Difficult Dog Tricks

There's no need to stop teaching your dog new tricks after you've already taught them how to stay, fetch and shake hands. As you teach your dog new tricks, however, remember to focus on rewarding your dog for accomplishing a trick rather than on punishing your dog for getting a trick wrong, which may confuse and discourage your pet. Also, use treats to keep your dog's attention and keep training sessions short.

  1. Play Dead

    • Put your dog in the position you want it to assume after you tell it to play dead, then point at your dog and say your command word, some common choices include “Dead” and “Bang.” You will probably need to hold your pet in position with both hands at first. Reward your dog if it stays in position. With rewarded practice, your dog should become accustomed to staying in position.

    Sneeze

    • To teach your dog how to sneeze on command, begin by tickling its nose with a feather. As your dog sneezes, say your command word, “Sneeze” for instance, and reward your dog. After enough repetitions, you should be able to induce sneezing in your dog simply by pointing at it and saying “Sneeze.” However, you should stop trying to teach your dog this trick if it becomes aggressive when you tickle its nose.

    Tail Fetch

    • This trick is rather complex and must be taught to your dog in two stages. Also, your dog will have to have a tail long enough for your dog to hold it in its mouth.

      First, put your dog's tail in its mouth and say your command, such as “Being me your tail.” Reward your dog if it lets go of its tail only at your command.

      Second, once your dog has its tail in its mouth, step back several steps and call your dog to you. At first, your dog will probably let go of its tail before coming to you. If this is the case, ignore your dog and try again until it comes to you without letting go. However, do not expect your dog to be able to make it much farther than ten feet.

      Initially, you will have to put your dog's tail in its mouth yourself but, in time, it should learn to grab its tail when you hold it out and finally it will eventually grab its tail on command.