The Play Dead & Yawn Tricks

My cute golden, Chester managed to master 2 additional new tricks. He is capable of performing the regular ‘Play Dead’ trick (legs and paws up in the air) and a more difficult ‘Yawn’ trick at our command.

How did I teach him to ‘Play Dead’? Actually this is quite simple. Chester loves to lie on his back with his legs and paws up in the air especially when he is sleeping or after he comes into the house from a walk outside. Naturally he knows how to execute ‘Play Dead’ minus the trick name. Hence every time when he performs the ‘Play Dead’ pose, we tell him sweetly “Chester play dead, GOOD BOY!”. Using a little bribe (treats) and countless praises, Chester managed to ace that trick in a week or so.

I took a longer time to teach him ‘Yawn’ or should I say it took Chester a long time to open his ‘lazy’ mouth? Whenever he yawns, we tell him sweetly “Chester yawn, GOOD BOY!”. I must have repeated the word ‘Yawn’ say 100 times but every time he refused to yawn for me. Then one day, he really did ‘Yawn’ for me. I rubbed my eyes several times in disbelieve. Was it a pure coincidence? I commanded him to ‘Yawn’ again the next day and the next and the next and every time I really thought it was just a coincidence. Then one day I realised that my dog is really GENIUS and I’m a umphh… stupid a**hole! 😀

When he performs the ‘Yawn’ trick, it really looked like a MIRACLE to me because he does it wholeheartedly. ❤

Chester gave me a bonus the other day. He performed ‘Play Dead’ and ‘Yawn’ both at once. Awwwww… Oh yes he’s a master of merging tricks. He can bow, do a ‘shortcut’ shake your bon-bon, sit, high 5 all in just a few secs.

Shake your bon-bon is a trick where Chester will wiggle his body. A ‘shortcut’ shake your bon-bon is when Chester flaps his ears and head only (minus body). Yes I know very cute. You can hear ‘flap flap flap’. Sometimes I thought he got itchy ears and then I realised he’s just doing a ‘shortcut’ shake your bon-bon. Awwww I wanna pengsan already. He’s too damn cute. (I tak malu)