6 Fun Commands To Teach Your Dog

Knowing commands are all part of a dog’s training. It not only teaches your dog good behaviour, but is also a good bonding tool to bring you and your pup closer. Once your dog has mastered the basic commands, it’s time to teach them the exciting ones. Here are six tricks that you and your doggo can have fun with.

1. Kisses

Perhaps the ultimate act of love your dog can give you, a kiss on command is sure to cheer you up any day. Here’s how you can get your daily smooch: – Dab some peanut butter on your cheek – Give the cue word -kiss- and lean towards your dog – Your dog should naturally lick up the goodies from your cheek – Keep repeating this till your dog kisses you on cue even without the lure.

2. Woof!

Barking on command? Sounds fun to me! This is especially useful for when you need a friend to talk to, but there’s no human who has the time of day for you. – Use a stimulus to get your dog to bark, such as a doorbell, and say the cue word “bark” or “woof” after the bark – Immediately reward the bark with a treat – Repeat this several times till your dog learns the association and barks on command, without the stimulus – Tip: It’s also a good idea to try this with the “quiet” command.

3. Play Dead

Playing dead is one of the more advanced tricks to teach your dog, but once mastered, it’ll surely be one of your go-to tricks to impress. – Ensure your dog knows the “down” trick first – Once in the “down” position, use your hands to gently push your dog to lie on their side and ask them to “stay” – If the dog stays, reward them with a treat – Repeat this process a couple of times – Add the cue word and/or action such as “bang” with a gun signal before getting your dog on their side again and rewarding it with a treat – Repeat this several times until your dog learns to pass out on cue

4. Snuggles

There’s nothing like receiving a good hug from your dog, and even better if you can ask for one knowing you won’t get rejected. Get ready for lots of loving! – Sit or kneel down, place a treat in your hand, and wrap your hand around the back of your neck – Wait for your dog to move towards the treat and attempt to grab it – Let them nibble at the treat first before giving it to them whole – Repeat this a few times – Add the cue word “hug” before repeating the above process – Make the hug longer by giving the treat only after your dog holds the position for a few seconds – Once your dog does this consistently, remove your hand and give the cue word. If he does the action, give him a treat. If not, place your hand back again but for a shorter time period. Keep shortening the time your hand is held there till your dog “hugs” with just the verbal cue – Note: This version of “hugging” does not use the paws, which can be dangerous for some dogs

5. Find It

One of the most fun games you can play with your dog, finding objects is not only a fun trick, but a useful one as well. – Ask your dog to “sit” – Hold up an object that he knows by name and let him smell it – Hide the object somewhere obvious and say “find it”, or “find _____” – When your dog touches the object, give them a treat – Repeat this several times, changing the hiding spot each time with increasing difficulty – Once he can find the particular object consistently, switch it with a less familiar object, let him smell it, then ask him to “find it”.

6. Balancing Act

Teaching your dog patience is important, and this is one trick that will do just that. – Ask your dog to “sit” – Hold up the treat and make sure your dog’s eyes are on it – Slowly place the treat on the flat part of their nose till it balances nicely – Immediately give the cue word “okay” and let them eat the treat while you praise them – Repeat the process and gradually increase the waiting time between placing the treat and giving the cue Read more: Dog Training Tips