Simple Dog Tricks

Teaching your dog a few simple tricks will not only improve his obedience, but will encourage a stronger bond between the two of you. When training a dog, you will need to use something to mark good behavior. You can use treats, verbal praise or a clicker. Treats are normally useful to start with, in conjunction with praise or use of a clicker.

  1. Sit

    • To teach your dog to sit, hold a treat and stand in front of him. Speak the command, "sit," then move the treat backward above your dog's head, so that it is too far back to get. Your dog should sit down so his head will be closer to the treat. Some dogs will just step backward, though, so keep trying if this doesn't work at first. Use the clicker or praise the dog and give him the treat as soon as he sits.

    Down

    • To teach this trick, hold a treat to your dog's nose, then lower it slowly to the ground. Your dog's nose should follow the treat to the floor, along with the front half of his body. Hold the treat in between your dog's front paws, the rest of his body should follow. Speak the command, "down," or, "lie," just before your dog's whole body lies down, then praise or click, giving the treat once he is in the correct position.

    Shake

    • A "shake" command instructs the dog to give you his paw, similar to a handshake. Sit your pet in front of you, then take one of his paws in your hand and gently shake it. As you do this, speak the command, "shake." Then, praise or use the clicker and give your dog a treat. Repeat a few times. Then, hold out your hand and say, "shake." Wait for your dog to give you his paw. Reward him with a treat.

    Crawl

    • To teach your dog to crawl, first put him into the "down" position. Hold a treat in your right hand, making sure it is within the dog's sight, but out of reach. Hold your left hand 1/2 inch above your dog's back. Move the treat further away and say, "crawl." If your dog tries to stand, very gently encourage him to lie back down with your left hand. As soon as your dog crawls, praise or click. Give him a treat to reinforce the action.