The old adage that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks is definitely not true. You can have some fun and teach your adult dog some fun tricks that will teach them some basic manners, but at the same time will give you the opportunity to spend quality time together.
Sit
One of the greatest commands for your dog is ‘Sit’ and it will keep them out of mischief as well. With time and patience, dogs of all kinds can be taught to sit, usually within days. Teaching this command is simple and all you need to do is take a piece of food between your thumb and index finger, with the rest of your fingers folded against your palm. Put this right up to your dog’s nose (without letting them take it) and this should get their full attention. Slowly lift the treat over their head and slightly toward the tail. Keep it there and as your dog raises it head to nibble the food, gently push its bottom down. As you see your dog lower say ‘sit’. This will create an association between sitting and the word. Remember that practice makes perfect so whenever the opportunity arises, like giving them a toy, a treat, or removing the leash, get them to sit first.
Stay
Very useful for daily activities and your dog’s safety, the ‘STAY’ command is an important command to teach. To be effective it is best to have already taught your dog the ‘SIT’ command, as the ‘STAY’ command teaches them to remain still until given the okay to move. To begin, attach the leash, holding it in your right hand with your dog on your left side. Next, say 'STAY' in a firm voice, then step forward and turn to face your dog, holding the leash straight up so it and the collar are high on its neck. Wait a few seconds and then return to its side. Practice this for 10 minutes each day, gradually backing away to the full extent of the leash and giving plenty of praise (and a yummy treat) for every successful attempt.
Come
It is important that when teaching your dog commands they react and come to you when called. So it is a good idea to teach them to ‘COME’ early on in training. To avoid confusion make sure you use the same command word. Choose a short, one-word command. A long sentence like ‘Come here!’ is actually too long. Whereas ‘Come!’ is just the right length. Once you have called your dog once or twice, it will probably come running to you no doubt with a furiously wagging tail! Give your dog a lot of praise (and the occasional treat) every time it successfully obeys your command so he or she knows that these actions pleased you
Fetch
Looking for a fun activity that will bun off some of your dog’s lazy energy? Getting them to ‘fetch’ is a great activity for the both of you. At first your dog may show some reluctance so you may need to try using objects that you can hide things in. A good technique is to use a Kong with some meat or something sweet hidden in the middle, or even use a hollow stick. Show your dog the treats are inside and they will be enticed to follow! Ensure you run with your dog to encourage the chase. Give your dog and repeat the exercise. Gradually reduce the frequency of treat to 1 in every 3 throws. This will then lead to fetching without the need for treats.
Rollover
If you are looking for a fun game to play with your dog, teaching them to ‘roll over’ will give you amusement and is a great party trick as well. Start by getting your dog to lay on their side by holding a tasty treat near the side of the mouth. When they move their head towards the treat, move it further away so your dog rolls onto its back and into a complete roll. While they are rolling over give them the command ‘roll over’, repeating this exercise until they roll on the verbal command. Remember after each successful attempt to show them how proud you are with plenty of praise.
Over
To teach your dog to jump over things, find a low wall or a log. Get them to sit and show them first while you step over the object and say ‘OVER’. To get your dog to move gently tug on the leash to encourage them to move, repeating this process until your dog jumps over on command- without the leash. When your dog successfully completes each exercise, give them plenty of praise and the occasional treat.
Shake hands
Want to introduce your dog to your friends in a fun way? Teach your dog to shake hands and they will know one of the coolest tricks on the block. Best off all it’s really easy to teach. Sit facing your dog and rest your hand next to its shoulder, next to the face on the side of the paw you want to shake. To help your dog balance press your arm against their head, take the paw and say ‘shake hands’. Repeat until your mate raises their paw on the verbal command. As with all other commands, give lots of praise. Before you know it your dog will be shaking everyone’s hand.
Down
Teaching the ‘down’ command is as elementary as learning how to park your car. It stops movement. A dog that is lying down is less likely to get into mischief. It is important to remember that teaching down is done after the ‘sit’ command has been mastered. Start with your dog sitting next to you, holding a treat between your fingers, with your fingers in front of your dog’s nose and your other hand resting on your dog’s shoulder blades. Slowly lower the treat straight down, from your dog’s nose to between the paws. Slowly pull the treat along the floor away from your dog (This movement will resemble a capital L). This should encourage your dog’s nose to follow the treat and move into the down position. As this happens repeat the exercise and start saying the word ‘DOWN’ as they start moving. This will link the word with the appropriate action. Keep practicing (and showing them praise) and it won’t be long until they respond to the verbal command alone.
