5 fun tricks to teach your dog

If you have a dog at home with too much pent-up energy, this is a great opportunity to teach them something new. Teaching a dog a trick not only helps keep it mentally and physically stimulated, but it can also be fun!  

Positive reinforcement is a big part of teaching your dog something new, so make sure you have a fistful of treats before you get started. Note: You’ll want to be aware of how many calories you’re giving your dog throughout this journey. Baby carrots, apple slices, or tiny pieces of dog treats are a great place to start. 

Another tool to use for trick training is a clicker — a small noisemaker that you’ll click when your dog does something “right.” That means when they hear the click, they begin understanding that their behavior is “good.”

Below are five of our favorite dog tricks: 

 

Shake

1. Start by touching your dog’s feet and getting them used to you touching them.
2. If they’re comfortable, show a treat in your hand and let your dog sniff it while keeping your fist closed.
3. When your dog raises their paw to your closed fist, gently shake their paw while saying happy, positive things. Then open your fist and let them eat the treat.
4. This is a good time to introduce the word “shake” to your routine.
5. To get your dog used to this behavior, practice this for a few minutes every day until they’ve learned the command and you can slowly remove the treats. Start alternating pets and kisses with treats early on.

 

High five

1. Similar to the shake trick, raise your treat-hiding fist to your dog.
2. When they put their paw on your fist, open your hand and let them eat the treat. Don’t forget to smile and say happy, positive things to them.
3. Next, raise the same arm with an open hand and no treat. When your dog puts their paw on your open hand, reward them with a treat from your other hand and lots of praise.
4. Eventually you will flip your hand to a high-five position and reward your dog every time they touch your raised open hand.
5. Repeat until your pup has learned the command, then begin using the phrase “high five.” And don’t forget to offer them a lot of verbal praise. 

 

Fetch 

1. First, you’ll want to grab a good fetch toy. Your dog’s favorite toy, a tennis ball, or flying disc should do the trick.
2. Similar to the previous tricks, you’ll want treats or a clicker to reinforce positive behavior alongside pets, kisses, and verbal praise.
3. Hold their toy in front of them and ask them to “hold,” then praise them with a treat or clicker when they take the toy.
4. Hold their toy again, but this time put it on the ground in front of your dog. Give them a treat or a click when they pick up the toy.
5. Continue doing this, but move the toy further away each time until you can throw the toy and bring it back.
6. Begin introducing the phrase “fetch.” 

 

Roll over 

1. Use a treat to lure your dog to lie down, then hold the treat over and behind your pup's head to get them to look back at it. If you’re using a clicker, click when your dog makes this motion.
2. You’ll see your dog begin to tip further and further until they are on their back.
3. Continue moving the treat in a motion that makes your dog turn all the way over and brings them back upright.
4. At this point you can begin introducing the phrase “roll over.” 

 

Sit pretty

1. Start by placing a treat in your hand, letting your dog smell it, and then lifting it over their head.
2. If your dog sits up on their hind legs and reaches toward your hand, reward them with the treat or clicker and happy, smiley praise.
3. Each time you do this routine, use the phrase “sit pretty.”

For further tips on how to become a master trick teacher, check out this super helpful video from Dr. Marissa, or head here for some additional tips.