Unique Tricks You Can Teach Your Dog

Bow

• Teach your dog to be extra polite by having him bow in front of others. Start with the dog in the standing position and have a treat ready in the right hand. Place the treat close to the dog's nose and move the right hand down towards the floor. With the left hand, give the verbal command, "Bow." The dog should follow the treat down until his elbows are on the floor and his back half is in the air. Bring the treat back up so the dog returns to standing position. If he completes the bow, give him the treat and say, "Good." If he is having trouble keeping only his front half down, hold his stomach with your hand so it does not touch the ground. Repeat up to several times per day, but only for a few minutes at a time until the dog masters the trick just by hearing the command.

Crawl

• Crawling on all fours is a unique, but slightly more difficult, trick. The dog and trainer both start lying down on the ground next to each other. Place a treat next to the dog's nose and slowly move it forward while saying, "Crawl." Most likely the dog will stand up to retrieve the treat. If so, gently push on the dog's behind until he lowers it down to the floor. Move the treat forward again while saying, "Crawl" and do not reward the dog with a treat until he crawls forward. Once he does, praise him verbally and physically by saying, "Good" and rubbing his side or belly. Continue practicing like this several times a day for the first two days. After that, tape a cup to the end of a yard stick and place treats in the cup. This way you do not need to get on the floor to continue practicing. With the dog lying down, move the cup forward while saying, "Crawl." Reward with treats if he completes the command. Continue practicing for a few minutes at a time several times a day until the dog is able to do the trick without treats in front of him.

Which One?

• Show how smart your dog is when he plays,"Which One?" and guesses the correct answer. Place a treat in one hand and show the dog. Close both hands into fists and hold in front of you. Ask the dog, "Which one?" The dog will use his mouth to open the hand with a treat, but wait until he tries to tap the hand with his paw. If he uses his paw, give him the treat and say, "Good." It may take some time before the dog uses his paw, so be patient. If he is having trouble, lift his paw to show him how to tap. Repeat for a few minutes several times a day until the dog is able to successfully tap your hand when asked, "Which one?"

Turn off the Light

• You will have a very helpful dog around the house after he learns how to turn off the lights. For this trick, make sure your dog is tall enough to reach the light switch when standing on his hind legs. If not, he can jump onto a chair or table. First, hold a treat next to the switch and say, "Turn off the light." When he jumps for the treat, he should touch the light switch and pull it down. Reward the dog when he has successfully turned the light off. Practice this a few times and then move away from the wall to the other side of the room and say, "Turn off the light." If the dog completes the command, reward with a treat and verbal praise. Repeat several times a day for a few minutes each time until the dog can complete the trick without a treat and only the verbal cue.