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Fun Tricks To Teach Your Puppy
Training is a fantastic way for you to bond and communicate with your puppy. The more time you spend training together the better your relationship and the more party tricks you will have up your sleeve!
When training, it’s best to use small soft and tasty treats so that your puppy can eat them quickly and continue with training.
Before you start, condition your puppy to a marker word (most people choose the word ‘yes’) or the sound of a clicker. This allows you communicate clearly with your puppy by accurately marking the moment when your puppy has done the right thing. To condition your puppy, say the word or press the clicker and then give them a treat. Repeat this 5-10 times in a row. It won’t take long for your pup to associate the word or click with the treat.
Here are 5 fun tricks you can teach your puppy
- Shake Hands
Hold a treat inside a closed fist and present it to your puppy. Most dogs will start mouthing and then using their paw on your closed fist. Mark the moment they place their paw on your fist then let them have the treat. After a few repetitions, start adding your cue ‘shake’ and then phase out the treat in your hand and just hold out your palm.
As your dog gets better at this trick, you can hold your hand with your palm facing your dog and turn the trick into a high five!
- Spin
Using a treat to lure your dog, hold it in front of their face and slowly move it towards the back of their body in a circular motion. Be sure to keep the treat parallel to their body or else they might jump up. Once they have turned a full circle, mark and reward them. Once they are consistent in following your hand, add your cue and then start phasing out using the treat to lure. If your pup is struggling to follow the treat all the way around, break the circle down into quarters and reward each time.
- Roll Over
This trick is always a crowd pleaser. Get your pup’s to lie down and use a treat to lure your dog to lay down on its side. Then lure your pup’s head towards their legs. This will cause your dog to move to lie on their back and roll to the other side. Rolling on their back is a vulnerable position for a dog to be in. So don’t rush this trick and practise it in a safe and quiet environment. If needed, break it down into lots of little steps and reward your dog along the way.
- Go Around An Object
Teaching your pup to go around an object is not only a fun trick, it’s a really useful life skill too! Instead of untangling your leash each time your dog goes around a pole, you can easily ask your dog to go around in the opposite direction. Start by placing treats evenly around an object and mark your dog each time they walk towards a treat. Continue to do this until your dog is circling the object, then add your cue and start spacing the treats further and further apart.
- Middle Position
Getting your pup used to standing between your legs is useful when you are in a tight space and gives your pup a safe space to retreat to in public. Start by getting your pup used to running between your legs. Toss a treat between your legs and let them run to get it. Then as they are coming back, show them another treat and lure them to stop between your legs.
When training, don’t forget to keep your sessions short, positive and fun! This applies when training older dogs too! If you find your pup is distracted or is not understanding what you are trying to communicate, it’s time to take a step back and simplify what you are asking or take a break.
Also try to experiment with different types of treats to find out which one your pup likes best!
For more training tips, check out our blog post on how to train your puppy.
