Training your dog is a great way to give them some mental enrichment and to help your lives work together even more! Some dogs take to training better than others, and it is always important to remember to remain calm, determined, and patient with your pup. Our dogs are much smarter than we may think!
Before we get into what tricks to train, we should discuss some tips to make your training sessions go smoothly.
1. Identify what motivates your dog:
Some dogs are motivated by food, so having a handful of kibble or a bag of treats ready can be effective to motivate and reward your pup! Some dogs prefer toys, like a squeak toy or a ball, as a reward. When you do provide the reward, get excited! Dogs respond to our energy and emotions, and reacting outwardly positive will reinforce the action.
1. Make sure you are saying your commands clearly:
When training with commands, it is important to speak clearly and loudly. Another key note is to repeat the command as little as possible! They heard you the first time, and they may get distracted, but hold your position and refrain from repeating when possible. This helps show your dog that they will get the reward for acting the first time you say the command, and prevents a delay that makes you repeat the command every time.
1. Add a hand motion with your spoken command:
Adding a visual input with your spoken command can help your dog identify when they should act! It can also mimic the motion, so they have to follow your hand at first, like with spin.
1. Dogs respond much better to reward than punishment:
It can be difficult for dogs to identify the exact behavior they are being punished for, and a negative consequence, without a professional trainer, can often reinforce the stress and fear that causes the poor behavior. In the wild, they are motivated for positive outcomes like food, so using that innate drive is often promising when training at home.
1. Having another dog model the trick can help:
If a younger puppy, or a dog new to a particular trick, has it modeled by another dog with the same command, it can help them pick it up quicker! Sometimes a puppy will even naturally try to copy their sibling without you giving the command.
1. Repetition is key:
Dogs are very unlikely to get the trick on the first go. Stay patient, and gradually work up to less and less guidance, until they are doing the trick independently! This can often require training sessions spread across several days, and lots of reinforcement.
Let’s get into some beginner tricks!
1. Down:
Everyone knows sit, and down is just one more step! The down command can be very helpful when your dog is jumping or high energy especially around company. Down is for lay down, and is usually given after a sit command to naturally bring them to the ground. A common way this is trained is to have your pup in sit, and bring their motivator like a treat slowly to the ground, and when they follow, say “yes” as you give them the treat!
1. Roll over:
Roll over is not unlike spin! Instead of having your pup spin in a circle, you spin them over their back laying down! Starting with the down command and then moving into the spin command after they’ve mastered down is a great way to establish fluidity. This is commonly trained by having your pup in down, and moving your hand in a vertical circle to mimic the rolling motion.
1. Wave:
Wave is a cousin to shake/paw! Instead of asking for their paw in your hand, you want their paw in the air, toe beans out! This one is a lot of trial and error, and rewarding very specific movements until your dog picks it up.
Here’s a bonus harder trick for you to try:
– Around the world:
This command has your dog walk in a circle around you while you stand still! It can be a fun trick to show off, and also can ground your dog or regain their attention after a distraction.
These are tricks, and helpful little tasks for your dog to learn! If you have some behavioral concerns, or bigger skills that you can’t train alone, a professional trainer is a great way to go! Never hesitate to ask for help!
Happy training!
