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Training Talk With Leslie Hayes:
Teaching Your Dog Tricks
Leslie Hayes is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers,
the co-owner of Pup Life, Inc. and the author of many positive reinforcement dog
training articles.
Submit your dog training questions to Training Talk via our Contact
Us form. Due to the high volume of questions we receive,
we cannot respond to everyone.
Question
I’d like to teach my dog something fun. Can you
recommend some dog tricks? – Amy via email
Answer
Great question! Teaching tricks is a wonderful way
to enhance the bond with your dog as well as refining his
skills and keeping his mind active. Dogs love to learn and
enjoy the chance to problem solve. Moreover, many people find
that teaching their dog to “Shake” or “Sit
Up” is more fun and upbeat than teaching basic manners
like “Sit Stay” or “Drop It”. This
takes the pressure off both you and your dog and makes for
a lively training session that feels more like a game than
a lesson.
 One
trick everybody loves is “Play Dead”. Just like Cops and Robbers when
you were a kid, use your hand to create a fake gun and the cue “Bang!”
and watch your dog drop to the floor and roll on his side. Begin with your dog
in the down position. If he doesn’t know the verbal cue for down yet, use
a yummy treat to lure him to the floor. Once there, use gentle pressure to roll
your dog on to his side. Say “Bang!” and give lots of healthy
dog treats. Release your dog with “Ok” (remember you always want
to give your dog on and off switches when teaching any behavior) and repeat. Gradually
extend the amount of time your dog is on his side until he can maintain the behavior
for 20 or 30 seconds.
Now that Fido is beginning to understand that “Bang!”
means drop to the floor and roll over on your side, try cueing
him in different locations like outside in the grass or in
the dining room. Dogs are contextual so if you teach your
dog new skills in the living room and then ask him to perform
that behavior in a different location it can be confusing.
By changing location, you are expanding your dog’s understanding
of the cue.
 Another
favorite trick is, of course, “Shake”. You can
add a twist to this old standby when you teach your dog the
difference between left and right. Trust me, your friends
will be amazed! Start by picking up your dog’s paw and
giving him a treat. Once he’s comfortable he’ll
most likely start offering his paw to you. At this point,
add your verbal cue “Shake”, “Paw”
or even better “Shake Left” or “Shake Right”
and pick up the appropriate paw and give a treat. Help ensure
your dog’s success by focusing on paw at a time. When
Fido has a solid understanding of “Shake Left”
then you can teach him “Shake Right”. Initially,
you may find the your dog has difficult time make the transition
(remember, dogs are contextual). Don’t get discouraged,
just start from the beginning and Fido will catch on quickly.
Teaching tricks is a fun, lighthearted way to interact with
your dog. You’ll learn new ways to communicate with
your pooch while stimulating his mind and keeping him active
and alert. Plus, you’ll have a great way to entertain
your friends and family when you’re through!
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