How to Teach a Pet Tiger Tricks

Teaching your pet tiger to do tricks is a rewarding endeavor, but one that requires a great deal of dedication and a huge commitment of time, patience, and energy. Like any cat, tigers are independent and stubborn, and are more interested in pleasing themselves than pleasing you. Your pet tiger will learn tricks much more quickly if there's something in it for him! Practice the following steps to teach your pet tiger some simple tricks.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Quiet location free of noise and distraction
• Food treat

Teach Your Pet Tiger to Come

1. Command your pet tiger to "come" in a clear and calm voice.

2. Praise your pet tiger proudly and lavishly when he comes to his food dish.

3. Move his food dish to a new location once he masters the "come" command, and repeat the steps at the new location. This will reinforce the command in his mind.

Teach Your Pet Tiger to Shake Hands

4. Encourage your pet tiger to sit in front of you.

5. Touch his paw and give the command "shake" in a friendly, encouraging voice.

6. Shake his paw after he has raised it naturally, continuing to give him plenty of praise.

7. Give your pet tiger his treat.

Teach Your Pet Tiger to Sit Up

8. Encourage your pet tiger into a sitting position.

9. Hold the treat over your pet tiger's head and give the command, "Sit up."

10. Patiently repeat your command if he stands up or attempts to swat or grab the treat. Don't reward him until he has done the trick correctly.

11. Shower your pet tiger with love and praise and reward him with his treat when he shows that he is beginning to understand the concept of "sit up."

Tips & Warnings

• Teach one trick at a time. Don't move to the next trick until your pet tiger has fully mastered the current trick.
• End on a positive note with plenty of flattery and praise.
• Never force your pet tiger to perform a trick. Never punish him if he fails. Your pet tiger will not respond positively to force.
• End the training session before your pet tiger becomes tired or bored. Training sessions should be only a few minutes long.