Tricks are so much fun to teach and pugs LOVE them! (Especially when treats and extra special attention is involved). Here is our first bred-by champion, Macintosh, having fun at his weekly tricks class.
Macintosh (CH Pickwick's Peachtree Hill Country Mighty Macintosh, TKN) at tricks class.
Did you know that you can even earn fancy titles and certificates with AKC (American Kennel Club)? In fact, there are 5 levels you can earn! Here is Macintosh at his evaluation for his Novice level title, at The Pug Dog Club of America's National Specialty:
Virtual Submission: But you don't have to complete the evaluation in person (or even in front of an audience) like this. In fact, you can even earn these from the comfort of your own home with a video submission. No class or travel required (though tricks classes are loads of fun and it does help having a teacher show you the easiest ways to teach different skills.) If you choose virtual, you send a video of your dog performing the necessary tricks for a specific title to a CGC Evaluator. The evaluator then judges the dog/handler performance and, if they pass, they complete and sign the checklist. The handler then submits this signed checklist to AKC. Here is a link to the portal where you can submit. There is a list of evaluators on the akc.org site.
The AKC even hosts the AKC National AKC Trick Dog Competition which is virtual! Participants enter via video submission. Dog and handler teams are eligible to enter if they have earned their Elite Performer title. Each routine submitted should tell a story and involve props. Prizes are awarded for overall winners, winners in individual breeds, and awards for junior handlers.
There are 5 levels of titles in AKC Trick Dog: AKC Novice Trick Dog (TKN); AKC Intermediate Trick Dog (TKI); AKC Advanced Trick Dog (TKA); AKC Trick Dog Performer (TKP); EAKC Trick Dog Elite Performer (TKE). Each level has its own trick checklist. Scroll down, or click the level to find each checklist for reference. You can also find more information at akc.org. The checklists tell the dog owner what tricks their dog needs to do to earn each title level. "Handler's Choice" on each list refers to tricks that are not officially on the AKC Trick Dog list for that title level. At the evaluator's discretion, those off-list tricks can be written in as a handler's choice skill, assuming it's at an appropriate difficulty level. We often use "play the piano" or "ride in remote control toy car" or sit on rolling stool or paint or ?? for our Handler's Choice.
Tip: Plan ahead if you think you might be pursuing multiple levels as you cannot repeat a trick. For example, if you used "bow" as Handler's Choice for Novice you would not be able to choose Bow later on at the advanced level.
The AKC even hosts the AKC National AKC Trick Dog Competition which is virtual! Participants enter via video submission. Dog and handler teams are eligible to enter if they have earned their Elite Performer title. Each routine submitted should tell a story and involve props. Prizes are awarded for overall winners, winners in individual breeds, and awards for junior handlers.
There are 5 levels of titles in AKC Trick Dog: AKC Novice Trick Dog (TKN); AKC Intermediate Trick Dog (TKI); AKC Advanced Trick Dog (TKA); AKC Trick Dog Performer (TKP); EAKC Trick Dog Elite Performer (TKE). Each level has its own trick checklist. Scroll down, or click the level to find each checklist for reference. You can also find more information at akc.org. The checklists tell the dog owner what tricks their dog needs to do to earn each title level. "Handler's Choice" on each list refers to tricks that are not officially on the AKC Trick Dog list for that title level. At the evaluator's discretion, those off-list tricks can be written in as a handler's choice skill, assuming it's at an appropriate difficulty level. We often use "play the piano" or "ride in remote control toy car" or sit on rolling stool or paint or ?? for our Handler's Choice.
Tip: Plan ahead if you think you might be pursuing multiple levels as you cannot repeat a trick. For example, if you used "bow" as Handler's Choice for Novice you would not be able to choose Bow later on at the advanced level.
Novice is the first AKC Trick Title level. To earn the Novice AKC Trick Dog Title dogs need to perform 10 Novice tricks, (unless they have previously earned a CGC title, in which case only 5 tricks are required.) The tricks must come from the following accepted list of Novice Tricks. (Btw, all of our Pickwick Pug puppies have earned, or at least mastered enough skills to earn a TKN - Trick Dog Novice title!) Here is a list of tricks to choose from:
| trick_dog_novice.pdf |
Intermediate Trick Dog: This is the 2nd level which you can work toward after completing the Novice. (You must first have earned the Novice AKC Trick Dog Title and then you must choose 10 intermediate level tricks Here is the list of tricks that were not previously submitted for Novice. Here is the intermediate level tricks checklist:
| trick_dog_intermediate.pdf |
Scarlett (Pickwick's Follow the Star)
Advanced Trick Dog: The 3rd level, you notice that there is still a nice mix of more attainable and challenging tricks. To earn the Advanced AKC Trick Dog Title, dogs must have earned their Novice and Intermediate AKC Trick Dog Titles. For the Advanced title, dogs must complete ten Advanced tricks. No more than two of these ten tricks can be Handler’s Choice tricks. Dog owners cannot submit tricks for Advanced AKC Trick Dog that they previously submitted for other titles.
| advancedtricks.pdf |
Performer Level: AKC Trick Dog Performer is the fourth title level of the AKC Trick Dog program. To earn this title, dogs must have earned Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced AKC Trick Dog titles. Then, dogs perform ten tricks that are at the Intermediate, Advanced or Performer level that have not previously been submitted for other titles. At least three of the tricks must be at the Performer level, and at least three must involve props. Handlers cannot use any agility or obedience equipment as a prop. Props are any objects your dog uses or interacts with to do a trick. This can look like items they hold, carry, jump over, or otherwise engage with while doing a trick. Equipment from other sports like Obedience and Agility aren’t allowed at the higher trick levels. Here is the Performer level checklist:
| performertrickslist.pdf |
Elite Performer is the highest AKC Trick Dog Title. To earn this title, a dog and handler must have earned the four previous titles. Then, the dog and handler team must perform ten tricks from the list of acceptable Elite Performer tricks. Five of those tricks must be from the Performer level of difficulty, and at least five must involve props. For the Elite Performer title, those props cannot include agility or obedience equipment. Handlers cannot use lures in Elite Performer and must submit the script/story for their routine along with their submission. An audience for the performance is not required.
| elitperformerlist.pdf |
Here are just a few Pickwick Pugs who have completed tricks titles (huge congratulations to all their owners and hard work!)
Both Teddy (from the Diamond Litter) and Griffin (from the Adirondack Litter) live together with the same awesome humans and both had received AKC titles! Here is Teddy when he was still young and a puppy before gotcha day working on touch buttons ;)
Both Teddy (from the Diamond Litter) and Griffin (from the Adirondack Litter) live together with the same awesome humans and both had received AKC titles! Here is Teddy when he was still young and a puppy before gotcha day working on touch buttons ;)
Here are Griffin and Teddy a little older after having earned all sorts of AKC titles.
Bumi (Pickwick's Heartbeat of the Night Stars BCAT TKI - from the Adirondack litter)
Bumi also participates in Agility, and Fastcat and he has earned 2 levels of tricks (Novice and Intermediate)!
It's no surprise that both Griffin and Bumi (brothers) were in the top 4 of fastest pugs in the USA ....
Griffin (Pickwick's Whisper Your Legends - also from the Adirondack litter) .- he also does agility, fastcat, and has his Canine Good Citizenship!) .
Myles (Pickwick's Even the Moon is in on My Scheme, TKN, CGC) - he also has done therapy dog work!
Myle's mother (Miss Dior, left below) and aunt (Lilly, right below) both completed tricks titles!
CH Pickwick's Child That Hemline's Out Of Sight TKN (Miss Dior - left); Pickwick's Thrill on Blueberry Hill TKN (Lilly - right)
Alas, they don't allow costumes for the tricks evaluations. That's a bummer I think because pugs love (heh heh) costumes. (OK, pug owners love costumes.) So, when Miss Dior was evaluated for her tricks title (at a dog show in Tallahassee, Florida) she had to do it naked as a Jaybird. Minion theme seemed to fit her naughtiness, though!
While Gabby, out of the Flying Kilt litter tops them all, though, only receiving an Advanced title but also many more through "Do More With Your Dog". Here are just a few hi-lites of the amazing Gabby (Pickwick's Legend of the Lochs DCAT TKA) with her incredible human mama. (Gabby gets very excited! Her mom gets her nice and revved up for agility and that's perhaps one reason she was at the top of fastest pugs in the US at one point along with Bumi and Griffin!)
