Being a pet parent is an amazing adventure. Dogs, in particular, make excellent companions, always eager to please and readily following your commands. If your pup has mastered a few basic tricks, like sit, stay, come, and lie down, it’s probably time to up the ante.
Here are some moves that can be a bit more challenging. However, the rewards will be all the sweeter for both you and your pup once they learn these new lessons.
1. Speak
To train your dog to speak, it can be helpful to train them to be quiet first. This might be especially true if you have a pooch who barks a lot to begin with. Then, when they’ve mastered the art of being quiet on command, you can introduce speaking.
Here’s how to teach your pet to be quiet:
- Start by choosing a simple cue word, like “quiet” or “hush,” that you’ll use consistently.
- Do something that will cause them to bark, such as having someone else knock on the front door.
- Show them you’ve heard them by checking to see the reason, like going to the door.
- Get your dog’s attention with a treat.
- When they’ve stopped barking, give your dog the treat.
- Repeat the steps a few more times, waiting for them to be quiet a little longer each time before offering the treat.
- Then, begin using the cue word while holding up the treat to direct them to stop barking.
- Give them the treat when they respond with silence.
To teach your pet to speak:
- Select an easy-to-remember word such as “speak,” “talk,” or “bark.”
- Just like before, create a scenario to get your canine to bark.
- When they bark, say the cue word clearly in an encouraging tone of voice.
- Give them verbal praise as well as a treat.
- Repeat these steps again several times to help your pet remember.
After your doggie has learned both commands, you can reinforce the lessons by using both commands together, asking them to speak and then to be quiet.
2. Drop it
Teaching your canine to drop something can be an especially useful exercise, as dogs are known for picking up things in their mouths that they shouldn’t.
To teach this trick:
- Hold out your dog’s favorite toy and tell them to take it.
- While your pet has the toy in their mouth, show them a treat and bring it close to their nose so they can get a good sniff.
- When your doggie drops the toy, offer them the treat.
- Repeat these three steps a few more times.
- Next time, include a verbal cue like “drop it” while you hold the treat.
- Keep practicing with your pooch, each time holding the treat a bit farther away.
- Then, give them the command with no treat and only give verbal praise when they respond.
3. Back up
Backing up is a great maneuver to teach your dog, just like “stay” and “sit” can be handy when you need your dog out of the way when you’re occupied with something. Be mindful that your pet should have already mastered “stay” since it’s the first step in training them to back up.
To teach this trick:
- Start by commanding your dog to stay.
- Step away a few paces from your pet.
- Turn around so you are facing them.
- Slowly move towards your pooch, leaning your body forward a little.
- Once your dog begins to back up, reward them with a treat.
- Repeat the procedure, adding the command “back up.”
4. Leave it
Closely related to the “drop it” trick is “leave it.” This is another command that can help keep your pup safe. Dogs are naturally curious, and there are many interesting smells and items outside that can possibly cause them harm.
The objective of the “leave it” command is to show your doggie that the reward for leaving whatever has caught their attention is better than what they may get from an interesting item they have discovered.
To teach this trick:
- Hold a treat in each hand, closing your fist.
- Bring one hand close to your pup’s nose so they can smell the treat.
- At the same time, give them the “leave it” command.
- Ignore anything they do to get the treat (licking or mouthing your hand, barking, etc.).
- When they stop this behavior, give them the treat from your other hand right away.
- Repeat the steps until your dog moves away from your first fist when you say, “Leave it.”
- Once they step back and look at you, give them the treat in your first closed fist.
In closing
Remember not to rush the lessons with your canine. They may struggle with some of these more advanced tricks, but your patience will be well worth it.