Clicker Training – Teach Your Dog 23 Awesome Tricks

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 Clicker training combined with positive reinforcement is the best way to teach your dog awesome tricks; after this step by step guide you will run outdoor with your dog to practice. 

Who doesn’t love dogs?

There are people who do not like dogs.

Strange isn’t it? How can someone possibly not love these adorable creatures?

Dogs are no doubt a man’s best friend. Do you know how is this possible? Well, they are extremely multi-talented.

Those who own a dog know what I am talking about here. You can never count the benefits and blessings of keeping a dog.

They are smart, talented, playful, and loyal, and for sure You will never regret having a dog. You can teach your dog tricks using a clicker for dog training. There are some pretty cool dog tricks that you need to teach your dog.

Dogs are fast learners, many fast learners than you are actually. You will not have to put too much effort into teaching those tricks. They will learn in no time!

 Why Teach Your Dog Tricks?

poodle clicker training There are benefits to teaching your buddy tricks. Few are mentioned down below:

#1 Better Health

It is recommended for dogs to exercise daily for their better health. It is also recommended for you too, by the way. Your dog will build more muscles and will be more active. If they do not get recommended exercise, they may fall sick.

#2 They Are Eager to Learn

Your buddy dog, by nature, is always eager to learn something from you. Dogs are extremely obedient and loyal. They want to please you in whatever way they can. Once they learn dog tricks, they will do them to please you.

#3 Your Dog Can Participate in a Competition

If you do good enough dog training, your dog might get into dog competitions like agility, frisbee, French ring, and many others. You and your dog can win a prize. Isn’t that good?

 Do You Know Clicker Training?

Before getting into how to train your dog for tricks, you should know about Clicker training. It is quite popular in dog training. Clicker training involves using a clicker to train your dog different tricks. The clicker will act as a signal for the dog, to do the specific action which is required.

Once your dog does the trick, you will have to reward him for his action. When you’ll do *click* with your clicker, your pal will know it is time for action.

Benefits of Using Clicker Training

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Clicker training for dogs got popular in the 1990s because of its benefits. There are the following benefits to teach your dog through clicker training.

#1 Your Dog Will Develop Positive Behavior

In traditional training, you might have to use a harsh tone and sometimes punish your buddy for making him learn the trick. Your dog might develop a sense of fear through harsh treatment. Instead, using clicker treatment, you will be giving treats to your dog. This will enforce positive behavior in your dog.

#2 You Both Will Develop a Stronger Bond

When you are giving treats during clicker training, your dog will become more obedient towards you. You both will have fun and develop a stronger and deeper bond of trust and love.

#3 It Is Easy and Efficient

Dog training with a clicker is easier than in other traditional ways. You will not have to spend much time teaching your dog tricks. And you know what? Your dog will learn faster, and he will get interested in learning.

#4 Your Dog Will Love to Respond

In other training styles, your dog might lose interest and not react quickly to your commands. While through clicker training, he will be ready to answer to get his favorite treat.

Dog Tricks With Clicker

Training your dog with a clicker is fun. Your pal will learn quickly, and you will love him even more. You can teach your dog almost any dog trick using the clicker. Some of them are mentioned down below:

Trick #1 – Teach Your Dog to Respond to Your Clicker

The first thing you need to do is make your dog familiar with a clicker. As it will be a new thing, you will have to work on making your dog know the sound of your clicker. To teach your dog how to respond to the clicker in the following steps:

  1. Begin in a relaxing environment, there should be no distractions.
  2. Now, click your clicker and give him a treat
  3. Repeat it several times a day after a certain period
  4. Test your dog by clicking when he is not paying attention
  5. If he responds, give him a double treat!

Trick #2 – Teach Your Dog How to Heel

Heel in dog training means that your dog walks beside you, not behind you or in front of you. He should have the same pace as of your walking. You can teach your dog to heel by following the mentioned down below steps.

  1. Take your dog leash in your left hand
  2. Pull him towards yourself when he tries to go to another direction
  3. Now click and give him a treat
  4. Start walking and click then treat
  5. Click and treat after every few steps.
  6. Repeat this four to five times a day
  7. Increase your walk once he has started to learn how to heel

Trick #3 – Teach Your Dog to Fetch

Fetch is very common while playing with your dog. In this, you throw an object, and your dog runs like the wind to catch that object and bring it back to you. If you want to clicker train your dog for fetching, follow the mentioned below steps.

  1. Get an attractive toy for him
  2. Make him familiar with it and play with him
  3. Make him sniff the toy
  4. Click, and raise the toy, then treat
  5. Make small toss and when your dog catches the toy, treat him
  6. Start making small throws. Click and then treat on retrieving
  7. Repeat and make bigger throws once he learns

Trick #4 – Teach Your Dog to Roll Over

Rolling over is one of the cutest dog tricks. Your heart just melts away when your furball rolls over. If you want to melt your heart or train your dog to roll over using a clicker, follow the mentioned steps down below.

  1. Make your dog lie down, click and treat
  2. While he is still lying down, click, let him take a turn and give him a treat
  3. Practice on both sides while clicking and treating
  4. Make him follow the food while lying, from one side to the other and treat him
  5. Repeat and repeat several times
  6. Then make him roll faster with faster hand movements holding your treat
  7. Keep away the treat and make him roll over with your hand movement
  8. Once he rolls over completely, give him a treat

Trick #5 – Teach Your Dog to Release

A release is a dog trick in which you make your dog let go of anything he is holding in his mouth. He might be holding your favorite t-shirt, and you want it back. If you want to teach him with a clicker, follow the mentioned steps

  1. Offer your dog anything to hold, not your favorite T-shirt, and let him hold
  2. Click and give him a treat
  3. When he is about to have his treat, take the object away
  4. Repeat it several times, and your dog will release your favorite things easily

Trick #6 – Teach Your Dog to Speak

Making your dog bark can be difficult at times. But with clicker training, you can teach him easily by following steps.

  1. First, grab his favorite treat.
  2. Click and treat to let him know you will be offering him treats
  3. Hold the treat in your hand and not let him give it until he barks
  4. If your dog tries to get the treat by leaning over you, do not offer him treat
  5. Make him sit and hold the treat in your hand
  6. To want the treat, your dog will speak. Then let him have the treat
  7. Repeat this several times

Trick #7 – Teach Your Dog to Shake His Paws

Don’t we love when dogs shake their paws? They look so adorable! If you want your dog to look adorable while shaking his paws, the following are some steps which will make him learn with a clicker.

  1. Click and give him treat so he can know what the clicker is
  2. Click, then tickle his paw and once he moves his paw, give him treat
  3. Repeat several times so he knows to rise is paw to get the treat
  4. Now, take the treat in your hand, let him sniff and catch it with his paw
  5. Once he does this, treat him well
  6. Now bring your hand in front of him and wait until he puts his paw on your hand, once he does this, treat him.
  7. Repeat until he becomes good enough to shake his paw when you bring forward your hand

Trick #8 – Teach Your Dog How to Spin

Making your dog spin in a circle is pretty easy. You have to follow the following steps for this dog trick

  1. Hold a treat in your hand, and move it around
  2. When he moves, give him the treat
  3. Now make him move in a circle, click and then treat
  4. Repeat, click and treat
  5. Now just do your hand movement to let him know he has to spin in a circle
  6. Once he learns the hand movement, give him a generous treat

Trick #9 – Teach Your Dog to Give a Kiss

We all want to be loved back, right? Especially from our dog! If you want your dog to kiss you back as you do, follow the mentioned down below steps to teach him

  1. First, take some peanut butter and put some on your finger, then click.
  2. Let him eat the peanut butter from your finger
  3. Now put little peanut butter on your cheeks and let him lick it from your face
  4. Once your dog gets used to it, bring your face closer to him, without peanut butter on your face. He will know what you are asking for
  5. Click, let him kiss you and then give him a treat

Trick #10 – Teach Your Dog to Eliminate on Command

The one thing we all are worried about is your dog eliminating. You don’t want his to do “that” on your couch, making it stinky and smelly! To teach your dog to eliminate on command, follow the below-mentioned steps:

  1. First, decide a place where you want him to poo or pee
  2. Observe when he usually eliminates. Note the time
  3. When he needs to go, take him to the eliminating spot you decided
  4. Click and say Eliminate.
  5. Once he eliminates, give him treat
  6. Practice this daily. He will know where to and when to eliminate

Trick #11 – Teach Your Dog How to Play Dead

It is fun when your dog plays dead. It is one of the most common and fun dog tricks. If you want to make him learn to play dead, follow the steps as mentioned below

  1. Firstly, make him lie down
  2. Click and use your treat to make him come in play dead position
  3. Once he gets in play dead position, give him the treat
  4. Repeat this, do not let him move once he comes into play dead position
  5. Click and see does he plays dead or not. Also, use the wordplay dead over and over so he becomes familiar with the command
  6. Practice and only give him treat once he plays dead

Trick #12 – Teach Your Dog to Ignore or Leave Something

Your dog might be too active and fond of paying attention to everything. Sometimes you want your dog to leave or ignore a thing. Do make him learn this, follow the steps mentioned below.

  1. Put a treat in front of him and click
  2. When he comes to get the treat, say the command ‘leave it’ and put your hand over the treatment to stop him to get it
  3. Wait and do not move your hand until he stops.
  4. When he stops, let him have the treat
  5. He will know that he will get a reward on not trying to get a thing
  6. Repeat until you do not have to put your hand over the treat
  7. Test him often by putting an object and saying the command “leave it:
  8. Once he learns to ignore, treat him well.

Trick #13 – Teach Your Dog to Bark on Command

Sometimes you need your buddy to bark on someone or something. It could be for fun or   for your safety. In any case, to make him bark on command, follow the steps mentioned down below.

  1. Hold a treat in your hand and do not make him have it
  2. Use a clicker and say the command bark
  3. Wait until he barks
  4. Give him treat on barking
  5. Repeat and keep saying the command “bark” so he gets familiar with it
  6. Once he learns, give him a good treat
  7. Test this command often

Trick #14 – Teach Your Dog to Sit Pretty

One of the very cool dog tricks is to make your buddy sit in a pretty style. If you want your pal to learn this trick, follow the steps mentioned below

  1. Click and hold a treat in your hand
  2. Make your dog sit
  3. Say the command “sit pretty” and hold the treat a little higher
  4. Once your dog gets a little higher, give him the treat
  5. Repeat it so your dog becomes familiar with the command “sit pretty”
  6. Wait until your dog lifts his front feet off the ground
  7. Only give him treat once he lifts his front feet
  8. Repeat until he sits pretty without a treat

Trick #15 – Teach Your Dog to Look at Your Eyes

It would be pretty cool if your dog can look in your eyes. His eyes will warm your heart. It will give you and your dog a moment of stronger connection through eye contact. So make your dog learn this trick, follow the mentioned steps

  1. Choose a place with no distractions
  2. Click and hold a treat in your hand
  3. Do not make him eat the treat until he looks at you
  4. Once he looks at you, give him the treat
  5. Repeat these steps
  6. Now practice this in a place with distractions to see how much he has learned
  7. Hold the treat in your hands until he makes eye contact for a longer time
  8. Repeat until he learns to do without a treat

Trick #16 – Teach Your Dog How to Wait

To make your dog wait is a helpful command. Your dog should know this one. With wait command, release command goes hand in hand. To make him learn how to wait, follow the mentioned down below

  1. Make your dog sit
  2. Click and hold a treat in your hand
  3. Show the treat to your dog and do not let him take it.
  4. Pull your hand way when your dog tries to get it
  5. Repeat until he stops trying to get the treat when you show him
  6. Once he stops, give him the treat
  7. Now practice with using the word command “wait” to make him familiar
  8. Increase the distance and put the treat on the ground and say “wait”
  9. When he waits, then release him and let him eat the treat
  10. Repeat several times a day

Trick #17 – Teach Your Dog to Bring You Things:

Your dog can be handy when you want something and are too lazy to get up to get it. Train your dog with the following steps to bring you things

  1. First, you need to make him familiar with things that you would want to bring him for you
  2. Show him your things again and toss them. It will make them excited.
  3. Now put your desired object on the ground and point towards it
  4. Click and give him the command bring (object name)
  5. Make him pick up the object
  6. Once he picks up, treat him well
  7. Now once he has learned to pick up, now you have to make him bring it to you
  8. Show him treat in your hand and he will come to you with the object
  9. Once he comes, take the object and give him treat
  10. Now do this by clicking, and saying the command “retrieve”
  11. Repeat the whole procedure over and over again
  12. Once he learns how to bring you things, practice it again

Trick #18 – Teach Your Dog to Come When Called

Our dog might be in another room when you want him. You want to call him to come to you. To make him learn this dog trick, you can take help from the following steps.

  1. Choose your word command to call him like “(dog’s name) come here”
  2. Use his name more often in front of him to make him know what he is called
  3. Use a long leash and go out to practice it
  4. Move ten steps back from your dog
  5. Click and show him treat
  6. While showing the treat use your command
  7. Practice it with greater distance
  8. Gently tug the leash towards you in greater distance and say the command
  9. This way he will learn to come towards you when he hears the come command
  10. Practice this in your home while keeping your dog in another room and yourself in other

Trick #19 – Teach Your Dog to Balance Treat on His Nose

It is fun to see your dog balance his treat on his nose. This will entertain you and your buddy as well. At the beginning is a little tricky, but he will learn anyway. To make him balance a treat on his nose, follow the mentioned steps down below

  1. Put your fingers over your dog’s nose over and over again after short intervals
  2. He will get annoyed at first, but once you do it again, he will not bother it anymore
  3. Take your treat, click, and use the ‘leave it’ command. He will not go for the treat
  4. Make him sit
  5. Start touching the treat on the part of his nose where you want to place the treat
  6. Hold his head underneath his jaw and put the treat over the nose
  7. Once the treat his on his nose, give him the wait command
  8. After your dog has balanced the treat for a few seconds, release him
  9. Practice this over and increase the duration of wait command

Trick #20 – How to Teach Your Dog to Crawl

Your dog can crawl like a baby by following a few simple steps to make him learn this dog trick.

  1. Make your dog lie down
  2. Click and give him treat by lowering your hand at ground level
  3. Move back a little and make him come towards you in a lowered position
  4. Repeat by saying the command “crawl”
  5. Practice it regularly
  6. He will start crawling. Now tell him to crawl and show your hand without the treat

He will learn it quickly. Once he crawls towards you, give him the treat

Trick #21 – Teach Your Dog Go to Bed 

You might have bought his special bed, but he does not sleep in it. You can make him go to bed easily by following simple steps as mentioned below.

  1. Make your dog familiar with his bed
  2. Click and treat him while moving your hand towards the bed. He will eat the treat on his bed
  3. Use the word command “Go to bed” while doing so
  4. Keep pointing him towards the bed and treat him when he reaches his bed
  5. Do it without the treat. Command him by pointing towards the bed and saying the command go to bed
  6. Once he has learned where you are pointing, test him by just saying the command go to bed
  7. If he obeys, offer him his treat
  8. Put him in another room, far from his bed
  9. Give the command “go to bed” and see if he comes
  10. Treat him when he comes from another room

Trick #22 – Teach Your Dog to Give You a Hi-five 

Giving your dog a hi-five is cool enough to make him learn this dog trick. It is simple and easy to do by following the steps mentioned down below

  1. Make your dog sit
  2. Click and show him treat and hold his paw over slightly while giving him the treat
  3. Keep repeating the process and increase the height of lifting his paw while giving him treat
  4. Lure him with a treat and see if he holds up his paw
  5. If yes, then treat him
  6. Now reach out to him and hold his paw for a few seconds when he holds it up
  7. After holding for a few seconds, let him have the treat
  8. Now put your hand in a high-five position and let him reach out to your hand
  9. Continue the practice and treat him once he obeys you

Trick #23 – Teach Your Dog to Hold an Object

Sometimes it is handy to use your dog to carry things. You can easily make your dog hold an object by following simple steps.

  1. Choose a safe practicing object
  2. Hold the object near your dog
  3. Click and treat on every action he does towards the object, like sniffing
  4. Now, do not give them treat until they touch the object with their teeth
  5. Encourage them when they do so. Now keep doing it again and again with the command “hold it.”
  6. Now, let them hold the object for a few seconds in their mouth
  7. Click and treat
  8. Increase the duration for them to hold
  9. Repeat and you are good to go!

The above mentioned 23 dog tricks are easy and fun to train your dog. Dogs are fast learners, and they will learn in no time. They will be working hard on learning these tricks. Make sure you love and pamper your buddy right enough! Happy woofing and happy training.

Paws up for sharing this dog-related article!
Housam Ayouni
Housam Ayouni

I am a professional in the field of canine behavior and care with many years of experience. Through my dog blog, which has reached over one million dog owners, I offer practical tips and guidance to support dog owners in creating strong, positive relationships with their pets and promoting the well-being and happiness of all dogs. My goal is to help dog owners create a harmonious and fulfilling life with their furry companions.

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One comment

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