Have you ever watched videos of brilliant dogs doing amazing tricks? If you have, then you probably wished your dog could do the same. Well, it can! With some training, patience, and consistency, your dog will be doing tricks in no time.
Dogs can be hard to teach new tricks because of their short attention span. They’re very active and enthusiastic beings, so it’s easy for them to get distracted. But it’s not impossible. If you want to train your dog to do tricks, it’s the perfect time to sign up for dog training programs available in Loxahatchee and other locations. But you can do it yourself, too. Here are some easy tricks you can teach your dog.
Roll Over
Teaching your dog new tricks is much easier once they’ve mastered the simple commands of “sit” and “lie down.” These are the simplest tricks you can teach your dog. Hold a treat over their heads and say “sit” while moving your hand back. This will put them in a sitting position. Put the treat near their nose and lay it on the ground while saying, “lie down.” The more you repeat it, the more they’ll start associating the word with the right behavior.
Once your dog gets the hang of sitting and lying down, teaching them to roll over will be a piece of cake. When your dog is in the “down” position, take a treat and position it gently behind your dog’s neck. Once they reach for it, put your hand down and lay the treat on the ground. This will prompt them to chase after it and roll over, but without standing up. Remember to reward your pup after they do the trick right. It will motivate them to keep learning the tricks you teach.
Shake
Your dog might already be using its paw to ask you for food or treats. So it’s going to be rather easy teaching them how to shake. The only challenge is for them to associate the command with the specific action. Hold on to a treat and position your hand near the dog’s paw. Once they raise their paw to get it, say “shake” and reward them with the treat. Do this over and over again, focusing on only one paw at a time.
High Five
If your dog already knows how to shake, then it won’t be a tough job teaching them to high five. Start by asking your dog to shake, then slowly transition to holding your palm out. As the pup hits your hand, say “high five.” Reward them with the treat and then try again.
Speak
Teaching your dog to bark on command is not as easy as the other tricks on this list. If your dog is naturally gleeful and barks most of the time, it will be easy to teach them the “speak” command. One way you can teach them the trick is to ask your dog to sit. Then hold a treat above your dog’s nose and wave it continuously.
Hide the treat in your hand, but keep waving. If this gets your dog to whine, bark, or cry, reward them by giving them the treat. Do this over and over again until you get the same reaction from your pup. Once you do, you can start saying “speak” as you wave to prompt a bark.
Teaching a dog tricks can be challenging, but you need to be patient. Positive reinforcement is always the best way for your dog to learn.
