Are you feeling a bit stuck on which new tricks to teach your pup? Here are some cool tricks to teach your dog for some bonding time with Bruno!
Teaching your dog new tricks is one of the most rewarding parts of being a pet parent. You don’t need to be a professional dog trainer to teach your dogs the basics. All it takes is patience, time and a whole lot of treats up your sleeve!
If you’re looking for some doggy-trick inspiration, you’ve come to the right place. Whether they’re young, old, playful or on the dopey side of life, there are great tricks out there for every dog.
10 Cool Tricks to Teach Your Dog
1. Sit
Sit is a really basic command that every dog owner should perfect to have a well-trained dog in the house. Teaching your dog to sit means that when you say the command “sit,” they will stop what they’re doing and sit down on their hindquarters. Teaching your dog to sit on command is the foundation for many other tricks like rolling over, greeting guests or playing dead.
2. Rollover
Teaching your dog to roll over is as fun for you as it is for them. Most dog owners will start off by teaching their furry friends to roll over halfway before they build up to being able to roll over once or twice. This trick is a lot of fun to master and is a great exercise for your dog.
3. Kiss
If your dog is a crazy face licker and you need them to dial it back a bit, you should teach them to kiss on command! If you love getting kisses from your dog, train them to gently lick your face on command by using treats. Remember to only let your dog near your face once you know they are good at following commands and cues. This trick is a hit with kids and will help your dog give affection without being overly boisterous.
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4. Bark on command
Teaching your dog to bark on command or, as dog trainers usually refer to it, teaching them to “talk” and “be quiet” is a useful trick. While barking is natural for dogs, barking excessively is a common behavioural issue. If your dog has a bad habit of barking at passing strangers, cars, bugs or noise you should consider teaching them to bark (and stop barking) on command.
5. Fetch
Fetch is pretty much the reason we all have dogs, right? There is nothing better than taking a frisbee or ball to the park and hanging out with your best friend. Provided they don’t run off with the ball or stare at you blankly when you throw it.
Dogs love to play fetch, but they need to be taught how. Use treats to reward your dog when they bring the ball back and drop it nicely in your hand. Fetch is of course a fantastic way to make sure your dog gets their daily dose of exercise.
6. Shake hands
Shaking hands is a brilliant trick to teach your dog, because who doesn’t love having a sweet paw reach up to hold your hand? Most dogs already naturally give us their paws, so they’ll love the attention they get from practising this trick.
7. Play dead
Playing dead is a fun game that will entertain you, your dog and your guests. Playing dead is similar to training your dog to sit or rollover, and is equally as rewarding. The end goal is to have your dog lie motionless on the floor on command, and to see how long they can stay still until they hop up again for some love!
8. Hug
Considering we’re all keeping a good distance between humans, now is a great time to earn some dog hugs! Dogs adore affection and being able to give you a hug will bring them as much joy as it brings you. Teach your dog to put both paws over your shoulders as you wrap your arms around them.
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9. Spin
Spinning is a fun and funky trick to add to your arsenal. This is the equivalent of a zoomie session but without the uncontrolled madness! This trick is really easy and soon your dog will be able to spin in both directions, with impressive speed. All you need to do is have some treats close to their nose whilst you spin your arm in circles. Trust us, they’ll catch on quickly.
10. Sit pretty
Sitting pretty is an intermediate trick that is also referred to as ‘the beg’. If you can picture your dog perched on their hind legs with their front paws in front of their chest, that’s the trick. This trick may seem like just another gimmick, but it also happens to be really good for your dog. This position improves their balance and mobility whilst strengthening their spinal cord and stretching their hip flexors.
We hope you create fond memories with your dog whilst you’re teaching them the tricks of the trade! Don’t forget to make sure you have comprehensive pet insurance with a trusted insurer like Oneplan Pet Insurance to make sure your precious fur baby is always protected when they need it most.
