If you own a dog, you may want it to know how to perform tricks that will entertain you, your family and perhaps your guests. In addition, teaching a dog tricks will help the dog become more obedient. Training a dog requires patience, and your willingness to teach the same trick several times for the dog to fully comprehend the trick. Here are some tricks that you can teach your dog.
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Sit
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The most basic trick to teach a dog is the "sit" command. In fact, it often serves as the basis for many other dog tricks. The command can be used to teach a dog to calm down in situations it may find exciting. This trick works well with "bait" such as a toy or a bone. To begin teaching your dog to sit, simply show him the "bait" that usually gets him excited. Wave it above the dog's head until the dog places its bottom on the ground. At this point, you can say, "sit...good boy!" Now, give the dog the "bait." As you continue to teach this command, replace treats with words and body actions of praise. Eventually, the dog should be able to follow the command "sit" without you having to use a treat.
Shake Hands
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The most common dog trick other than "sit" is the "shake hands" trick. This trick involves you ordering your dog to shake your hand and the dog complying with that order. The key to successfully completing this trick is that the dog must offer its hand to you once you say, "shake hands." To begin this trick, order your dog to sit. Next, clearly state," Shake hands." After saying "Shake hands," immediately hold one of his paws with your hand. Continue to hold his paw, praising him with the phrase "Good dog!" Take the learning process to the next level by saying, "Shake hands" but avoiding holding his paw. Instead, wait until he extends his paw toward you, signaling that he fully understands the order. Do not be discouraged if he still fails to extend his hand in reply to your order. Be patient, and hold his hand if you have to during the process. Practice the trick until you are confident that the dog understands how to obey the order of "shake hands" without having to be shown.
Speak
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The "Speak" trick is a good way for dogs to express themselves when you tell them to. If you already have a dog that loves to bark without being told, you may not want to teach this trick because it can encourage his noisy behavior. To begin teaching this trick, choose a game that your dog enjoys, such as a game of "catch the ball." Entice him to become excited about the game by acting silly or jumping around with the game prop. This should cause the dog to become excited and bark. When he barks, say "Good dog, speak!" You can now play the game as a reward for him speaking. For a few times, the dog may bark only when he is excited, but the more times you say "Speak!" the likelier he will bark even when he is not excited, if you tell him to.
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