IMPORTANT – MEMBERSHIP & ENROLMENT REQUIRED
Trick Dog classes are available to current Sutherland Shire Dog Training Club members only, and enrolment into the class is required before attending.
To participate in Trick Dog training at SSDTC:
- Handlers must be current financial members of SSDTC.
- Participants who are new to the Club must attend Sunday Obedience classes for a minimum of four weeks before joining Trick Dog.
- Enrolment must be confirmed by the Trick Dog instructors before attending.
The four-week requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Trick Dog instructors following an assessment of the dog and handler.
Please do not attend a Trick Dog class without first receiving confirmation of your enrolment from the Trick Dog instructors.
Classes are conducted two Wednesdays a month – Refer to Training Times for dates/times.
For further information, assessment enquiries or Trick Dog class enrolments, please enquire at the clubhouse on Sunday mornings.
What is Trick Dog?
Trick Dog is a fun and versatile dog sport that encourages handlers to teach their dogs a wide variety of skills and behaviours using positive training methods.
Tricks can include foundation skills such as paws up, spins, retrieving and working around objects, progressing through to more challenging behaviours involving distance, duration, precision and combinations of skills.
One of the great things about Trick Dog is the variety of exercises available. Handlers can choose skills that suit their individual dog, making the sport accessible to dogs and handlers of different ages, abilities and experience levels.
Trick training provides mental stimulation, develops communication between dog and handler and is a great way to build confidence and learn new skills while having fun together.
For those interested in competition, Dogs Australia Trick Dog Tests provide the opportunity to progress through four levels:
Starter → Novice → Intermediate → Advanced
Trick Dog Training at SSDTC
SSDTC Trick Dog classes are designed to help handlers develop the skills needed to teach their dogs a wide variety of tricks and behaviours.
Training focuses not only on teaching the dog individual tricks, but also on helping handlers understand how dogs learn and how to break behaviours down into achievable steps.
Handlers are introduced to positive reinforcement training techniques, including clicker training and the use of marker words, to clearly communicate to their dog when they have performed the desired behaviour.
Clicker training is particularly useful when teaching tricks because it allows the handler to mark the precise moment the dog performs the behaviour they are looking for. Handlers learn how to use the clicker effectively, including marker timing, rewarding behaviour and gradually developing more complex skills.
Trick Dog training can be enjoyed simply as a fun activity with your dog or can provide a pathway for handlers interested in competing in Dogs Australia Trick Dog Tests.
For more information about using a clicker, visit our Clicker Training page.
[LEARN MORE ABOUT CLICKER TRAINING]
Trick Dog Competition
Dogs Australia Trick Dog Tests allow dogs and handlers to demonstrate the skills they have developed through trick training.
Competition is offered at four levels:
Starter (TK.S)
The introductory level of Trick Dog, featuring foundation tricks and behaviours.
Novice (TK.N)
Builds on the skills developed at Starter level and introduces additional challenges.
Intermediate (TK.I)
Includes more complex tricks requiring an increased level of training, skill and teamwork.
Advanced (TK.A)
The highest level of Trick Dog competition, with advanced exercises designed to demonstrate the skills and teamwork developed by the dog and handler.
Handlers can select from a range of eligible tricks at each level, allowing them to choose exercises that suit the individual strengths and abilities of their dog.
Full requirements for each level, including eligible tricks, performance requirements, qualifying scores and titles, can be found in the current Dogs Australia Trick Dog Rules.
Trick Dog Rules
For the current Trick Dog exercises, performance requirements, class requirements, scoring and titles, please refer to the current Dogs Australia Trick Dog Rules.
[VIEW CURRENT TRICK DOG RULES]