Want something fun to do with your dog that fits in the time it takes your tea to brew? Something that's good for their body too?
What you'll learn in this edition: how to teach your dog to put their front feet up on something, and the 3 setup details that turn a cute trick into a strength exercise for their back end.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
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Done before the tea steeps
Walks and couch naps don't ask much of the muscles along your dog's back and back legs, and those are the muscles that carry your dog up the stairs and into the car for years.
Most mornings, Jinx (my Dutch Shepherd, high energy, high everything) puts her front feet up on a platform while I wait for my tea to brew.
Back legs square. Back flat. Head level.
She holds it. I say "good" and pay her in position.
That's her strength workout for the morning, done before I've had a sip.
This is quite a workout for a dog!
What front feet up does for your dog
When your dog's front feet go up, their weight shifts back. Holding that position works their glutes, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors and core.
Holding still is the workout (isometric strengthening, if you want the term), and it builds strength in the hind end.
It's also a stretch. A lot of dogs carry stress along their spine, and this position can let a lot of it go.
It is also a great trick for some cute photos. Front feet up on a pumpkin, a sleigh, a stack of presents... there's your holiday card.
If your dog gets nervous around new things or lunges and barks at other dogs on walks, tricks like this build confidence and cooperation with you. Your dog tries something new and gets paid for it.
Training and building confidence can be as simple as teaching a trick!
(If your dog has a joint/hip issue or an injury, check with your vet before adding this one.)
Where it goes wrong
The trick is easy. The setup decides whether it's a workout.
Rewarding too low. Your dog's head follows the treat down, weight tips forward, and the front legs do the work.
Back feet too close to the object. Your dog folds up to fit, so the back arches. Picture yourself hunched over a laptop.
Standing too far away. Your dog leans toward you, and the weight goes right back onto the front end.
Your dog is just following the food. All 3 are easy fixes.
What a good rep looks like
Back legs even, all 4 legs parallel.
Back straight, no hump, no sag.
Head level with the back. That one's on you: the head goes wherever you hold the reward.
One thing to try this week 👇🏻
Find something sturdy and low. The bottom stair or some books.
Stand close and lure your dog's front feet up with a treat. The moment both feet land, pay at nose height, in line with their back.
Start with a few seconds, a couple of reps while the tea brews.
Once that's easy, hold it longer, go higher, go wobbly (a couch cushion), or put the back feet up on something too.
Key takeaway
Where you hold the treat decides which muscles do the work.
Good dog of the week 🐶
Meelo, a silly and adorable shiba inu
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That's all for today folks! 🫶🏻
Let's go train some Good Dogs 🐶
P.S. Hit reply with a side view photo or video of your dog's front feet up, and I'll tell you what I see in their back legs, back, and head. I read every single email!