The Royal Academy
Party Tricks
High fives, spins, and other ways to make the staff applaud.
Tricks are pure enrichment: they work her brain, burn energy and turn training into a game the whole household enjoys. They also build the focus and cooperation every other course leans on. Lure and reward, never pose her by hand.
The curriculum
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Marker and target
up nextPick a marker (a clicker, or a crisp "yes") and pair it with a treat until the sound alone means "well done". Then teach a nose-touch: hold a finger out and reward the instant she boops it. This one skill powers every trick.
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Sit
Hold a treat at her nose and slide it up and back over her head; as her nose follows and her bottom drops, mark and reward. Once it is smooth, add the word "sit" just before she does it.
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High five
Hold a treat in a loose fist near her chest. The instant a paw lifts to investigate, mark and reward. Shape it higher over a few sessions until the paw meets your open palm, then name it "high five".
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Spin
Lead her nose with a treat in a slow circle so she turns on the spot; mark the full turn and reward. Make the circle smaller each day, shrink it to a finger twirl, and add the word "spin".
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Fade the lure
Now make the same hand motion with no treat in it, and pay from the other hand once she performs. Say the cue once, give her a beat, and reward the cue rather than food held at her nose.
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The finale
Add one showstopper (a "sit pretty" beg, or a hop through a held hoop), then string two tricks into a little routine on cue. She now performs for the household audience by request. Graduation, and a standing ovation.
Session rules
- Short sessions: 2–5 minutes, once or twice a day.
- Always end on a success, even a tiny one.
- Treats are the salary; keep them within the daily 10% budget.
- Never force it. If she leaves, class is dismissed.
- One step at a time; repeat a step for days before moving on.