I participate in many different award schemes but one of the most popular is  Do More With Your Dog, for which  I am a Certified Trick Dog Instructor. This organisation, based in the USA, is the largest of its kind in the world. Its aim is to encourage people all across the globe to 'teach skills and spark excitement' for their dogs. It's all about communication and having fun - a dog with a mission is a happy dog!

There are four main areas of skills: Tricks, Fitness, Stunt dog and Animal Actor. 

There are many different levels within each award group. For example, the Trick Titles commence at Novice level and progress all the way to Trick Dog Grand Champion. If you would like to know more, take a look at the Trick Training section, or Contact Me for information about how you can participate.

Would you like your dog to perform on stage, in film, on TV and for advertising purposes? Consider working towards the Animal Actor awards. They prepare you for work in front of the cameras so you will be ready for anything! Contact me for details. 

Magic Pooch Awards is an acrostic: the letters each spell out a type of trick. These are my own trick certificates that you can achieve with your dog. There are three levels, each requiring 16 tricks, plus a level designed for senior dogs only and a further level designed for puppies only. These are the awards I created. 

Mouth target tricks [Examples: pick up something; hold an item for 3 seconds; honk a horn; pull on something]

Agility [Examples: jump over or through something; run through a tunnel; weave poles; double hoop jump]

Games [Examples: hide and seek; which hand holds the treat; snuffle mat; memory game; brain games]

Intelligent Tricks [Examples: identify two objects by name; read 3 words; 2 tricks when handler's back is turned]

Coordination [Examples: ride skateboard; push shopping trolley; walk on beam; hind feet target; push ball]

Paw Tricks [Examples: give paw; hold an item with paw; wipe paws; cross paws; close door; cover eyes]

Obedience [Examples: sit; down; stand; walk nicely on lead; stay for 3 minutes; recall past food]

Other tricks [Examples: turn a page of a book; speak; sneeze; shake; balance treat on nose; kisses]

Chain tricks [Examples; sit, down, stand - one treat at end of sequence; kennel up; tidy away toys; go hide]

Head tricks [Examples: head down; balance item; hide head under cushion; look at something for 3 seconds]

Any fitness tricks [Examples: stand on wobble board; paws up on something; sit pretty; give paw when standing]

Water or snow tricks [Examples: retrieve from water; catch a snowball; fetch bucket of water; blow bubbles]

Action or moving tricks [Examples: spin circles; take a bow; peekaboo; rollover; crawl; limp; figure of 8]

Roll and nose tricks [Examples: touch hand or target stick; roll out the carpet; close door with nose; volleyball]

Distance [Examples: perform any two tricks from certain distance away from handler, eg. from 2 - 5 metres]

Scent [Examples: find hidden treat; find toy; find the keys; search boxes for item or treat; search people]

The Magic Puppy Award includes useful skills including the following:

• Nose touch to hand; sit; down; go around an object; peekaboo.
• Paws up on object; spin circles; give paw; muffin tin game; find hidden treats.
• Stay (10 seconds); up on low platform; recall; walk on loose lead; 3 hand signals.
• Catch a treat or item; leave it; tunnel; go under an item; fetch an item.
• Drop or give an item; watch me (5 seconds); chin target (5 seconds) target stick.
• Go into a box; get treat from under a basket; wobble board.
• Paw target raised off ground (such as a bell, buzzer, lights etc); take a treat gently; go into a crate.

Perhaps you have a different type of pet who would like to learn tricks? Anything is possible! If your pet can learn to perform 15 tricks, he or she could receive the MPA (Magic Pet Award)!

The rules are the same as for the Magic Pooch Awards. Click the link below to read the Terms & Conditions

Here are just some of the Magic Pooch Awards achievers over the years:

January 2016 - Spidey (Golden Oldie)

February 2016 - Emmely (Level 1)

March 2016 - JayJay (Level 1)

March 2016 - Toffee (Level 1)

April 2016 - Emma (Level 1)

May 2016 - Lina (Level 1)

June 2016 - Axis (Level 1 & Level 2)

July 2016 - Emmely (Level 2), Pina (Level 1), Bella (Level 1)

August 2016 - Axis (Level 3), Spidey (Level 1 & Level 2), Ruby (Level 1), Pablo (Level 1), Ruby (Level 2)

September 2016 - Lina (Level 2), Diora (Magic Pet Award), Capriccio (Magic Pet Award), Cecco (Level 1)

October 2016 - Emmely (Level 3)  

November 2016 - Marouschka (Magic Pet Award)

January 2017 - Betty (Level 1), Alexis (Magic Pet Award)

February 2017 - Betty (Level 2) 

March 2017 - Pablo (Level 2)

July 2017 - Ruby (Level3)

November 2017 - Nellie (Level 1)

December 2017 - Nellie (Level 2)

January 2018 - Emma (Level 2)

April 2018 - Gracie (Level 1), Oscar (Level 1)

June 2018 - Gracie (Level 2), Oscar (Level 2)

August 2018 - Gracie (Level 3)

December 2018 - Rio (Level 1)

February 2019 - Rio (Level 2)

April 2019 - Gabby (Level 1), Bailey (Level 1), Archie (Level 1)

May 2019 - Gizmo (Level 1), Bramble (Level 1)

June 2019 - Bramble (Level 2), Stanley (Level 1)

August 2019 - Faith (Level 1), Bramble (Level 3)

September 2019 - Faith (Level 2), Lina (Golden Oldie)

October 2019 - Archie (Level 2)

March 2020 - Cooper (Level 1)

May 2020 - Sunny (Level 1)

August 2020 - Lola (Level 1)

September 2020 - Tuppance (Level 1), Inddy (Level 1), Nico (Level 1)

October 2020 - Sunny (Level 2 & 3), Lola (Level 2), Inddy (Level 2), Nico (Level 2), Tuppance (Level 2)