Blog – Success Dogs

How To Train A Dog To Bounce

This tutorial is part of The Ultimate List Of Dog Trick Ideas which contains 99 other tricks like this!

The dog that will bounce spiritedly in the air again and again looks amazing. Jumping on the spot is a trick that could easily make your dog look like he is on springs. A great and fun act to watch and encourage.

  1. Your target stick will come in handy here and you can either use it or one of your dog’s favorite toys to encourage the initial bounce.
  2. Hold the toy or stick over the dogs head and reinforce any act that could turn into a jump to reach the stick or toy.
  3. You may initially need to reinforce a small inclination to bounce to build your dogs confidence.
  4. When the dog is bouncing gently reduce the amount of encouragement given by the stick or toy and add your command word.

Top tip; this may sound odd but often if you jump on the spot whilst teaching your dog to do the same they often get the idea.

Dog trainers love this trick because it’s a challenge as it’s not a natural behavior to teach to most dogs.

How To Train A Dog To Jump Over Hurdles

This tutorial is part of The Ultimate List Of Dog Trick Ideas which contains 99 other tricks like this!

This is fun! Teaching your dog to jump over hurdles is addictive, a big part of competitive agility training hurdles will both use up your dogs energy and encourage him to focus on you.

  1. Start with a low hurdle up to your dogs knees and ask him to wait facing the jump whilst you walk around it and turn to face him. Show your dog a treat.
  2. Now call your dog over the jump and as he leaves the ground reinforce and give him the treat as he reaches you.
  3. Introduce your command word.
  4. Practice a few times then raise the height of the jump gradually ensuring that your dog can cope with the height before you make it higher still.

Top tip; if your dog goes around the hurdle put him on a light leash to encourage him to go over the jump instead.

Dog trainers love this trick because it encourages focus whilst improving stamina and fitness.

How To Train A Dog To Close The Curtains

This tutorial is part of The Ultimate List Of Dog Trick Ideas which contains 99 other tricks like this!

Teach your dog to close the curtains and impress visitors every time he does it on command.

  1. Sit near the curtains with your dog and discreetly draw his attention to them, when he touches them reward and reinforce the touch and then withhold the reward which will encourage him to try to grab them.
  2. When he holds the curtain confidently move so that you are waiting in the direction that he needs to pull it.
  3. Call your dog and when he pulls the curtain along reward with lots of reinforcement praise and a treat.
  4. Repeat for the other curtain.

Top tip; safely pinning a tug toy to the curtain initially may help your dog to learn that he needs to pull the curtains for reward.

Dog trainers love this trick because it is fun and is a little unusual.

How To Train A Dog To Put Laundry In A Basket

This tutorial is part of The Ultimate List Of Dog Trick Ideas which contains 99 other tricks like this!

Fantastic and useful, teach your dog to put the laundry into the basket and he will certainly be earning his biscuits. This trick is similar to putting his toys away and a great addition to removing your socks or jacket.

  1. Sit with your dog and an item of clothing next to the laundry basket
  2. Pass him the item over the basket so if he lets go of it then the item will land directly in the basket when he drops the item into the basket reinforce and reward.
  3. Repeat this and when he has learned that the item going into the basket provides reward gradually move the basket away. Introduce the command word as the item is being dropped.
  4. Continue rewarding each time he puts the item into his basket after you have handed it to him then begin to put the item on the floor next to the basket.
  5. Ignore any behavior from your dog other than him putting the item into the basket and when he does this reinforce and reward.

Top tip; Add this command onto the end of your dog removing your socks to create a useful and fun routine.

Dog trainers love this trick because it provides a base for many other tricks

How To Train A Dog To Unzip Your Jacket

This tutorial is part of The Ultimate List Of Dog Trick Ideas which contains 99 other tricks like this!

Fantastic fun, a dog that helps you off with your coat as you walk into a room is a really impressive trick.

  1. Attach a piece of fabric to the zip of your coat or jacket.
  2. Encourage your dog to play with it with tug games reinforce and reward any contact with the fabric.
  3. As soon as your dog’s makes the zip move give lots of praise and reward then add in a command word for the trick and gradually withhold the reward until your dog is unzipping your jacket.

Top tip; you may need to sit on the floor or not wear your coat at all to begin with, particularly for the sensitive dog.

Dog trainers love this trick because it encourages focus from the dog on greeting therefore prevents over excitement.

How To Train A Dog To Take Your Socks Off

This tutorial is part of The Ultimate List Of Dog Trick Ideas which contains 99 other tricks like this!

Fun and impressive, the act of your dog taking off your socks never gets old.

  1. Play tug games with your dog to encourage a pulling action.
  2. Now play the same game with an old pair of socks until your dog feels confident to pull on them.
  3. Put the socks half on your feet, offer the loose end to your dog and use the command word.
  4. When your dog pulls off your sock reinforce and reward.

Top tip; if your dog lacks confidence taking a sock you are wearing into his mouth then you may need to reinforce and reward steps towards this.

Dog trainers love this trick because playing tug raises the confidence of a sensitive dog.

How To Train A Dog To Fetch The Phone

This tutorial is part of The Ultimate List Of Dog Trick Ideas which contains 99 other tricks like this!

A dog that will fetch the phone when it rings is a really useful trick to teach.

  1. First teach your dog to retrieve the phone, you can practice with an old one of you are worried about damage. When he brings the phone to you offer a treat in return.
  2. Then introduce the ringing sound and only ask him to fetch the phone when it is ringing, (someone will need to call you for this) reward as before.
  3. Now when your dog hears the ringing phone and automatically brings it to you for a reward you can begin to place the phone in different areas around the house.

Top tip; Keep the ring tone low in order not to worry your dog.

Dog trainers love this trick because it is useful and very impressive.

How To Train A Dog To Put His Toys Away

This tutorial is part of The Ultimate List Of Dog Trick Ideas which contains 99 other tricks like this!

Teaching your dog to put his toys away is very rewarding. Watching him gather everything into a box when asked is impressive and will make you proud.

  1. For this trick you will need a toy box along with a reward and some toys.
  2. Sit with your dog and a toy next to the box.
  3. Pass him the toy over the box so if he lets go of it then the toy will land directly in the box, when he drops the toy into the box reinforce and reward.
  4. Repeat this and when he has learned that the toy going into the box provides reward gradually move the box away. Introduce the command word as the toy is being dropped into the box.
  5. Continue rewarding each time he puts his toy into the box after you have handed it to him then begin to put the toy on the floor next to the box.
  6. Ignore any behavior from your dog other than him putting his toy into the box and when he does this reinforce and reward.
  7. Expand the trick gradually to other toys.

Top tip; Moving the box away slowly will keep it in your dogs mind when he is working out what to do.

Dog trainers love this trick because it really makes the dog think about the goal to get his reward.

How To Train A Dog To Shake

This tutorial is part of The Ultimate List Of Dog Trick Ideas which contains 99 other tricks like this!

A dog that shakes on command is both useful and fun to watch. This is a natural behavior for a dog with a wet coat so not difficult to reinforce but looks great when performed by a dry dog. You can utilize this trick after a wet walk to keep water out of the house.

  1. This trick can easily be taught in everyday life purely by positive reinforcement. You will need a quick reaction and some treats available at any point.
  2. Over the next few days when you are with your dog observe him carefully, when he shakes his body (after a walk or a swim) reinforce and reward the behavior.
  3. That’s really it for this one, by reinforcing each time your dog does something naturally, he will eventually offer the behavior on a training session, and you can then simply strengthen the act and introduce the command word.

Top tip; There is no time limit, just keep reinforcing and wait for your dog to offer the behavior for a treat, have patience because he will and by that point it will be an established and impressive trick.

Dog trainers love this trick because this is truly dog training by positive reinforcement alone.

How To Train A Dog To Wipe His Paws

This tutorial is part of The Ultimate List Of Dog Trick Ideas which contains 99 other tricks like this!

Great for cleaning off muddy paws after a walk, you can teach your dog to wipe his paws on a mat at the front door before entering the house.

  1. For this trick you will need either a mat or a towel, some treats and of course your dog.
  2. Place the mat/ towel on the ground and encourage your dog to stand on it, reinforce this position and reward with a treat.
  3. If your dog leaves the towel just wait for him to return to it and reinforce/ reward when he does
  4. Whilst he is standing on the item withhold a treat and wait for him to move his feet, if any movement is made regardless of how subtle reinforce the act and reward.
  5. Now it’s just a case of waiting for your dog to realize that his movement on the towel provides reward.
  6. Introduce command word and enhance the behavior by gently withholding the reward.

Top tip; if your dog scratches the ground on walks you can also reinforce and reward this behavior using the command word. This will help him get the idea when learning the trick on a towel at home.

Dog trainers love this trick because it utilizes the natural behavior of a dog and is helpful after long muddy walks, perfect for multi dog homes.

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