Dogs provide us with hours of entertainment, a shoulder to cry on and endless love and affection. No matter how bad your day was, coming home to a jumping, licking excited ball of fur will lift your mood and make you forget your troubles instantly.
All dogs love to please their owners, and teaching your dog tricks is a great way to let him win your praise and affection. To keep your dog safe and mentally stimulated, it is essential to teach him basic commands such as sit, stay and heel.
If you wish to take his training further, the following tricks will test his mental and physical abilities to the limit.
All dogs love to please their owners, and teaching your dog tricks is a great way to let him win your praise and affection. To keep your dog safe and mentally stimulated, it is essential to teach him basic commands such as sit, stay and heel.
If you wish to take his training further, the following tricks will test his mental and physical abilities to the limit.
1. HIGH 5
Start by commanding your dog to sit, and reward him with a treat. Next, hold a treat in front of him but slightly out of reach.
Repeat the command “high five” whilst gently tapping one of his feet. Most dogs will raise their foot to paw at the treat in your other hand.
As he raises his foot, catch it with your free hand. As soon as you make contact, give your dog the treat and lots of praise.
Keep repeating these steps until your dog raises his foot automatically every time you give the command. If your dog needs a lit
As soon as his paw is off the ground, gently tickle the bottom of his foot to encourage him to raise it higher. Continue to say the command slowly and firmly as you repeat the steps.
Some dogs will eventually be able to perform this trick without you having to give the command. Simply commanding your dog to sit and then raising your hand in front of him will be enough to get him to give you a high five.2. Army crawl
Some dogs will begin to crawl without training when attempting to sneak onto the couch or hoover up crumbs from the carpet.
Start by commanding your dog to lie down. Hold a treat firmly between your fingers so that your dog can smell and lick the treat but cannot take it from your hand.
Hold the treat in front of your dog’s nose, and slowly drag it along the floor. As soon as your dog crawls just a few feet, praise him, and give him the treat. If the dog stands up to take the treat, quickly take it away, and start again from the beginning.
Try to get your dog to crawl for a slightly longer distance each time. Once he has mastered the trick, command your dog to lie down when he is at least 10 – 15 feet away, and then get him to crawl towards you.
As well as being an entertaining trick, teaching your dog to crawl may even come in handy in real life situations. If you enjoy mountaineering or hiking with your dog, you may come across dangerous terrain or small caves that require him to crawl for his own safety. It is also a handy skill for hunting dogs.
3. Dance
However, this trick is not recommended for dogs that are overweight or suffer from problems with their hind legs.
From the sitting position, raise a treat slowly up and over your dog’s head. Repeat a command such as “up”, “dance” or “spin” until he rises up on his hind legs.
You might need to move the treat slightly behind your dog’s head to get him to stand up. If your dog already has good balance, hold the treat in front of his nose, and then slowly move it around his head until he spins in a circle. Larger breeds such as Labradors and Bull Mastiffs may be slightly unsteady on their feet to begin with, so let them get accustomed to just standing up before getting them to spin.
If your dog is especially large and excitable, take care when commanding him to stand up. Some dogs will use their front paws to push you if they get excited which could end in disaster if they weigh more than you do. Smaller breeds such as poodles, Yorkshire terriers and chows are best suited for this trick.
4. Collect garbag
Teaching your dog to collect garbage is similar to teaching him how to play fetch.
Next time you take your dog for a walk, take some tissues or pieces of paper with you. Take him to a wide open space, and then throw one tissue into the air.
Command your dog to fetch the tissue and bring it back to you. If your dog does not yet know how to fetch, start by pointing to the item you want him to bring, and repeat the command. If he does not respond, walk over to the item with a treat in your hand so that your dog will follow you. Guide him towards the item or pick it up and offer it to him until he grasps it in his mouth.
After your dog masters holding the item in his mouth, start moving away from your dog slowly while commanding him to stay. After you have moved back at least 10 feet, call your dog towards you. Give him a treat only if he returns with the item in his mouth. Only command your dog to fetch your own garbage to avoid sharp items and harmful chemicals.
5. Salute
Command your dog to sit in front of you, and administer a treat. Take a yellow post-it note or small piece of tape, and stick it just above your dog’s eye.
As your dog raises his paw to remove it, give him plenty of praise, and reward your dog with a treat.
If your dog has extremely long fur or is afraid of the tape, there is another method to teach this trick. Ask your dog to give his paw, and then gently raise it over his head.
As soon as it reaches over his eye, say the command, and administer a treat. With a little patience, you will eventually get your dog to salute you just by hearing the command.
Be wary of what command you use to entice your dog to give a salute.
