There are a huge variety of behaviours or tricks that you can teach a dog, however as many of us know tricks are not just for show, there are actually many benefits that both the dog and owner can receive from trick training.
Teaching tricks can bring a trainer and companion ever closer together since it requires a lot of teamwork and while they can help make an experienced trainer out of a beginner, they are also enjoyable for dogs to either exercise or show off their discipline.
Tricks can be both practical or taught just for a bit of fun, however there are a wide range of some very exciting and impressive tricks dogs can learn that can open up a whole range of new activities.
Here are some of the most exciting and fun tricks you can teach your dog in no time.
Roll Over
The roll over can seem like one of the easier tricks to teach a dog, however once they become good at it they can switch positions in an instant and it is a great trick that can allow a dog to have even more fun during other activities.
All teaching a roll over requires is repetition. Start by moving your hand from the dog’s nose and then guide it towards their shoulder to encourage them to roll flat on their side.
While a dog can seem fairly unconcerned with your hand movements to begin, soon they will pick up on the movement and will follow it every time.
Try this technique every now and again such as a few times a day, and soon a dog will know to roll over just from a rolling motion made by the owner’s hand from a distance.
Once a dog learns this trick they will start rolling over for a whole range of activities whether it’s to show their excitement while playing fetch, or to let an owner know that they’re eager for some playtime.
Fetch
It can be easy to assume that every dog already knows how to play fetch since they love playing it so much, however it’s actually a trick that does not come naturally to dogs and can take a good amount of patience and persistence to teach.
However, it can be well worth it as it can be taught to any dogs that are at least 8 weeks old and can make for a fun and easy activity that can be taught and picked up easily by dogs.
The key to teaching a dog to fetch in the shortest amount of time is rewards. After the first few throws a dog will usually run after the object and maybe pick it up but not bring it back.
Practice rewarding your dog for picking up the toy to further encourage them to want to fetch it and very soon, your dog will be picking up and returning the toy as they know there is a treat waiting for them.
Standing On Hind Legs
This is certainly one of the most impressive tricks out there for a dog to learn and while it may be common knowledge to contest professionals and specialist dog trainers, it can be taught to essentially any dog with enough training.
The best and easiest way to teach a dog to stand on their hind legs and get used to the motion is first holding a treat to your dog’s nose and immediately pulling it away.
Your dog will briefly stand on their hind legs to reach the treat, sometimes this can happen on the first instance but in others it can take a few tries, it also depends on how much of an appetite your dog has at the time.
When teaching this trick, just make sure to still be generous with your companions’ treat.
Try to avoid pulling the treat away from your dog continuously in one go, 3 or 4 times can be enough but if they are being a bit stubborn, it’s better to give them the treat and try again at a later date when they may be more ready.
Playing Dead
A crowd favourite, teaching a dog to play dead on command is a great party trick that is fun to teach and is sure to impress your friends and family.
The easiest and most common teaching method is first making sure your dog knows when to kneel down with the ‘Sit’ command.
When the dog has knelt next to you, offer them a treat and hold it close to the side of their head and move it toward their shoulder.
By this point they should fall to their side and when they do, give them the treat while saying ‘Play dead’.
If your dog is being a bit harder to teach and is not staying on their side for long before getting back up, then it’s best to give them the treat straight away.
If they do seem to like staying on their side, give them the treat after a few seconds to make them pick up the trick even faster.
When the dog has become accustomed to the behaviour they will lay on their side as soon as they hear the ‘Play dead’ command, or you can even try incorporating a gun or boo hand signal to get them to perform it.
If you want to learn about this trick in more detail click HERE
Say Your Prayers
Another great party trick that is both fun to teach and very impressive, this trick will require a chair or box to teach and practice with.
You will want to start by using treats and reinforcements to teach the dog to place both of his front paws on a chair or box.
Once the dog is regularly placing their paws on the surface when expecting a treat, start withholding the treats until they learn to put their head between their front legs, at which point add the command ‘Say your prayers’ so they can start getting used to performing the trick on command when it’s feeding time.
Take A Bow
This trick does require a good amount of patience, however it is one of the most impressive techniques out there that can teach a dog how to be respectful and can even be added to other trick routines.
Stand in front of the dog with a treat while they are looking at you, then as they are following it carefully place it under your shoe with about half of the treat still sticking out.
This encourages the dog to make a bowing formation to grant the treat, just make sure to only let them pick the treat up once their behind is in the air and gradually introduce the ‘Take a bow’ command.
After a few tries, stop putting the treat under your shoe and they will soon start doing the bowing motion automatically to pick up treats and when they hear the owners command.
Finding The Keys
This trick is not only impressive but is actually extremely practical for when we inevitably throw our keys to the side and forget where we misplaced them.
To teach this handy trick which is sure to impress anyone who sees it in action, start by swapping the keys for a treat while saying ‘Keys’ every time your dog returns the snack back to you.
Then you will want to get the dog even more accustomed to searching for and finding the keys, do this by throwing your keys and encouraging your dog to retrieve them back for you still using the ‘Keys’ command.
Continue feeding them treats when they return the keys and soon, they will be on the lookout for them just upon hearing the owners command, making for an extremely handy and impressive trick.
Commando
As the name might give away, this trick will teach your dog some military skills, specifically going prone and crawling on command.
Not only is this a more challenging trick that can bring an owner and their dog that bit closer together, it is also extremely practical as you can even teach your dog to crawl under things too,
To start teaching this trick to your dog, first ask them to lie down by getting low and guiding your hand from their nose towards their chest, and place a treat flat in front of their nose.
The key is to then gradually and carefully move the treat away to encourage them to follow it while on the ground.
Be patient and keep trying this method a few times a day until your dog starts to crawl with their belly on the ground.
Make sure not to move the treat too fast as they may stand up, and extend the distance each time before you treat them while introducing the ‘Commando’ prompt until they fully recognise it.
Barking On Command
If a dog learns this trick it not only shows how reliable and disciplined they are, it is also incredibly practical as you can also use it to command a dog to stop barking on command too.
Part of the beauty of this trick and what makes it so worthwhile teaching is it is incredibly easy to teach.
Every time your dog barks, mark the behaviour with a ‘Speak’ or ‘Talk’ command to let them know what word is associated with their barking, and reward them with a treat so they know it’s a positive action.
To teach them to be quiet, when your dog barks, get a treat and present it to your dog while repeatedly saying ‘Quiet’ or ‘Silence’ until they stop.
Once they quiet down, give them the treat, and they will soon pick up the command, providing the perfect solution for when your canine companion is in the mood for making a racket.
If you want to learn about this trick in more detail click HERE
Whisper
This one is similar to the previous but still an impressive show of discipline, all you need to do is when your dog barks at some distraction keep repeating ‘Whisper’ until they direct their barking at you.
By this point, their barking should gradually quiet down, and they will soon associate a quieter bark with the command.
Twist
Dog’s love learning tricks that get them moving and this includes some flashy dancing moves with one of the most common being the twist, specifically for how easy it is to teach and how much it can lift a dog’s confidence.
Simply get a treat ready and hold it under your dog’s nose. Once they have its scent, begin turning it in a tight circle along with your dog while saying ‘Twist’ two to three times.
Repeat this until your dog is moving easily in a circle, and take breaks to make sure you don’t get dizzy. In no time, the dog will be able to twist on command making for the perfect party dance move.
Reverse Walk
Another dance based trick, the reverse walks not only looks flashy but also helps teach the dog to focus all his attention on the handler with minimal distractions.
Begin by telling the dog to stay then proceed to walk a step or two away from them while still facing them.
Then, move towards them and the dog will most likely back up, give them a treat if they do and remember to give out a command of your choice.
Repeat this daily for a few minutes to have your dog dancing in style in little to no time.
Differentiating Items
This one is easy to teach but so practical in the long run.
Whether it’s a newspaper, ball or your keys, practice throwing them and encouraging the dog to fetch them while ensuring to shout a different command word for each.
Try doing this with a few items in the same session and before long, your dog will know exactly what to look for with a simple word.
Balance On Nose
This is a trick for the dogs that really want to impress their owners and any guests. Hold out a toy on top of their nose while repeating ‘Yes’ every few seconds.
Rather than a treat, you can also try a business card or something flatter to make it easier.
Gradually start removing your hand to balance the toy each time and extend the time until on a ‘Yes’ command, the dog starts balancing the toy automatically when something is placed on their nose.
Ring The Bell
An incredibly useful trick, by teaching your dog how to ring a bell it allows them to let you know when they want to go for a potty break or when it’s playtime.
Luckily teaching this is quite easy, have a bell placed on a table and encourage your dog to interact with it while repeating ‘Touch’.
As soon as the dog touches it, which can take a few tries, give them a treat to show your approval and they will gradually start using the bell in their day to day lives.
If you want to learn about this trick in more detail clickHERE
Summary
Dogs are smart companions and with enough patience and persistence, can learn just about any trick.
These are some of the most eye-catching and impressive tricks that you should definitely consider trying out with your dog today.
Hi, my name is Daniel Johnson, and I am a professional dog trainer that specializes in positive training methods. I have worked with many dogs over the years, and have provided fantastic and improved results for both the owner and the dog.
When it comes to dog training, it is important for the owner to be taught the simple but correct techniques, and the way in which you communicate with your dog is vital to this process. I recently decided to set up this blog to share my knowledge and skills with a wider audience.
