Bichon Frise training can easily be achieved with persistence and consistency. With the right skills and dedication, you can train and socialize your Bichon yourself. However, if you do not have the know-how, the time, or are a first time owner, you should seek training assistance from a qualified dog trainer.
Nevertheless, aside from the standard obedience Bichon Frise training your dog requires, there are other fun tricks that the Bichon will love to learn if you take the time to teach him. Remember, the Bichon is an intelligent and comical dog. He was once used in the circus and by street performers. His roots make him a fine candidate for learning tricks.
The following is a short description of 5 dog tricks you can teach your Bichon. Note: Make sure your Bichon has a good understanding of basic obedience training before moving on to tricks.
Play Dead
Have your dog sit or stand. Point your finger at your dog and pull your hand up while you say “Bang”. This action is somewhat similar to the down hand signal. Upon hearing “Bang”, your dog must lie down on his side and keep his head down.
You will need to do this Bichon Frise training trick in stages. At first you may need to lure your dog into the position, just as you would have done for the down command. Once he is in the correct position, give him plenty of praise and a treat. Continue this lesson until he understands it, and is lying down on his side with his head down as soon as you say “Bang”.
Crawl
Have your dog move into a down and stay position. Begin by holding the treat in your right or left hand (whichever is more comfortable for you), and place your other hand on his withers. Move the hand that is holding the treat up and down with short movements. As you move the treat, give the command “Crawl”. As your dog moves forward, hold him down with the hand that is on his withers.
Move the hand holding the treat away from your Bichon so he must crawl forward to get it. Reward him for crawling at first, and then only reward him after when he crawls for a longer distance.
If this particular trick of Bichon Frise training proves to be hard for your dog to understand, it’s a good idea to make him go underneath a small table, chair or someone’s legs in order to get the treat.
Weave Heeling
You will need to have complete control over your dog before you begin this Bichon Frise training lesson, as you will require him to be off the leash and he will need to know how to heel beside you.
First, have your dog heel next to you off the leash. Keep a treat in both hands and begin walking, stepping with your right foot forward first. When you step, exaggerate the step and bait the Bichon under your leg while giving the command to “Weave”. The object is to get your Bichon to walk under your leg to end up on your right side. Then, as you step with your left food, he should repeat the weave to the left side. Essentially, the object of the trick is to have your dog weave in and out under your legs as you walk upon hearing the “weave” command.
This particular trick may take a while for your dog to learn, so have patience, take it slow, and don’t rush your dog.
Hide Your Eyes
Have your dog sit or go into a down position at the beginning of the lesson. Once he is settled and waiting your command say, “cover your eyes” to your dog and physically take one of your dog’s paws and place it over his muzzle and instantly praise and reward him. You can also attempt to blow lightly on your dog’s nose to get him to swipe at his face. If he does this, also praise and present him a reward. Continue to repeat the command and movement until the dog associates the movement with a reward.
This Bichon Frise training may take a while for your dog to understand. Note: remember when you reward your dog, don’t always give him food. You don’t want him to become overweight simply from training. Plenty of praise is often enough.
Cookie On The Nose
This is a fun trick your dog will learn quickly. Have your dog sit or stand and place a cookie on his muzzle or at the end of his nose. Tell him to “Stay” or “Leave it” and let go of his muzzle. The object is to have your dog leave the cookie in place until you give him the go ahead command of “Take it”. At this point your dog must catch the cookie in his mouth.
If your dog is having a hard time balancing at first, hold his muzzle in check with your hand while you place the cookie on his nose. and hold your hand there while you give your dog the command to “stay”. Then, let go while still repeating “stay” before allowing him to take it. At first, don’t keep your dog in the stay position for too long. You can prolong the trick when your dog becomes better at it.
When engaging in Bichon Frise training or tricks, make sure you take plenty of breaks in between and provide him plenty of encouragement during training. Remember, as intelligent as your dog may be, he has a short attention span. Teaching your dog tricks will only be fun if both you and your dog are enjoying it.
Bichon Frise Training & Care…
