How to Teach your Dog Tricks

Come, Sit, Stay and Down. Essential tricks to teach your dog that are easy to teach with practice. There's nothing more fun than these tricks to teach your dog.

Fun Tricks to Teach Your Dog

Teaching your dog cool tricks can be a lot of fun, and it only takes a few minutes each day and can be taught inside.

Teaching a dog to “back up” sounds like it would be difficult, but this is one of the easiest tricks to teach.

Plus, it’s a really cool trick to show your friends! Or want to teach your dog to sit, stay, or wait? Then take a look at our 10 Commands to Teach your Dog.

Train Your Dog to Back Up

My favorite video that my mom used to train me to back up was from Pet Experts Dog Training:

My dog's picked up this command with practice.
Stand in front of your dog and move forward.
Use a hand signal while repeating "Back Up." Move your hands toward the dog - palms up, facing the dog - as if you're pushing him.
This will force your dog to move backward as you move forward. Praise and give your pet its treat. When giving the treat, toss it so that your dog learns a distance. Giving it by hand makes it hard to get some distance.
I've used a leash to move my dog back if she had trouble with this command.
When teaching "back up" you'll always want to be moving towards your dog while simultaneously repeating the command and using hand signals.
Once they have this technique down, your dog will always move backward in a straight line from you.

Train Your Dog to Crawl

The best video comes from Kris Crestejo with Modern Canine Training:

Get his liver treat ready. This command is something any dog can learn.
Ask your dog to sit and then lay down.
Put your hand above his or her back, but not touching their backs.
While holding your hand over their back, use your other hand to put the food a foot or two in front of his mouth.
Say the command "Crawl" and move the food away.
Gently push them back down if they try to stand. Show them the food, let them smell and begin moving it forward while repeating the command "Crawl."
Keep repeating this several times. If your dog doesn't do this right away, don't give a treat. That will teach them they can get rewarded and not have to crawl.
Eventually, your dog will crawl forward, keep repeating "crawl" and give them a treat.
Keep repeating this several times a day.

Train your dog to Sit Up, Down and Stand

We loved ZaK George's with Zak George's dog Training Revolution video to learn how to sit up, down and stand:

* Keeping your dog in this position too long can hurt your dog's back. It will take time for their muscles to get used to this exercise. *

I admit this is one of the harder things to teach my dog. It's an unnatural position, and some dogs can't do this one at all. Smaller dogs have an easier time with this move than larger dogs.

To Train Your Dog to lay down at the "Bang"command

Modern Canine Training is once again my favorite video on teaching your dog to play dead with the bank command:

You will need to help your dog at first. Remember, some dogs can't do this position.
Start by placing your dog a corner, facing you.
Ask your dog to "Sit Up" by lifting its front legs into a sitting position.
Help hold them there for just a few minutes, by releasing their feet but keeping your hand under its chin to keep its balance. Give them a treat.
Repeat this a few more seconds and then let them down.
Repeat this several times a day by helping them into the sit position until your dog can sit without your help.
Keep working until your dog goes up by himself.