Does your dog know every trick in the book? If so then it’s time to impress your friends and challenge your dog with this fun feat!
Jessica Bell and her dog Cohen are known on YouTube for their extraordinary tricks, including this one that Jessica calls a “Foot Stall.”
Before you start, however, Jessica warns that “it’s not exactly a trick for novices. There’s risk of injury for both dog and handler and requires quite a bit of strength and trust.”
Your dog has to be able to jump accurately (to get on your feet) and balance in a small, semi-unstable area. You have to be able to hold your legs up steady enough to provide a platform and support your dog. I wouldn’t recommend this trick for those with bigger dogs.
Be sure you and your dog are up to the challenge before you start, and stop if your dog is having too much trouble.
Training the Trick
Think you are ready? Then here is how Bell teaches this impress trick.
Step 1: Teach a “stall” or perch on an object
“I like to work with a kitchen stool since it’s a smallish target that’s about the same height as your feet might be. Cover it with a towel to both add traction and to use as a target. Cue dog up, reward in position,” Bell Says.
Depending on your dogs comfort, you may have to start with just a book on the floor with the towel, and then gradually increase to the height of the stool. If your dog can’t balance on a book on the floor, he won’t be able to balance on the stool or your feet, which are higher and less stable.
Safety! Be sure your stool is secure enough that it won’t flip out from under your dog when they try to jump on it. Do not do this on a hard floor, in case your dog does miss.
Step 2: Teaching a stall elsewhere on the body
After your dog is balancing on the stool fine, Bell says it’s time to transition to your body. She recommends starting on an area that is more stable than your feet up in the air at first.
“You can either start with your back (which is tough to do if you’re training solo, but can be easier if you have a training partner) or your shins,” she says. “Put the towel on your body and try to cue up. If your dog is stuck, go back to a few fast repetitions with the stool or chair then try again on your body. Feed in position.”
Step 3: Moving to the feet
“Once your dog is comfortable jumping and balancing on your shins or back, move the towel to your feet. Put on your largest shoes to maximize the size of the target and cue up,” Bell says.
The final step is the hardest and the one most likely to cause injury to both you and your dog. It’s best to have a “spotter” to help in case something happens, they can always catch your dog or grab your legs to help you balance.
“I ended up using a larger target – a large hardcover book wrapped in a towel when I first started working on my feet to help my dog build confidence and learn how to stand or sit instead of laying on my feet,” she added.
About the Author
Based in Wilsonville, Ore., animal lover Kristina N. Lotz is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and works as a full time trainer. She is the founder of A Fairytail House, a unique all-positive all-sport dog training facility that helps rescue dogs in her area and provides free seminars and training classes for the community. In her spare time, she trains and competes in herding, agility, obedience, rally, and conformation with her Shetland Sheepdogs. She smartly married a Veterinary Technician, who helps keep the fur kids happy and healthy, and provides a quick resource for articles.
