Dog Tricks Training

Training a dog to perform tricks is a way to show off your dog's intelligence and enjoy interactive play time with your pet as well. Though teaching tricks is not necessarily an activity that is easy to achieve, some techniques can help make training your dog easier and more efficient.

  1. Basic Commands

    • Ensure your dog knows the basics and obeys your commands. Train the dog how to sit, stop an objectionable habit and stay. You also should be able to call your dog to you to make training sessions easier. If your dog has not learned the basics, teach those skills before you move onto tricks.

    Endorse Good Behavior

    • Praise your dog when it performs a task correctly. If your dog gets a trick or maneuver correctly but is not praised for it, the dog has no way of knowing whether the action performed was what you wanted. Be generous with your praise so your dog receives positive reinforcement.

    Treats

    • Providing your dog with treats is one of the most basic forms of training by positive reinforcement. Every time your dog performs a task correctly, give the dog a treat or snack to encourage this behavior. You will not have to give treats to the dog every time it does a trick. However, when you are teaching the trick, administering treats will help make the training much more effective. If the dog knows it will receive a treat if it completes a task, it will be more likely to do that task.

    Pacing

    • Do not try to teach more than one trick at once. If you do, you will find that the dog does not learn any of the tricks you are trying to teach. The dog will only do tasks for the treat in your hand. Start with something small, such as shaking hands or playing dead, before moving on to more advanced tricks.