How To Train Your Dog To Jump In Your Arms

Dog Training Tips By Taylor, the talented trainer of Lottie the Border Collie!

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” -Josh Billings

It’s important we give them the best life we can, and we can do this through positive reinforcement training.

Training is supposed to be fun for you and your dog, so staying patient, happy and positive is top priority. Taylor explains the key foundations any dog should know and a fun new trick to teach your dog!

You ARE A Dog Trainer!

Have you been thinking about doing some training with your best friend, but haven’t found any classes? No problem, you are your dog’s best trainer! Learn the simple key methods of training and the possibilities are endless.

Here are some simple and positive methods for training:

Luring: Lure your dog with a treat to the desired behaviour, mark the desired behaviour with a clicker or marker word.
Eg. spin, rollover, leg weaves.

Shaping: Mark a behaviour your dog already has with a treat, and use a clicker or marker word so that your dog picks up on the behaviour your asking for!
Eg. shake a paw, sit, lay down.

No matter what method you use, it is important to stock up on healthy, tasty treats and to reward your dog often. Make sure you do not get frustrated or impatient while training. Your dog can pick up on your emotions and will not enjoy the training process. Remember to maintain a happy tone, reward your dog often, keep training sessions short and end each session on a positive note.

“Jump In My Arms:” A Bond Building Trick!

This trick requires a lot of trust and should help strengthen your bond with your dog. It can also be useful if you have a dog like Kilo the Rescue Pug who is often reactive or afraid with new dogs and people.

Before you start, make sure that both you and your dog are physically fit enough for this trick! You must be able to lift your dog’s weight, and your dog must be able to jump above your waist.  Although this trick is geared towards dogs that are over one-year-old, puppies can practice the foundations that are required.

1) Start Small: sit on a low stool or a stair and use the luring method to lure the dog onto your lap. Work on this step until your dog is fully comfortable with climbing onto your lap. This works best if you consistently lure the dog from one side of your body (either left or right side works).
2) Slowly, raise the height of the object that you’re sitting on and work on straightening your legs. At this point, you will have to start supporting the dog’s weight with your arms. Reward the dog while you are holding them firmly and they are calm.
3) As you raise the height that the dog must climb, they will start to hop up. This is where it becomes vital that you catch your dog. The more you catch, the more the dog trusts you.
4) Now, time for the hard part: transferring your body from a sitting position to leaning against a wall. Keep your knees slightly bent to imitate sitting. This will make the transfer easier for the dog. Build the dog’s confidence in this position and remember to reward often.
5) Now that the dog knows it’s job, take away the lure and start with a verbal cue (eg. “jump up” or “in my arms”). At first, only hold the dog in your arms for a short period of time, and then, gradually, increase the duration of time from there.
For the dog’s safety, it’s best you place the dog down on the floor, instead of dropping them. 

Keep it positive and have fun training!

For more tips and tricks by Taylor and Lottie Check Out her Dog Trainer Spotlight 

Training is supposed to be fun! However, there’s no harm in having some incentive. Set goals and earn trick titles with your dog by visiting www.DoMoreWithYourDog.com
Learn tricks from each of the titles, find a local instructor and in no time you’ll have a certificate to brag about!

Lottie and I are would like to say thank you to Talent Hounds. They’ve been amazing supporting us on our adventures. We would also like to thank Nutrience Pet Foods for providing us with the tasty food needed to fuel such an incredible team. We wouldn’t be able to do it without you guys!

Keep up-to-date with Lottie The Border Collie on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.