for each session until you are confident the dog understands "WAIT!". Then move on to another scenario (if you used the open crate door the first time, maybe move to the door of another room for the 2nd level) and repeat the training sessions - the dog will more quickly understand what you want in the 2nd level. Gradually work your way around different scenarios, but be sure you keep it a "game". The Norfolk is easily bored and you are looking for a quick, consisdtence response in this game rather than the competitive obedience "down" exercise.

Soccer
Did you know you can teach your dog to play soccer? Start the game by gently kicking the ball along the ground toward your dog. Encourage him to get it. The ball is too big to pick up with his teeth and it will take him a few minutes to figure out that he must push it with his nose or bat it with his paws. Give him lots of praise as he begins to catch on. As he gets better at it, you can include more people in the game. For breeds too small to handle a soccer ball, soft rubber balls can be found at petstores.

Fetch
Some dogs are natural fetchers, others are not. All can learn to enjoy this game. Be sure to teach and practice "drop it" first. If your dog refuses to return the ball (and this is pretty instinctive!), or drops it too far away, end the game in disgust. Don't turn "fetch" into "keep away"! "Fetch" can be shaped by rewarding interest in a toy, then approaching a toy, then touching it, then mouthing it, then picking it up. Use a clicker to click-and-treat faster retrieves, catches in the air, or a neater return.

Touch
Shop your local thrift store and garage sales for interactive toys for young children. A toy piano works - I found a plastic turtle with colored buttons that when touched lights up and plays a tune. Puppies are fascinated by the game - get the puppy's attention and have it follow your hand to touch the button. The puppy will soon get the idea that when it touches the object you point to he is praised and gets a treat;PLUS the toy!

Sit and Shake Hands:

This is one of the easiest tricks to teach to a dog. First you must teach your dog to sit on command. Probably the easiest way to teach a dog to sit on command is to have a treat (dog biscuit, piece of cheese, etc.) on your hand, lift it up above the dog's nose and say 'sit!'. If the dog is standing and tries to grab the treat, don't let him get it, but repeat the same maneuver again. When he sits, immediately give him the treat and praise him. Repeat the trick a few times.

Another way to teach a dog to sit on command is very simple but takes a little more time: each time you see that your dog is going to sit, tell him to 'sit!' and praise him when he does that (+ give a treat). It doesn't take very many repetitions for the dog to realize what the command is for, but this still takes longer than the above mentioned method.

Some poeple suggest you to teach a dog to sit on command by pressing his butt on the ground while saying 'sit!'. I suggest you first try the other two methods though, just to see how easy it is to teach a dog even without using force. Later, once he has clearly understood the meaning of the command 'sit!' you can use this method if he doesn't obey you. Try to be gentle though, there's no point in causing the dog pain when teaching him tricks.

Once your dog has learned to sit on command, you can proceed to 'shaking hands'. Give him the command ('say hello!' or whatever), and gently hold his paw with your hand and give him a treat with another hand. Repeat this a couple of times -- most dogs learn this very fast, if your timing (the command + the praise and treat) is right.

 

Dock Jumping
First things first. before you take your dog up to the dock, you will want to introduce them to the exit ramp. This will help them understand how to get out of the pool and helps you gauge whether the dog is comfortable and ready for the dock or not. When it is your turn, let the pool "wrangler" know that you would like to let your dog go up the exit ramp and into the pool before attempting to jump off the competition dock. If there is no "wrangler", just let the person behind you in line know what you will be doing so that they know what is going on. MORE >>

The Find It Game

The easiest doggy game of all may be “Find It” -- you can’t go wrong when sniffing and food are involved. Show your dog a piece of dry food or a tiny treat. Say “Find it!” and toss the food on the ground. If your dog doesn’t quite get the idea of hunting outside the bowl, start her off by dropping the treat right in front of her. Then at each repetition, toss it farther and farther away. You can feed your dog entire meals by playing Find It; for some reason, dogs rarely seem to get bored when looking for food. Make the game more challenging by asking your dog to stay while you hide the treat behind a piece of furniture or in another room. Come back, release your dog from the stay, and wish her happy hunting. I do not suggest using the couch cushions as a hiding place.

 

Getting Started in Dock Dog Training

Simon Says:

If you have the right attitude, you can make obedience training a game. Let your dog prove how clever she or he is by sitting when you say "sit", lying down when you say "down", etc. Try it when your eyes are closed, your back is to the dog, or you are in a different position like lying down or even standing on your head! Mix up "drop it", "take it/get it", "hold it", and "leave it".

Wobble Wobble:
Make a Wobble Board from wood: On the bottom of a wooden square painted with a nonslip surface. In the center, on the bottom of the board, screw in or glue a ball (tennis ball or small round cabinet knob, depending upon the size of your dog). Encourage your dog to step on the Wobble Board , stand on the center and walk around its perimeter. The Board will "Wobble" and teach the dog that wobbling surfaces are a game rather than to be feared.

Clean Up Your Toys:
Get a box or bucket and collect a number of toys and other dog-safe items (don't start with things your dog likes to hoard or that you don't want them ever touching). Scatter the toys in a small pile on the floor. Through shaping and teasing, get the dog to pick up the items one at a time, and place them in your hand. Once the dog is lifting the items high enough to get your hand underneath to receive, you are well started. Be sure to reward each "gift" with a food treat. Make it harder and harder to put stuff in your hand, while maintaining the fun of this "return for refund" game. Each item retrieved is dumped into the bucket. The dog will leave harder ones for later, so over time make substitutions that make the items increasingly difficult for the dog. Some dogs take the leap and start putting things directly into the bucket themselves. (Thanks to Diana Hilliard for this one!)

Follow the Leader: I set up lots of puppy obstacles and traffic cones in no particular order and give each handler the opportunity the chance to be leader. All you need are three dogs and handlers. In the summer (actually most of the year here in Florida) I include a shallow wading pool, also some piles of balls or Frisbees. Well, you get the idea.

Recall -- from the Dog-Games.co.uk site

"Nose-Ball" -- teach your dog to push a tennis ball to you with his nose. This is a great 'living room activity' for rainy days!

\Hide and Go Seek: When you are out of sight of your dog, call her to you. You can either use your normal "recall" command or just her name. Be very excited when she arrives. Start making it more difficult by "hiding" behind doors, couches, etc. If she doesn't find you at first, call her again. If your dog is very good at "stay" you can use this to keep her in place while you hide. Some dogs will use their noses for this task, others will just look. Most of them will learn a faster recall. This is a great game for kids to play with dogs, as long as the kids don't encourage the dog to chase them

Canicross: Visit this site for a unique way to jog/run/race with your dog.

Flying Disc Games: This site is a great link for a game dogs LOVE to play!

Bone Hunt (like Easter egg hunt, but Milk bones that are decorated so no one can add in their own) Areas must be clearly defined and supervised.

Treasure Hunt in teams....dog and handler combined to promote team work. Teams (dog from one hat, handler from 2nd hat) drawn from a hat.

What To Wear: A pile of "extra" clothes to be put on over their own clothes (obviously sizes must be larger) never letting go of leash. Owners choose from the pile what to wear. Outfits become a real joke and pictures are taken of "What not to wear" and posted. Owners are told to wear the minimum of clothes but must have all limbs covered to participate. IE jeans, socks, sneakers and long sleeved T shirt to participate then they have to put on a sweater (buttons are undone if present prior to donning) skirt or pants, and shoes if you want to go that far.

EGG RACE
Contestants with their dogs race with hard boiled egg balanced on spoon with dog's leash in same hand.

MUSICAL CHAIRS
With dogs on leash and dog must be in the lap (or at least all fours off the ground) - last dog off the ground is eliminated.

BOWLING
Make a bowling alley (narrow lane) with 2Liter coke bottles with sand in the bottom, lined up as pins. Dogs are released on the far end of the alley and the contestant calls their dog to run through the pins and knock them over. (90% JUMP over the pins....it is a riot to watch. If a dog knocks down 3 pins it is a lot!

WATER RACE
A great FUN thing is to change dogs with the kids and have them do a race with a glass of water in the same hand as the leash. Of course, they would need time to get the dogs dry if being shown in Jnr or other classes. The owner of the dog has to race in the opposite direction. The contestant with the most water left in the glass is the winner.

SOCK RACE
Place infant socks on dogs and let them race to the owner - the dog with the most socks on when it reaches the owner wins the race.

PLAY DAY BLIND MAN'S BLUFF
Do you know your dog? Blindfold the owners and have them go over a dog and see if they can recognize their own dog.