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Practising easy tricks for dogs each day is a great way to keep your pup mentally and physically engaged. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to strengthen your bond. The tricks below are easier to teach if your dog has already mastered basic commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’, and ‘down’. If not, starting with a basic training course might be a good idea.
Before you dive into training, here are a few tips: keep each session to no more than 10 minutes, with a maximum of two sessions a day. Reward your dog with a tasty treat (Imby snacks work a treat!) when they get it right, and be sure to stay enthusiastic. Above all, leave any frustrations at the door and be patient with your little fluff ball.
Ready? Let’s get started!
Dog Trick 1: Giving Paw
This trick is fairly simple, as most dogs naturally lift a paw when they’re asking for a treat. Start by getting your dog into a ‘sit’ position. Place a treat near one of their front paws and slowly move it towards the ground. When your dog lifts their paw in anticipation, say ‘paw’ and reward them enthusiastically. Keep repeating this, but each time, hold your hand slightly higher so your dog has to lift their paw higher to reach the treat. Your goal is for your dog to lift their paw to chest height. Practice this daily, and soon your dog will be performing the trick even without a reward. That’s the first trick mastered!
Dog Trick 2: High Five
Once your dog has nailed the ‘paw’ command, teaching them to give a ‘high five’ is a breeze. Start with the ‘paw’ command, but this time, show your palm facing upwards. When your dog touches your palm with their paw, say ‘high five’ and reward them right away. The goal is for your dog to lift their paw as high as possible and touch your palm. Well done, good boy!
Dog Trick 3: Dancing
Almost any dog can learn to dance, though it’s a bit easier with smaller breeds – getting a 50kg Bernese Mountain Dog to dance is a tad trickier than, say, a Poodle!
Start by having your dog sit, and hold a snack in a closed hand near their nose. Slowly move your hand over and behind their head so they look back, encouraging them to stand on their hind legs. As soon as they do, reward them with the treat right away. Repeat this until your dog quickly stands up on their hind legs when prompted.
Next, hold the treat in a small circle above your dog’s head. As they start stepping in a circle, say ‘dance’ and reward them immediately with the snack. This uses the treat as bait to encourage your dog to stand up and spin.
Dog Trick 4: Rolling
Start by having your dog lie down. Then, hold a healthy snack in your hand and slowly move your hand behind your dog’s neck. The goal is to get your dog to turn their head backward without standing up. When your dog reaches back to grab the treat, gently guide them to roll over. As soon as they do, reward them with the treat and lots of enthusiastic praise!
Repeat this process several times, saying ‘roll’ each time, and reward your dog when they succeed.
Practice this for 5 to 10 minutes every day. Over time, your dog will associate the ‘roll’ command with lying down and rolling. Once they’ve mastered the trick, you can stop using treats and simply reward them with your enthusiasm and plenty of compliments. After all, who doesn’t love a bit of praise, right?
Dog Trick 5: Bowing
Dogs have a natural tendency to bend, which you can use to your advantage when teaching this trick. Use a dog snack and place it in front of your dog’s nose. Slowly move your hand down between their paws, towards their belly. This motion will encourage your dog to bend down to reach the treat while keeping their back in the air. Once they make the bend, gently coax your dog back into a standing position to prevent them from going all the way down, then reward them.
Repeat this process a few times while saying the command ‘Bow’. Be patient – it can take time for your dog to master new commands, so give them time to learn!
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