If you do not know what you’re doing teaching your dog tricks can be one hell of a tough time. Did you know that just 8% of dog owners actually took their pet friend to obedience classes?1 Getting your furry pal to bring back the ball or lay down or even sit down can be a nightmare. Thankfully you can read on to discover the tips on how to get your dog to do tricks this year and impress your friends and family.
What Is The First Step To Dog Obedience?
The first step is to get your dog’s attention. This can be done in a variety of ways, but the easiest way is to use a treat. Hold the treat in front of your dog’s nose and say his name. Once he looks at you, give him the treat. Repeat this process until your dog is responding consistently. Like we mentioned earlier just 7% of dog owners took their dog to obedience classes but up to 73% of dog owners actually used some form of training method that they learned online or from books.2
How Do You Get Your Dog To Perform Tricks?
Once you have your dog’s attention, you can start working on tricks. The easiest trick to teach is probably the sit command. To do this, hold a treat in front of your dog’s nose and say “sit.” As he sits down, give him the treat. Repeat this process until your dog is sitting on command consistently.
How To Teach Your Dog To Fetch?
The fetch command is another easy one to teach. Start by teaching your dog to sit. Once he is sitting, toss a ball or toy a short distance away from him. As he goes to get the ball or toy, say “fetch.” Once he brings the ball or toy back to you, give him a treat. Repeat this process until your dog is fetching on command consistently. The American Kennel Club is one of the most long standing dog associations in North America and they have an expert guide on how to teach your dog fetch which you can view here.
How Do You Get Your Dog To Lay Down?
The lay down command is a little bit more difficult to teach than the sit and fetch commands, but it can be done with some patience and practice. To start, have your dog sit. Then, hold a treat in front of his nose and say “lay down.” As he starts to lie down, give him the treat. Repeat this process until your dog is lying down on command consistently.
How Do You Get Your Dog To Stay?
The stay command is another one that takes some patience and practice to teach. Start by having your dog sit or lay down. Then, say “stay” and take a few steps away from him. If he gets up, return to him and have him sit or lay back down. Once he stays in place for a short period of time, give him a treat. Repeat this process until your dog is staying on command consistently.
How Many Tricks Can A Dog Learn?
There is no limit to the number of tricks a dog can learn. It just depends on how much time and effort you are willing to put into training him. With patience and practice, your dog can learn any trick you want him to.
What Are Some Other Dog Training Tips?
Here are a few other dog training tips to keep in mind:
- Be patient with your dog and don’t get frustrated if he doesn’t seem to be progressing as quickly as you would like. Dogs learn at their own pace and some pick up new tricks faster than others. Just keep working at it and he’ll eventually get it.
- Reward your dog for good behavior with treats, praise, or both. This will help him to associate positive things with obeying your commands.
- Be consistent with your commands. If you keep changing the words or phrases you use, it will only confuse your dog and make it more difficult for him to learn.
- Practice makes perfect. The more you work with your dog on tricks, the better he’ll get at them. So don’t give up if he doesn’t seem to be getting it right away. With some time and effort, he’ll eventually get there.
So There You Have It!
With these tips, you should be well on your way to teaching your dog tricks in 2022. Just remember to be patient, be consistent, and practice, practice, practice!
Reference:
