Simple (but different!) Tricks to Teach Your Dog

2 Paws Up

2 Paws up is a fun trick that also builds flexibility, coordination and proprioception.

1. Start with a low platform (no higher than your dog’s wrists).
2. Stand on the opposite side to your dog, then with a treat lure your dog toward you so their 2 paws step up onto the platform. Mark and treat.
3. You can also shape this trick by marking and treating any behaviour that is a step towards the end behaviour. This may include showing interest in the platform by moving closer to it, their feet touching the platform, 1 foot on the platform etc.
4. Once your dog gets the hang of putting their feet up on the platform, you can add a verbal cue such as “paws up”.
5. Then, gradually apply this cue to other objects such as chairs, rocks, tree stumps.

Middle

This is a fun trick that also teaches a ‘safe’ position which is calm and connected with you.

1. Start by having a treat in each hand.
2. Lure your dog behind your legs.
3. Then with your other hand, lure your dog so they are standing or sitting between your legs. Mark and treat.
4. Reset by tossing a treat away for your dog to get, then start again.
5. Continue to practice and when your dog is getting good at it, add a verbal cue such a “middle”, or “legs”.

Back it up

Back it up is a useful trick to teach your dog to move out of a tight area plus builds body
awareness and strength. There are a few different ways to teach this trick. Our favourite ways are ones that don’t involve pushing into the dogs’ space which can be intimidating to a lot of dogs.

Back it up using a rear foot target

1. Start with a large non-slip, textured surface, like a rubber mat a couple of cms high and quite wide. A rubber gardening knee pad, doormat or crate mat would work. You want your dog to clearly see and feel what they are stepping onto.
2. Start with your dog’s hind feet on the target, front feet off. Face your dog, mark and treat multiple times, delivering the treat between your feet, right in front of your dog.
3. Your dog will probably eat the treat then look up at you. Mark that look up, and immediately drop another treat between your feet. Repeat. You want to drop the treat before your dog sits.
4. When your dog is looking up at you without sitting and eating treats off the ground, move backwards a few cms. Continue to mark/treat for hind feet on the target and deliver the treat on the ground between your feet.
5. Gradually move your feet backwards in small increments. At some point your dog will need to step forwards to get the treat. Usually dogs will move 1 hindfoot, then wait for your dog to look up and put their foot back on the mat. Mark and treat.
6. Continue to increase the distance you move backwards so that your dog needs to step both hind feet off the mat, then mark and treat when they move backwards onto the mat again.
7. Put this trick on cue – ‘back’, ‘back it up’, ‘beep, beep, beep’ etc.
8. Finally, you can fade out the use of the mat/target by using a smaller target then finally no target.

Happy training!