Dogs are unendingly enthusiastic animals that love nothing more than to please their handlers all the time. Dogs are also very smart animals that given the inability to communicate to humans with words, they can easily understand and respond to what we ask them do to. It just takes a little practice to have any dog performing a wide array of tricks and behaviors that you can show your friends and family. The younger you start training your dog, the better chances for success you will have with the tricks being committed to your dog’s memory in the long run. We have compiled a list of some of the more common tricks and behaviors that you could teach your dog to do.

Sit with Voice Command

The sit with voice command is usually the first trick taught to most dogs. It is a relatively simply behavior to teach the dog as well. For this behavior start by standing directly in front of your dog with your dog standing on all fours and facing you. Make eye contact with the dog and say “Sit.” Most likely the dog will not respond on the first voice command. Continue to say “sit” while lightly tapping on the hind end of the dog until he gets the idea that you want him to sit down. As soon as he has put his hind end on the ground, repeat the command as “Good Sit! Good sit!” while praising him. Continue to run this over and over until you no longer have to touch the dog to make him sit.

Sit with Hand Signals

Once your dog has mastered this sit with voice command behavior, try teaching him the sit with hand signals command. The setup for this is the same. You and the dog stand facing each other with the dog on all fours. This time while saying the verbal command for “sit” while holding your hand out in front of you at about waist level with your hand flat and palm facing down. Be sure to say the command at the same instant you put your hand out. In time he will start to realize that the hand signal also means sit as well.

Come with Voice Command

This is a slightly complicated trick, as the tendency for most dogs is to want to follow their masters wherever they go once you have their attention. To start with this behavior, you will start with the dog in the sit position as you stand in front of him. Call out the voice command “Stay” as you take a step back away from the dog. If the dog makes any attempt to come towards you go back to him tell him to sit again and repeat the exercise. Once the dog learns to stay in the sitting position as you walk further away, you can start waiting before you release him from the sit command. For best results, have the dog sit, take about five steps back and look at him for five seconds before going back to him and praising him for the skill.

Come with Hand Signals

Much like with the differences with the sit with hand signals commands, you will run this skill while combining the voice and hand commands. For this skill you will stand in front of the dog and hold out your hand at about waist level with your palm facing out in a stop motion. While holding your hand out; call the verbal command for “stay.” As back away from the dog, continue to hold your hand out in the stop motion. When you get a few steps away stop and make eye contact with the dog and count to five. When you are ready to signal the dog to come to you, bring your stop sign hand up to your chest and call “come.” When the dog comes to your side, praise them for the entire task.

When you are training any dog this is absolutely no reason to ever hit a dog. Abused dogs will eventually attack in response to how they had been treated in the past. This could lead to injury to an innocent child playing with the dog. Treats dogs kindly when training.