Trick Dog Skills to Teach Large and Giant Breed Dogs

When you think about tricks training and AKC Trick Dog as a sport, you might think of dogs known for their athleticism or small breed dogs. But in reality, dogs of all sizes participate in this fun and flexible sport. Teaching tricks to giant and large breed dogs is a great way to bond with them and learn new skills.

In This Article

• • When to Start Trick Training
  • Useful Trick Skills to Teach
  • Using Props for Trick Dog Training
  • Considerations for Large and Giant Breeds

AKC Trick Dog is actually an ideal sport for giant breeds. It can even help your dog learn practical skills you can use to make life together easier at home, at vet visits, and while out in public together.

When Can You Start Trick Training?

Many sports require a dog to be fully grown to start serious training. But with Trick Dog, puppies can start right away, even those that are slow-to-develop giant breeds. Puppies need to be 4 months old to earn AKC Trick Dog titles, but it i’s possible to begin low-impact trick dog training as soon as your puppy comes home.

Starting to teach your giant dog to focus on training when they’re still small is not only good for your relationship with your puppy, but also makes them easier to live with. Basic obedience skills, such as sit, down, loose-leash walking, and stay, are great places to start training your future trick dog. These tricks introduce your puppy to training, and they also make it easier and safer to navigate life with a large breed puppy. Training these skills also helps you lay a strong foundation that will support your giant puppy so they’re prepared for more complicated tricks in the future.

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Large breed and giant breed dogs unfortunately usually have a shorter lifespan than smaller dogs. As a result, they’ll become senior dogs earlier than smaller breeds. As your dog ages, be thoughtful about how physically demanding your trick routines are, especially once they reach their senior years. Trick Dog is a sport that senior dogs can remain active in, as you can switch your focus to lower-impact tricks. This makes Trick Dog a great sport for big dogs of all ages, and one they can enjoy at all life stages.

Useful Tricks for Giant and Large Breeds

Trick training can help large breeds gain skills that make it easier to navigate everyday life together. It also supports practical skills that help giant dogs become accustomed to being handled. This familiarity with handling is especially important when you have a puppy that can weigh as much as a small (or not so small) human when fully grown.

Familiarity with handling is useful at home, as well as for grooming and veterinary appointments. Having a large dog who is comfortable being touched and can be asked to reposition on cue will make these regular situations easier and less stressful for both dogs and people.

Here are some useful tricks to consider teaching your puppy:

• A novice trick with many practical uses is teaching your dog to shake hands. This trick helps dogs of all sizes become accustomed to having their feet touched and manipulated, which is necessary for grooming and veterinary appointments.
• Teaching your dog to target both with their nose and paws is a useful foundation trick that’ll be beneficial when you teach more complex trick skills like bringing prop objects from one area to another. You can also use targeting to maneuver your dog and communicate where you want them to be. This can be especially useful when navigating crowded public spaces together.
• Teaching your dog to spin is another great trick skill for giant dogs and is ideal for puppies. This trick is cute and a great way to reposition your dog and refocus them back on you.
• An easy trick for large breed dogs is teaching them to back up. Plus, working on this skill is a great way to improve their rear-end awareness and flexibility.

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Utilizing Lots of Props

Props can be addicting with trick dog training, especially as you work up to more advanced trick dog skills. One of the benefits of training in the sport of Trick Dog with a giant breed is how easy it is to find size-appropriate props. With smaller trick dogs, you often have to get a little creative to find or make props. But with larger breeds, props are readily available in the perfect size.

Toddler-sized toys work especially well for giant trick dogs. These can include basketball hoops, tennis rackets, toy kitchens, pretend mailboxes, and ring stacking toys. Building blocks and playground balls are also great prop ideas for working on tricks with our larger breed trick dogs. These can often be purchased inexpensively at retailers or found at garage sales and thrift stores.

Just remember that these children’s toys aren’t designed for dogs to play with. You should only bring them out for trick training, and ensure your dog isn’t left alone with toys that are unsafe for them to chew on.

Size and Temperament Considerations

When working on tricks with any dog, we want to consider the individual dog’s personality. One of the benefits of Trick Dog as a sport is its flexibility. You can tailor your training to an individual dog’s skills, abilities, and personality. For example, some tricks, such as rebounding off the handler’s body or foot stalls (balancing on the handler’s feet), aren’t realistic options for most giant breeds. However, that doesn’t mean that giant breeds aren’t and can’t be successful in the sport.

With the obvious exceptions of physically impossible tricks, giant dogs can learn all the same tricks as smaller dogs! Though the bigger breeds might perform tricks more slowly than their smaller counterparts, they can and will enjoy learning. One of the great things about tricks as a sport is that you and your dog can earn titles, but you won’t be competing against any other dogs.

Frequently Asked Questions