As a dog owner, you must be very pleased and happy to have your dog around. No matter what breed that four-pawed cutie is, it’s always fun to see them run around the house with their wagging tail and big boy spirit. Teaching your dog new tricks, though, is an even more pleasant experience. Not only does this strengthen your bond with your furry friend, but it also helps you train him the way you want without having to reach out to professionals.
Here are some of the easiest dog tricks that you can use to train your dog:
Give me your paw
This is a simple trick to start off with. First, you will have to use hand motions to get your dog to put his paw in your hand, all while putting his favorite treat up to his nose. Repeat the process as often as you can until your dog finally begins to do this without having to use treats. This might take time, depending on which breed due to their varying degrees of receptivity when it comes to commands.
You might also want to use vocal encouragements, the most famous of which is “good boy!”.
Sit
One of the most basic and well-known commands is the one where you train your dog to sit. It’s pretty simple and easy to do. You will have to draw your dog’s attention to you by holding a treat in your hand, then, you have to lower it down more until your dog’s bottom touches the floor lightly.
Next, gently place the treat over your dog’s nose and tell him to sit. At that point, your dog’s bottom must be flat against the floor. You can then reward your pup with his favorite treat and tell him what a good boy he is.
Kiss me
Dog kisses are one of the most delightful things in life, especially if you’re on the receiving end. And it’s quite unchallenging to teach as well. All you need is a bit of peanut butter and a hungry dog. The first thing you want to do is to slap peanut butter over whatever area you want your dog to kiss and watch your little lovebug go crazy on the licks and kisses.
Do so regularly until your dog gets used to kissing you whenever you ask.
Roll baby roll
Dog rolling is about the cutest thing you could ever witness. Imagine being greeted with that sight every time you’re back home after work. Pretty cool, right? What’s cooler is that you can effortlessly teach your dog how to roll in the deep. Just hold his favorite treat up to his nose and drag it to his shoulder until he lays back and rolls over and gives u that cute little belly of his to rub.
It’s quick and easy but the results are definitely entertaining to watch
Play dead
Dogs can be really good and convincing actors at times, and you as a dog owner can definitely benefit from this. Train your dog to play dead and have your own little show with your fur body. All you have to do is lay your dog on his back and roll him onto his side all while rubbing his belly. You can also introduce treats and a few “good boy” chantings here and there. Having done that, you can build your way up with your pup slowly until you finally reach a level where they become responsive to the command “play dead!”
Spin like a ballerina
The thought of turning your dog into a ballerina is quite fun and different. A trick that might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s still really easy to do for those who are interested. With your dog’s favorite treat in hand, draw full circles into the air while keeping the treat as close to your pup’s nose as possible. Lift it up more as you’re circling it into the air to get your dog to move its body along with it, and voilà, you’ve got a spinning dog.
Reward your dog with a few pets, and of course, the treat he’d been drooling over the entire time.
Fetching
Playing fetch with your dog is one of the most amazing pastime games you could try. It could be done outdoors as well as indoors, which is perfect if you have a busy schedule and are always tired by the end of the day. Get your dog into the game by starting off with his favorite toy. Yes, I mean the one he carries around the house relentlessly and occasionally gifts to you when you’re in a bad mood to try and cheer you up.
To get your dog used to the game you may wanna start indoors or in small spaces so that your little buddy gets the hang of it. Once you get that out of the way, the sky is your limit.
Let me out
Communication is one of the most essential things in a pet-owner relationship. Not only does it build a bond of trust between the two but it also helps you fulfill your little companion’s needs without any ambiguities involved. Teaching your dog how to express their needs is extremely beneficial in that sense. If you want to teach your dog how to let you know if he wants to go out, make sure to install a bell around the same height as him next to the door. Dogs are curious which means they like to investigate new items.
That way whenever your dog is waiting for the door to magically open he begins to ring the bell, signaling for you to open it. Every time your dog does this praise and reward him in order for him to use it whenever he wants to be outside.
Bark, little one
Barking sounds more like a dilemma than a trick, but it’s a very useful way to get your dog to communicate with you whenever he needs something. A good way to get your dog to bark is to choose something of value to him, a toy or a treat will definitely do. Next, you want to hide it behind your back so that it’s out of the pup’s vision. Baffled, your dog will eventually begin to bark as a way of asking where the treat went, and sort of a display of uneasiness.
As soon as he begins to bark, reward him with the treat and make sure to tell him what a good boy he is.
Speak your mind
Now that you’ve successfully trained your dog to be vocal about his needs and requests. How about him doing it on command? The way to do it is quite simple; repeat the process of bark training but make sure to add the commands “talk” or “speak” before he gets the chance to begin barking. And, of course, finish it up by giving him the treat. Your dog will eventually learn to associate the verbal commands with the appraisal and treats.
Teaching your dog to bark when he wants to communicate is an effortless yet efficient way to bring you closer to one another
Bring that leash, buddy
Tricks aren’t only a fun thing to teach your dog for amusement purposes; they could also be useful and come in handy. For instance, taking your dog for a walk in the park could be a little easier if your little buddy was to learn this trick. It consists of asking your dog to bring you the leash that you threw on the floor moments earlier. Start off with full sentences like “Bring me the leash” or “Take the leash”.
Every time he does so he must be rewarded to learn the process faster. Eventually, you can shorten your commands to “leash” and voilà.
What’s this?
Teaching your dog the names of certain people as well as places is also a great trick you might want to try out. This can increase your dog’s social intelligence as he begins to slowly memorize and respond to certain names when they’re being brought up or talked about. First, you want to use a training stick to point out the place and person so that your dog’s attention shifts to wherever you’re trying to direct his gaze.
Next, say their name out loud multiple times and finish it off with a treat and a “good boy”. Repeat multiple times in order to stick the information in your pup’s brain.
Bow, little one
Another disciplinary and fun trick to try is the “take a bow” one. Dogs tend to bow when they’re stretching after a long nap or a good run, so the best way to get your dog to do so on command is to reward him with a treat every single time you catch him taking a bow. This is crucial to get your dog to willingly bow.
Later on, you can begin to direct the command at him as he’s slightly leaning forward. Your dog will ultimately learn to link between the verbal command and the treat reward.
Jump, boy
Training your dog to jump at command is also a pretty good trick that is not only fun but also beneficial as it could be used as some sort of exercising ritual in order to maintain your dog’s fit body. One way to do it is to start slow by placing a stick on the ground and crossing over the other side. Then, calling out your dog to do the same, with a treat in hand. Repeat the process and place the stick higher every time with whatever random stuff you have laying around the house and reward your dog whenever he jumps over.
Finally, you can slowly introduce verbal commands like “leap” and “jump”, and there you go. Enjoy the new trick
Open the door
Do you ever get tired of pulling open the door every time you want to walk in and out of your house? What if your dog can do it for you? This sure sounds intriguing. And let me tell you, it’s facile and rapid to teach your dog as well. The key to this trick is to tie a bandana around your doorknob. Your dog will naturally begin to tug at it every time he’s near the door, which ultimately results in it, opening.
Make sure to be there to reward him with a treat so that he knows it’s a good thing. And slowly start adding verbal commands along the way.