Silly tricks are rarely useless!

When training is playful, no game is ever wasted. Exploring our limits, no corrections, just play… and we get success!

Hero and I practise fun tricks in between the challenging stuff so that these new skills are something he continues to want to explore. If he doesn’t want to do something, he won’t. Anyone who’s lived with a Jack knows their wilfulness, a blessing and a curse haha. I chose the breed because I knew I could use that willpower to work in his favour, to get the best behaviour by using that strength to build another – self control!

I want Hero engaged so we keep it fresh and silly. Watch how he flattens his ears in prep for the pot, pricking them right back up for his reward. He is well fed, has other food down to choose when we train (contra-freeloading) but chooses this task because it feels incredible to achieve! He feels like a winner, because he is.

Silly little games for better self control!