Dogs love to learn new things every day.
Mental stimulation is as important as exercise.
It’s a great way to teach your dog new tricks and build a bond with your dog.
Here are nine easy tricks that beginners can try at home with dogs.
You can teach your dog new tricks, which will improve his ability to learn and make him a better person.
Every time you train your dog, you will help him learn new skills faster.
Many tricks are so simple that dogs get positive rewards to increase their confidence.
It is not really hard to teach your dog tricks and commands. You will have the same options as experienced dog owners, even if you are a novice.
These clever tricks are so simple that you probably haven’t heard of them.
You can make every piece of equipment yourself.
Before training your dog, ensure that he knows the basics of obedience commands. Also, make sure you have chosen the positive reinforcement training method.
Give a Hug
Hugging your dog is a great way to teach them a new trick, and it’s so simple for beginners.
You will teach your dog to wrap his paws around your shoulders when lying on the ground.
This trick is easiest to teach when your dog is calm. Otherwise, he may jump all over the place.
- Place some treats in your hands and kneel on the ground before your dog. To encourage your dog’s front paws to rest on your shoulders, show them the charms and move them towards your head.
- If your dog is calm, you can gently grab his paws to place them wherever you like. You can reward him for every triumphant hug but not jump all over.
- Encourage him to only jump towards you by placing his front paws on your shoulders. You should discourage him from jumping on you or others while standing or if he doesn’t give the command.
- After he has learned how to hug for a treat, you can add your cue to the command. This trick is best mastered with lots of practice.
Jump Through a Hoop
It is much easier to teach your dog how to jump through hoops.
You will only need a basic hula hooper and some tasty treats.
- Begin by bringing the hula hooped vertically to the floor while keeping it on the floor. To lure your dog through the hoop, guide him to the side by holding a treat in one hand.
- Encourage him to go through the hoop every time he wants a treat. This step can be repeated several times.
- You can now lift the hoop off the ground a few inches. Your dog will need to hop a little to reach the top. You can repeat this step several times.
- Slowly but steadily increase the height of your dog’s hoop. Let him start at a greater distance to have enough room to jump.
- After your dog is comfortable with the process, you can add a cue such as “hoop” and “jump” to the command. Make sure you are clear with your pronunciation. Your dog should jump through the hoops.
- You can take your training outside to allow your dog to run up and gracefully leap through the hoops.
You can also make your arms into a hoop to use this trick.
This is best for small- to medium-sized breeds, as Great Danes are not usually able to fit through your arms.
This trick can be used in a dog agility course you create at home.
It’s an excellent way for your dog to build confidence and exercise his mind.
Take a bow
Any dog can learn how to take a bow.
Your dog will soon be able to bend down on his elbows and have his butt sticking up in the air after this training.
It’s adorable, making your dog seem to be doing yoga.
This will only require your dog’s favorite treats.
- Begin by standing in front of your dog and holding a treat in the other. Give your dog the pleasure, and then get him to stand.
- While luring your dog’s nose, lower the treat to the floor. When your dog’s head is close to the ground, try to reduce the pleasure as much as possible.
- You can wait a little longer before you let go of the treat. This will cause your dog to paw at your hand. To encourage your dog to bend down, gently push the charm between his legs. Reward him for moving his elbows in the right direction.
- Repeating this will cause your dog to get less and less comfortable. You will need to get him moving again after the bow to keep him from falling asleep.
- Once your dog has learned to lower his shoulders ultimately, you may add a cue such as “bow down” or even “take a bow.” Then slowly fade out the lure with treats until he can do it on command.
Ring a Bell
This trick is the easiest and requires only a few dog treats and a bell.
Dog owners often use the bell to potty-train their dogs.
The bell signals the dog that he needs to go outside. However, we will only be using the bell association with treats for this exercise.
- Begin by getting your dog to sit down and then place the bell in front.
- Could you ring the bell and give him a treat? This can be repeated several times.
- You can wait a little longer until you ring it each time, then give your child the opportunity to do it. You will soon learn that he will receive a treat if the bell rings.
- He will be praised once he has rung the bell the first time. Wait for the next attempt. You can add a cue every time he rings the bell, such as “ring” or”bell.”
Figure 8
Although this dog trick isn’t as easy as the bell-ringing one, it is still an easy trick for beginners. It involves regular lure training.
Figure 8 is a trick in which the dog walks between your legs to form the figure.
- Begin by placing your dog in front of your face. Next, spread your legs out wide.
- You can lure your dog by placing a treat in your right hand and luring him between your legs to get to the front. It would help if you rewarded him each time he approached the front.
- You can now switch the treat to your left hand and lure the dog from the right leg to the back with your left hand. You have now completed figure 8.
- You can repeat this process several times until you reach your desired cue. The luring can be gradually faded until the left leg is visible.
It is possible to train your dog to do figure 8 while walking.
You will repeat the process, but you’ll just be using the same leg that your dog is currently moving around this time.
You will then be able to move forward with your dog parkouring between your legs slowly.
Keep an object
Service dogs often have to hold an object in their mouths without chewing or biting it. This is a common task and is used frequently in obedience training.
Your dog might learn to bring you the newspaper, which could be helpful in everyday life.
- To train your dog, use a small and simple object. Reward your dog for taking the object into his mouth. Use the cue if your dog is already familiar with picking up things.
- Hold it with your other hand to prevent the object from falling out of your dog’s mouth while it rests in its mouth.
- Continue this process, giving the object to him a few more times. Slowly increase the amount of time he must hold it.
- After your dog can hold the object for several seconds, you can add the “hold” due to it.
- Reduce the amount of support you give the object, and let the child hold it in his mouth for five seconds. Don’t reward chewing, dropping, or grabbing the thing. Just start over.
- The object will become more familiar to your dog, and he will soon be able to hold it himself. During training, you should always use the same thing.
Once your dog is trained, you can ask him to “cold” objects such as a newspaper or remote control.
Agility Weave Poles
You have two options: either you use old broomsticks to do it yourself (explained in my PDF), or you can buy these sturdy weave poles.
Crawl
Dogs do not crawl. Dogs are more accustomed to crawling than humans.
However, dogs are very capable of crawling on the floor. If you have a baby, your dog may try to mimic the behavior.
Before teaching your dog how to crawl, you must teach him to lie down.
- Get your dog to lie down by standing in front of you. Show your dog the treat by squatting down.
- Place the treat on the ground, and your dog will be enticed to you.
- Reward your dog immediately if he starts crawling a little. If your dog gets up, it is a sign that you are not doing enough. Please keep your dog close to you and encourage them to follow your lead.
- Your dog will quickly pick up the behavior and continue to crawl longer every time.
- This process can be repeated until you have your desired cue.
- You can increase the distance by giving your dog the “crawl towards me” command. If he fails, take a step back and gradually increase the stretch.
Back-Up
It is beneficial to teach your dog how to back up.
If your dog stands in front of the doorway, or blocks the path for people, ask him to move.
- Give your dog a treat to lure him towards you.
- Keep moving the object close to his chest when he looks down. This will cause him to go backward.
- Reward him for each step taken back and gradually increase the distance.
- When he walks around, add the “back up” cue.
You can place a mat behind your dog to make it more palatable and more accessible for them to remember.