3 MUST KNOW Puppy Tricks for Beginners!
We’ll be diving into:
Puppy Push-Ups (with tactile cues)
Clockwise and Counterclockwise Spins
Rear End Awareness (a foundation for advanced tricks)
Let’s jump right in!
1. The Puppy Push-Up: Building Focus with Tactile Cues
The puppy push-up is a fun little sequence made up of the following positions:
Stand → Sit → Down → Sit → Stand
While this may sound simple, it’s an excellent way to build both focus and body awareness. To make it easier for your pup to understand each transition, we can use tactile cues—gentle physical prompts that act as extra guidance alongside your luring.
Here’s how I use them:
Down: Place a light hand on your dog’s withers (the top of their shoulders). This gentle touch helps guide them into the down position.
Sit: Use a soft touch at the base of their tail, right on the hip. This guides them to tuck into a seated position.
Stand: Gently support their abdomen from underneath to help lift them into a stand.
These cues are not about pushing—just offering light support to help them understand the movement. As your dog becomes more fluent in the sequence, you can start to fade the tactile guidance and rely more on verbal cues and hand signals.
2. Spins: Clockwise and Counterclockwise
Next up, we taught spins in both directions—a fun and flashy trick that also improves your dog’s flexibility and coordination.
Clockwise Spin: Use a treat lure to guide your dog’s nose in a full circle away from your body.
Counterclockwise Spin: Use the lure in the opposite direction.
Be sure to mark and reward right when your dog completes the full 360° rotation. Spins are great for building engagement and adding variety to your training sessions.
3. Rear end Awareness
This is one concept that often gets overlooked—but it’s incredibly important!
Rear end awareness is your dog’s ability to understand where their back legs are in space. This becomes especially valuable when you start teaching more advanced movements like reverse orbits or reverse weaves.
A simple starting point? Reward your dog for a single step backward. You can place your dog between your legs to help guide their movements and provide a clear frame of reference. These baby steps lay the groundwork for more complex moves and help prevent frustration down the line.
Final Thoughts:
To recap, today we explored:
The puppy push-up, using gentle tactile cues to enhance clarity.
Teaching spins in both directions for engagement and body control.
Building rear end awareness, a crucial skill for advanced trick training.
Remember, successful dog training is all about gentle communication and building strong foundations. Take your time, stay consistent, and always make it fun for your pup!
That’s all for this episode of Al’s Dog Training Tips. Try these techniques with your dog and let me know how it goes in the comments. Don’t forget to subscribe for more tips and tricks—and as always, happy training!
