Hello, I wanted to teach Clover some tricks. He's doing quite well with simple ones like jumping over my legs when i'm sitting down, roll over etc.

I started getting him to jump through my legs (my legs in a triangle shape standing up on one leg) which he does okay with.

So to improve the trick further, I got him a small hulahoop to jump through, however, he is terrified of it!

He will just cower, run away from it, or go around the long way to avoid it.

I've tried to get him used to it slowly, first by leaving it flat on the floor and giving him a treat everytime he was close to it.
but as soon as I hold it upright, its scary time again.

any thoughts? it seems a very irrational fear!

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I thought you meant the crisps

Sorry.... I'll get my coat....!

It's a behaviour I've never had any experience with, but this is what I would do-

-First just leave it lying on the floor, around the house and treat and praise whenever he goes near it and isn't scared. Maybe even ask him to perform a 'sit' or 'down' in the middle of the hoop while it's laid flat and give lots of fuss and treats.
-when he's fine with it like that, I'd then put it upright. Leaning against a wall in the house somewhere. And do exactly the same, treat and praise when near it, and maybe ask him to do a few commands whilst near/next too it.
-if he's fine with that, I'd just maybe walk around holding it upright for a bit, or switch it to different Walls around the house and make sure he's fine with it (by treating and praising)
-Then if he's still fine, try asking him to walk threw it and maybe lay a treat the other side of it. (making sure the only way he can get the treat is to walk threw the hoop-this works best in corridors, landings, or even out in the garden or house with you sitting holding it and encouraging him to get the treat by going threw the hoop.) give Lots of treat and praise.
-then try again teaching him the jump command and focusing on trying to get him to do it thee the hoop.


Also my dogs would always be much more comfortable doing things if they watched another dog do it first or followed another dog threw, could you try this with a friends dog?

As I said, I've never dealt with this kind of thing before-this is just what I personally would do. So it might not work For your dog

Good luck, hopefully some one with more experience will be along to help soon. Leashedforlife may be worth a PM?

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Smear some peanut butter on it and sit holding it quietly until his nose overtakes his fear

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Maybe putting it flat on the floor with a treat in the middle and then just ignore it to see if she will get it, then maybe getting her to chase a ball then bounce it in the centre to see if she will run to get it. If that goes ok you can then maybe lure her through it with a tasty treat, or throw a ball through the hoop to see if she will chase after it.

Maybe initially giving her something else to focus on rather then the hoop itself might take her mind off it. Have you tried the cheese spread in tubes most dogs find that irresistible and once you have squeezed a bit out and they have the taste they usually become engrossed trying to get more out. Maybe it will desensitise her to the hoop and make a good association.

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this may sound really dumb, but i'll ask anyway - Does the hoop have a rolling bead inside?
or a bunch of beads? the hollow hoop acts as an amplifier, so if every time U tilt it or roll it vertically, it makes
a z-i-I-IIIIP! sound, that may have spooked him & he's associated it with the hoop.

making it soundless is usually pretty easy: find the staples that hold it together [be prepared to replace
the fasteners with something else, tho!], ROLL all the beads to one side against the plug, remove the staples
on that side of the seam, slide out the plug, [it used to be wood - i've no idea what they use now] & spill the bead[s]
directly into a lined trash-can [not a wicker basket or perforated can ].

if the plug is not re-usable - it's plastic or it broke or tore or... USE A CORK. rasp it or whittle it to the right
diameter to fill the end of the tube entirely & support the surface - glue the plug lightly all the way 'round before
inserting it, & then either use small screws to secure the hoop to the plug, or TAPE it across the seam very securely
& then let the glue dry before use. U will need a small pilot hole for any screws, approx 1/2 the diameter
of the screw shaft-plus-cutting-threads.
24 to 48 hours should be safe... the hoop interior gets very little air, so evaporation / drying will be very slow.

this is just a theory on my part, but 2 or 3 dogs plus 2 horses have been specifically afraid of the noisy bead[s]
over the years, so i've done this myself several times - altho the last time was in the late-1970s.
it's been awhile!

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terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

Lots of great advice from the others and to coffee yes my first thoight was the salty hoopy snack too


Just to let you know that you will get there, after an 'incident' Willow was terrified of balloons, with careful desensitisation she now no longer has a fear, I even fed her her dinner bit by bit whilst holding balloons at one point.

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this is great! i'd only make one change: leaning it against the wall - they are liable to fall, or just roll,
if they are brushed against or jostled. Since the dog is already weirded-out by the hoop, i'd lay it on the floor
and tilt it upward on one side, by sticking an inch to 2-inch thick book under one edge; then a fatter book,
then a dictionary, then a 6-inch-thick cushion or a pillow, & so on. When it's tilted & supported by some kind of wedge,
it's unlikely to fall.

i'd also make it fall - bump or nudge it off the book, etc, so it falls from a very-short height, then higher.
if this is done on hardwood, lino or tile, it will make quite a clatter -have the dog well away for the first few.

tossing treats inside the hoop one at a time, first while it lies flat , then while it's tilted, will let the dog step into
& out of it; every now & then he WILL probably bump it with a paw, & it will fall - so be sure to show him what
the falling-hoop sounds like when it hits the floor, from a distance.
if Ur dog is a cheap-date, toss part of the dinner kibble - or part of brekkie. BE SURE to deduct what's used,
so he's not getting an extra half-cup!


if U simply want to hold it vertically, with one side on the floor, that works too - just be very sure not to drop it.
sitting on a chair with one's butt well-forward & the hoop trapped vertical between one's knees is pretty stable.
the dog can walk thru from both sides, then slowly raise the hoop off the floor an inch or two at a time.
dog on one side, drop a treat on the far side [have him leashed so he can't go AROUND the hoop for the goody],
he steps thru, Good dog!... & go the other way, back and forth. U can drop the leash each time & pick it up
once he's crossed thru, or hand it off to the other hand as he's moving. [Ur knees are holding the hoop upright.]

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terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

this is fine, but WASH IT first! - most hoops are made in China, Korea or Japan, & they often have LEAD
in the coloring or on the exterior surfaces of toys; any sort of child's toy can have lead powdered on it during
manufacture, & they don't wash them before shipping.

XMAS LIGHTS made in Asia often have a warning-tag telling the consumer to wash our hands after hanging them;
they have quite a lot of lead-powder on them, & cannot be 'washed' because of the electrical contacts.
a microfiber cloth can be used to wipe-off the powder, but be very sure to wash it immediately, alone - by hand.
this ensures the lead-dust does not linger around the house [in carpeting, on the microfiber dust-cloth...]

hanging a hoop in a doorway [3-point support: above & 2 sides] is another hands-free option.
bungee cord is safest, so it gives when 'hit' or caught by a paw or leg.

‪Teach Your Dog Speed Hoops!‬‏ - YouTube


‪Funny Dog Playing with Hula Hoop‬‏ - YouTube
notice that hoop is somewhat the worse for wear... also needless to say, i'd WASH THE WHOLE HOOP
before allowing all that mouthing [lead, nickel, petroleum products, glazes...]. Just in case.


‪Wire fox terrier with hula hoop‬‏ - YouTube



NOTE - the dog below is a smallish mixed-breed, but even so i'd lay something down for traction:
a carpet-runner with a ridged & wavy surface, a yoga-mat with a tacky finish & foam to absorb the impact, etc.
she's hopping thru a hoop about 18-inches off the floor onto hardwood. Repetitive impacts on the wrist,
elbow & shoulder with the body's full weight on a slippery surface?... not so good. THE TRAINING is good, tho.
‪Lucy dog tricks & Hula-hoop‬‏ - YouTube