Kyra Sundance--The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook

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Comes with 30 Trick Cards plus a DVD!

The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook
Includes 30 Trick Cards and a DVD

Available wherever books are sold, and at Petsmart stores nationwide.

Translated into Spanish and Croatian.

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Dog Trick Instructors: Download a class syllabus based on The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook.

Excerpt from The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook

Timing

With humans, we can explain the connection between a behavior and its consequenced, even if they are separated in time. We can reward a child with dessert for having cleaned his room earliear. With dogs, we can't explain the connection between the behavior and the consequence. This is why the consequence has to be immediate in order for the dog to link it to the behavior.

During the learning process, your dog may be squirming and trying a variety of different movements and gestures. You need to let him know immediately immediately know if each thing he did was a success (treat) or non-success (no treat). You have to make sure he understands exactly what it was that he did to earn that treat. The key to helping him understand the goal behavior, is to give the treat at the exact moment he performed the behavior correctly.

For example, if your dog sits, and then scratches his neck, and then you give him the treat, you’ve just rewarded him for scratching his neck! You have to get that treat in his mouth the instant his rear hits the floor.

Beginning trainers often make the mistake of rewarding too late. Their dog performs the behavior, and then the trainer reaches into his pocket and fishes out a treat. This imprecise timing lessens your dog’s ability to understand how he earned the reward. Instead, be ready with a treat already in your hand, and release it the instant your dog performs correctly.

The key to teaching any trick is to reward success at the instant the dog performed correctly. The correct timing of the treat is the crux of teaching your dog.

Excerpted from page 118 of The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook

Kyra Sundance’s world-acclaimed acrobatic Stunt Dog Team performed on The Tonight Show, Ellen, and ET. They starred in Disney’s Underdog stage show, and in a command performance for the King of Morocco.

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“Absolutely brilliant! By working this curriculum you will learn core dog-training skills, your dog will learn wonderful tricks, and the bond between the two of you will assuredly strengthen. I highly recommend The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook for every dog owner.”

— Ian Dunbar, Ph.D., BVetMed, MRCVS, Founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)

“This step-by-step curriculum will set you, and your dog, up for success, and will inspire you to give your dog the mental exercise critical to his well being!”

— Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., CAAB, author of: The Other End of the Leash, For the Love of a Dog, Play Together, Stay Together, Healthy and Happy Play Between People and Dogs

“Excellent book with a very dynamic presentation that makes you want to drop everything and train your dog.”

— Susan Garrett, U.S., Canadian, and World Agility Champion, Say Yes Dog Training Inc.

"One of our surprise best sellers over the past year was Kyra Sundance's 101 Dog Tricks. So we were very pleased to see that she has followed that book up with The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook (book plus DVD and tricks cards). It is becoming more and more accepted that teaching your dog tricks is not only a way to build a great relationship with your dog, but it is a great way to learn and improve upon your training skills. This book really focuses on key training concepts (use of clickers, cues, rewards, etc.), and in fact for many readers it may prove to be the best way to learn to be a better trainer because you will have fun doing it - and so will your dog. A tremendous amount of information for the price. "

—Dogwise

"Kyra explains clearly how to provide the motivation, and emotional support necessary to bring out the best in your dog. It reminds us throughout of just how special we can make our relationship with our best friend."

—Martin Deeley,
Executive Director, Co-Founder, International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP)

"Kyra Sundance has done it again! The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook clearly describes the principles of dog training, while engaging the dog and his owner in fun training exercises and activities. Both dog and owner will gain important knowledge and impressive skill. As a professional movie dog trainer, and animal training enthusiast, I highly recommend this workbook to anyone who has the privilege of sharing their life with a dog!"

—Claire Dore, Professional movie animal trainer

"The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook not only teaches people how to teach their dogs a host of tricks in a clear and accessible format, more importantly, Kyra's style and message communicates what living with dogs is all about: having fun. With this book, Kyra has done an exceptional job using play to promote, foster and build the ideal dog-human relationship. This book exemplifies the perfect marriage of science and heart from someone who obviously loves not only what she does but equally loves the dogs she plays with."

—Paul Owens
Author: The Dog Whisperer and The Puppy Whisperer