Teaching your dog a new trick can sometimes be more challenging than you might have thought. Some dogs are uncooperative, and sometimes you may not even know how to teach a trick properly. What you’ll learn from this post is that all you really need to teach your dog a new trick is just repetition and lots of patience!
Below I’ve listed 10 fun and impressive tricks you can teach any dog, along with some simple steps on how to do it! Good luck!
1. Shake hands
One of the cutest and simplest tricks you can teach your pup is the “shake hands” trick!
The secret is that dogs naturally paw at you if they want something—so, when you present your pup a handful of treats, they can’t help but paw at your hand.
Put some treats in your hand and close your fist. Have your dog paw for the treat, and then reward them with that treat. Once they continue to paw, use the command “shake” and keep repeating it until your dog gets it!
2. Kiss
Another really cute trick to teach your dog is how to “kiss.” It takes some practice, but actually isn’t that hard! Just be patient.
Get something sticky (like a Post-it note), a clicker, and some treats. Have your dog sit beside you and put the sticker or Post-it note near their face. As soon your dog bops the Post-it note, use the clicker and then reward them with a treat. Keep doing this and gradually move the Post-it note farther and farther away from your dog’s face so they have to reach a little more to get it. As your pup gets more comfortable, you can then say the word “kiss” so they can get used to the command.
Now, here’s the fun part! Once your dog has gotten used to doing that, try putting the Post-it note on your cheek and use the command “kiss.” Continue rewarding your pup with a treat and repeating the exercise. Once they’ve gotten used to that, you should be able to take the Post-it note off your cheek, tell your pup “kiss,” and have them kiss your cheek!
3. Learn the name of something
Teach your dog to identify the names of household objects! You’ll need a clicker, treats, and whatever object you want them to learn.
First, have your dog touch your hand and use the clicker, then give them a treat. Then, hold whatever object you want to teach your dog in your hand and say “touch.” Use the clicker and reward with a treat when your dog touches the object, not when they touch your hand. Keep doing this.
Once your dog continues doing that, call the object by its name (so for instance, if you are holding a ball, say “ball”) and continue to use the clicker and reward with a treat. Repeat this and soon enough your dog will understand what that object’s name is!
4. Leap
This trick is really impressive and just takes a little bit of repetition for your dog to get it. You’ll need a clicker, treats, a stick, and some books.
Have your dog sit and stay while you lay a stick on the ground. Cross over to the other side of the stick and call your dog’s name. As soon as the dog crosses the stick, click and treat!
Do this a few more times and then add some height to the stick by placing a couple of thick books underneath it. Click and treat when your dog crosses the stick. Do this several times.
As your pup gets more used to this, add even more height with more books. Once it gets high enough that your dog has to leap, use the command “leap” before clicking and treating. Repeat, repeat, repeat!
5. Roll over
This trick is a little bit more difficult and advanced, but definitely worth trying! You’ll need a training stick (or a treat will do) and a clicker.
Have your dog lay down. Then, lure them with the training stick or your treat to have him move over to one hip and on his side. Click and reward them with a treat. Repeat this several times.
Then, use the lure to get them to go over on their back. This part is a little trickier, so be patient. Make sure to praise your pup!
Once your dog gets that, continue to use the lure to get your dog to roll all the way over. Once your dog is able to roll over more readily, stop using the lure and add on the command “roll over.” Make sure to reward with a treat (and keep using the clicker)!
6. Hush
Does your dog bark a lot? This trick can get them to settle down and hush! You’ll only need a clicker and a treat for this one.
First, focus your attention on your dog when they are barking. If they look at you and stop barking, even for just a moment, click and treat. Keep repeating this and add on the word “hush” as you click and treat.
Continue doing this until your dog has mastered the trick. Remember: each time you repeat, try to go for longer durations of silence. If you don’t want to say “hush,” try adding on a hand signal instead!
7. Search and Find
Teach your dog how to search and find their toy! This one is a little more challenging, but doable. You’ll need a clicker, a towel or blanket, treats, and a toy.
To start, have your dog sit. Then, get their favorite toy or an object that they are familiar with and let them sniff it. Then, place the toy or object under the towel or blanket and say “find it.” If your pup doesn’t get it, add on the name of the toy or object (as long as your dog knows the name of the toy or object) after “find it”—so, for instance, if you are using a ball, you would say “find it ball.” Click and treat once your dog finds the object. Repeat this several times, but move the object to a different location each time.
Once your pup gets familiar with that and masters it, try it again using a different object!
8. Play dead
One of the most popular tricks out there is “play dead.” It’s a super fun trick! All you’ll need is a clicker, treats, and a touch stick.
First, have your dog lay down. Take your touch stick or treat and slowly guide it so that your dog gets into the “play dead” position. Click and treat. Keep repeating this until your dog gets into the position without needing the touch stick or treat.
As your dog gets more comfortable doing the trick, add on the command “play dead!” See if your pup will do this on command. This may take a few tries.
9. Spin
Teach your dog to spin around in circles! This is a fairly easy trick and all you’ll need are treats, a clicker, and a touch stick.
Using the touch stick, guide your pup around in a circular motion. Whenever your dog makes a full turn, click and treat. Keep doing this several times and gradually add on a hand signal (which could be a circular motion with your index finger).
Use the touch stick less. When your dog can spin without the touch stick, add on the command “spin.” Continue to click and treat. Keep practicing this until your dog can spin on command!
10. Sit pretty
This last trick is super cute and totally picture-worthy! You’ll need some patience, but once your pup gets it, it’s really adorable! For this trick, you’ll need a clicker and a treat.
First, lift a treat over your dog’s nose and click and treat when they reach up and lift their front legs off the ground. Keep in mind that some dogs don’t have enough muscle there to lift their front legs that high, so it may take weeks to even a month to perfect this trick. Be patient. Make sure that your dog is sitting symmetrically and straight.
Keep doing this until your dog gets more comfortable. Remove the lure (the treat) once your dog can stay in the position for five seconds or more. Put your hand above your dog’s nose instead and say “yes” when your dog reaches for your hand. Then, click and treat. Keep doing this.
Lastly, add a cue by using a hand signal instead of merely putting your hand over your dog’s head. You can even add a verbal cue if you want, like “sit pretty.” Keep repeating this until your pup learns how to sit pretty! And make sure to take plenty of pictures.
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