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“Sit,” “stay,” and “come” are tricks of the past. Upgrade your quality time with your dog by teaching them fun new skills. Whether your dog is a professional trickster or still learning the basics, there are a lot of fun and creative tricks you can try with your furry friend. Not sure what your dog will do best? Use our list of tricks to find the best new talent for your pet to master!
Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? By incorporating one of your aged dog’s frequent habits, your canine can learn a new trick without interrupting its regular routine. Before your dog’s afternoon nap, teach them to go to bed in three easy steps.
TIP: Like humans, a dog’s metabolism slows with age. For older dogs, try using an all-natural dog treat to help avoid excess calorie intake.
Great for both indoors and outdoors, this timed treasure hunt is an interactive way to test your dog’s speed. Using training treats and other one-bite rewards, place a few all-natural snacks around the area, just out of sight. Before letting your dog start their scavenger hunt, get your timer ready. With each new round, encourage your competitive canine to beat their previous records.
TIP: Keep your dog attentive to the task by saving long-lasting treats until after the race.
Start Training with Our Tasty Treats!
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Do you ever feel like your dog understands you when you speak? Then this object identification trick might be a good skill to teach.
Place a frequently used object in front of your dog and practice targeting. Once they begin to identify the piece, start stating the object’s name before your dog touches it. After mastering one object, you can slowly begin to incorporate a second.
TIP: It’s best to avoid starting with your dog’s favorite toy in order to keep them focused.
Who says soccer players can’t have four legs? If your dog can’t keep their paws off balls, this might be the trick to try. Attract your dog to the ball and encourage them to interact with it. The more contact they have with the ball, the more rewards they can receive. Once the dog relates the ball with rewards, cheer for them to play more. A slight nose nudge can elevate to a full paw-push with enough encouragement from the owner. With practice, your dog can become a soccer star.
TIP: Use an appropriate ball for the task. Your favorite soccer ball may not outlast practicing this trick.
Like a soldier, dogs need ample exercise to keep fit. Whether or not the dog or its owner has done service, this trick is a great exercise to promote joint agility and core strength. Treats in hand, tell your dog to lie on their belly, helping them initially if needed. Once they are down, slowly back away from your dog while holding a treat just in front of their nose.
Encourage them to follow your lead by quickly offering a reward after every correctly completed action. Lessen the number of rewards as your dog starts to master the crawl with a single command. They’ll be ready for duty in no time.
TIP: Swap the standard “down” and “crawl” verbal cues for your favorite military terminology to add an extra dose of patriotic pride.
With the right dedication and motivation, anything is possible for your furry friend. Of course, if you need the extra expertise, there’s always the dog trainer option. If you opt for a solo method, try using a clicker to give your training skills added assistance.
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If you’re not sure which trick your dog will respond to best, why not try them all? Just be sure to allow ample time to master a single skill before moving to a new one. With a little patience and some tasty treats, you’ll be able to help motivate your dog to master any trick!