Looking for something to stimulate your dog? Or would you like your dog to learn tricks, but you have no idea? This article is for you! Through its 30 ideas of exercises to teach your dog, you will have the opportunity to strengthen the bonds that unite you and to re-discover each other! Prepare your patience, your good humour, your kindness and your treats!
Do you have them? So here we go!
Why teach tricks to your dog?
There are many reasons to teach “tricks” to your dog. This can only be useful on a day-to-day basis. But the truth is that there is much more to be found than just a utility for humans.
Learning, among other things, allows:
- To build relationships between the teacher and the dog if the methods used are benevolent and positive.
- Improving thinking in dogs
- To stimulate it mentally through the game of learning
- To let the dog off steam
- To create moments of sharing and complicity
In short, it makes life less monotonous for our dogs who are usually unemployed with the consequence of having to wait for us all day. This often brings a better moral balance to our canine companion.
Beware, some learning is not suitable for all dogs. For example, you don’t blow up a dog that has joint problems. One must take into account the age of his dog, his physical condition, but also his desire. The goal is not to force it.
Physical preparation
Then, physical preparation will probably be necessary for your dog to avoid injury. Your dog’s physical preparation is often made up of a panel of exercises that strengthen his entire body such as:
- Muscle system
- the tendon system
- joint system
The main objective is to prevent the risk of injury by proposing general but adapted exercises that will contribute to this overall reinforcement as well as to the balance of your pet’s body. If necessary, don’t hesitate to turn to a specialist in proprioception and canine fitness, so you don’t make a mistake. A health visit to the vet would be a significant addition to making sure everything is okay.
The prerequisites
It is interesting to already have some apprenticeships in “pocket” to facilitate the training of new towers. For example, you can work:
- Walking (with or without a leash): Tito Learn not to shoot on a leash
- Sitting: Tito Learn the Sitting
- Bedtime: Tito Lying Position
- Reminder: Tito Learn the Recall
- The Move Step: Tito Learn Not to Move
The list
Now here’s a non-exhaustive list that you can complete, edit and follow for fun:
- 1. Standing: it is a static position that looks innocuous while it requires a lot of work for the dog
- 2. Give the paw and then know how to give the other leg: here the dog’s paw will be in ours
- 3. In the same way you can teach him to put his paw on your foot
- 4. Learn to give the object it has in your mouth
- 5. Salvation: the dog puts itself in a playing position as if it were bowing out
- 6. Back in a straight line
- 7. The “Look” or “look at me”: the dog must stare in ours. It’s very convenient to do a nice walk, but also to take pictures!
- 8. Hide your eyes by putting your paw on your snout
- 9. Kisses: the dog makes a “kiss” on request, he can learn to put his truffle in contact with our cheek
- 10. The twist or the “turns” the dog learns to go round in circles
- 11. Search: the dog learns to look for a treat, a toy, a smell
- 12. Wearing an object in the mouth: this can be convenient for other tricks
- 13. Learn how to open a drawer or door by pulling on a rope
- 14. Catch and place an object in a box
- 15. Learn to stand still on a target: like a scale or a mat
- 16. Learn how to put your snout in a muzzle
- 17. Learn the famous “PAN!! You’re dead”: The dog then gets on its side and doesn’t move as if it’s been shot.
- 18. To crawl: the dog then moves with its belly glued to the ground
- 19. Learn to hit a target
- 20. Roll: the fact that the dog is lying on its side and tipping opposite the way while riding
- 21. Military walking: the dog learns to walk to the rhythm of his master and between his legs
- 22. Childish walking: the dog gets between the legs of his master, places his front paws on the feet of his master and they advance together without the dog withdrawing.
- 23. Make an “8” between the legs of his master
- 24. Make “the beautiful”: the dog is then seated and raises its two front paws (watch out for the back of the dog)
- 25. Slalom between the legs of his master when he walks
- 26. Bark on request
- 27. Jumping over the leg
- 28. Jumping into the arms of his master
- 29. Pretending to limp like in the movies
- 30. Make the pear tree
Keep in mind that each exercise must be worked gradually and on a regular basis for better success. Short but repeated sessions are ideal. Learning should be done in a calm and safe environment for the dog.
There are tons of things we can teach our dogs. From the simplest to the most complicated! The important thing is to go on a two-man adventure, on a shared pleasure with respect for everyone. Take the time, don’t say “no” to your dog when he makes the wrong proposal at the risk of blocking him later. Finally, if none of these apprenticeships interest you, it doesn’t matter! You can value your relationship in many ways: walks, games, time spent together.