Easy Dog Tricks You Can Teach Your Fluffy Best Friend
In this Article
Teaching new tricks to your dog is a great way to keep your pet healthy, as learning new tricks keeps them mentally and physically stimulated. Dogs love to overcome new challenges, and it also provides you an opportunity to bond better with them. As they learn new tricks, they also enjoy delicious treats, so learning becomes more rewarding and motivates them to learn quickly. However, remember to teach new tricks; you have to be regular, patient, and persistent. Your love and motivation will be the key to encourage your pet to learn the tricks.
Cool Tricks to Teach Your Dog
Below are some cool tricks to teach your dog:
1. Kiss
Training your dog to kiss is one of the easy dog tricks for beginners. While you may not enjoy the big, wet smooch of your doggie, the kids love their fluffy dog’s kisses. Start teaching this trick by putting a small treat on your cheek and commanding your pet to “kiss” you. Your dog will try to lick the treat. Please wait at the spot till your dog tries to touch your face with its nose. As soon as its nose touches your face, move back before your dog can lick you. Then reward your dog with the treat. With practice, your dog will soon learn to gently touch your face with its nose and not plant wet kisses on your face. This trick will ensure you get all the affection of your pet on demand.
2. Play Dead
Play dead is one of the popular puppy tricks to impress your friends with the amazing capabilities of your fluffy friend. When you point your finger at your dog like a gun, command him to be dead, and your dog instantly falls on the ground to play dead. This is sure to blow away the guests! To teach a dog to play dead is not as hard as it seems. As your dog lays on his back, looking for a belly rub, catch its behavior with a clicker. Call out the command “play dead” to associate this behavior with the command. Praise and treat your dog when he follows it, and soon, he’ll be a pro actor at playing dead.
3. Dance
Almost any dog can learn to dance, although smaller breeds are usually simpler to train. It might be difficult to get a Saint Bernard to stand on its hind legs, but energetic canines under 40 pounds may rapidly learn to cut a rug. Begin by putting your dog in a sitting position and holding a reward near its nose with your closed palm. Slowly raise your hand above and behind the dog’s head, causing the dog to turn around and stand on its hind legs. Praise your dog and give it the treat as soon as it stands on its hind legs. Repeat until your dog can stand fast and steadily on its back legs.
Then, in a tiny circle, move the treat above the dog’s head. Your dog should whirl on its hind legs. When the dog begins to step in a circle, call it a “dance” and reward it with praise and a treat or toy. To persuade the dog to stand up and spin in a circle, use the reward as bait. This technique is much simpler to pull off with small, nimble dogs.
4. Shake Hands
As most dogs spontaneously lift their paw while asking for a treat, teaching the dog to shake hands is rather simple. Ask your dog in a “sit” to begin. Then, with a treat in your hand, slide it slowly toward the ground near the dog’s paw. Use the verbal cue “shake hands” while your dog lifts its paw in anticipation, then reward it and praise your pet. Gradually hold your hand higher as you practice, so the dog has to elevate its paw higher to get the treat. The aim is for the dog to elevate its paw to your chest level. Continue to practice with the same paw at all times. You can eventually move to the other paw after the dog holds its paw on demand.
5. Fetch
To teach your pet the trick of fetching, throw their favorite ball or toy at a short distance initially. Your dog will instinctively chase the toy or ball and pick it up. As soon as it runs behind the ball, say the command “fetch” so it associates “fetch” with the action of getting the ball or toy. When your dog picks up the ball or toy, tell it to “come” to you and encourage it to return the fetched item to you. Remember to use a happy voice and praise when it returns the ball to you.
6. Speak
One of the funny dog tricks is to make your dog speak on command. First, teach your dog a “quiet” command to end their barking and then teach “speak” to bark on certain occasions. When your dog barks, say the command “speak.” Soon they will associate it with their barking. Praise and treat your dog, and repeat the process till they learn. You will then control your pet and instruct them when their barking should start and stop. Teaching this fun trick will also solve their behavioral problem of excessive barking. Show off your fluffy friend’s conversational tricks at your next family gathering!
7. Sit Pretty
To teach a dog to “sit pretty” is a fun trick that provides you with the opportunity to take cute pictures of your fluffy friend. It is a good exercise for your pet as it improves your dog’s balance and builds their core muscles. To teach to “sit pretty,” wait for your dog to sit. Once it sits, say the command and reward it when it stays in the same position without moving.
8. Rollover
To teach a dog to roll over, start by asking your dog to be on its back in a “down” position. After that, take a treat in your hand and carefully slide it behind your dog’s neck. You aim to get your dog to turn back without getting up. Gently roll it over while its head reaches back to scent the reward. Reward your dog as soon as it turns over and praise him. Repeat the procedure, saying “rollover” as you begin to turn it over, and when it is completely rolled over, treat it and praise it again. Do this for five to ten minutes at a time. Later in the day, try again for a 5- to 10-minute session. Your pet should eventually realize that the instruction and the rolling motion are directly related.
9. Crawl
To teach your pet to “crawl,” ask your dog to be in the “down” position, and then hold a treat near your dog. Your dog should be able to smell the treat but not reach it. As you hold the treat near its nose, move backward, making your dog crawl to reach the treat. As it crawls, say the command “crawl” to associate it with its movement and reward your pet.
10. Jump through a Hoop
To teach your dog to jump through a hoop, first, start by holding a treat in your hand and use it to persuade your dog into walking through the hoop with the hoop firmly on the ground and keep it upright. After a few repetitions, start holding the hoop a bit higher off the ground and repeat. Continue to elevate the hoop until your dog can only go through by doing a little hop. Remove the reward from your hand at this point, so your dog isn’t too fixated on it—but give them a treat after each repeat as they learn.
11. Back Up
Back up is one of the fun dog training tricks that one may use in many settings. You may utilize your dog’s ability to back up to restrain it from racing out the door, crowding you at the refrigerator, or simply entertaining your friends. Backing up is a very straightforward skill to teach a dog. All you’ll need is a little patience and a few snacks. When you issue the order, you may easily teach your pet to back up a few paces by rewarding and praising them.
12. Wave
Teaching your dog to wave hello at the dog park is a very remarkable canine skill to show off. Ask your pet to shake your hand, and then rapidly remove your hand away as he moves his paw towards your palm. When your dog begins to put his paw down again, instantly move your hand in front of him as if you want him to shake, with the aim of your dog executing two paw pumps. If he succeeds, reward him right away with a treat. Some dogs may struggle with dog tricks like this, but with practice, patience, and lots of praise, your pet will soon be waving.
Teaching new tricks to your fluffy friend not only keeps them engaged, but you get to spend quality time with your pet resulting in a stronger bond between you two. However, remember, teaching new tricks takes time, regular practice, and persistence.
Also Read:
How To Play With Your Dog
How to Potty Train Your Dog
What Does Wagging of Tail in Dogs Mean to Us
