It’s September and the kids are heading off to school. Time to learn new things.
So, why not teach your dog a new thing or two, also?
I decided that I’d like to teach Kelly to say her prayers.
Admittedly, she’s not the quickest dog in the litter, but she was able to learn the basics in about 15 minutes.
Follow these steps to teach your dog to “Say Your Prayers.”
1. Start by asking your dog to sit facing a low bed or chair, depending on the size of your dog. Make sure it’s a comfortable reach.
2. Hold a small, soft treat at the edge of the bed. Say “Up!” Pat the edge of the bed, demonstrating where you want your dog to raise his feet.
3. Your dog will probably try to jump up onto the bed. Say “uh, uh, uh,” and gently guide him back down. Repeat until she understands that you want only the feet up. When she accomplishes this successfully, praise, “Good dog!” and reward with the treat.
4. Say, “Stay!” (This was probably the most difficult part for Kelly!)
5. Say, “Say your prayers.” To get your dog to bow her head, lower the treat to between her front paws. Praise her and reward her with a treat.
When your dog gets the hang of Say Your Prayers, you might try releasing her by saying “Amen!” To learn more, watch this helpful video from Animal Planet.
