Reviewed by Dr. Fiona Lee
Teaching your furry best friend cool dog tricks might be a fun way to amuse your friends and impress your social media followers, but it's also a useful component of training your dog and keeping her mentally stimulated. The key is positive reinforcement, a training method that uses rewards—not just treats, but also verbal cues, hand signals, clickers and toys—to encourage dogs to learn new behaviors.
Dog training should start with the basics: Sit, stand, come, leave it and lie down. House, crate and leash training are essential in helping your dog feel confident and self-assured. But once you've got these basics down, tricks are fair game. Here are 10 fun tricks to try and how to get started.
Trick #1: Shake (or High-Five!)
Why it's a great trick
This classic trick to teach your dog builds engagement and is a fun way for dogs to interact with people.
Training steps
Encourage your dog to touch his paw to your hand, then use rewards to gradually move toward a full shake with a verbal cue.1
Trick #2: Spin in a Circle
Why it's a great trick
Not only does this trick look amusing, but it also improves your dog's coordination and body awareness.
Training steps
Use a treat as a lure and teach your dog to move in larger and larger arcs until she can do a full spin, then introduce a verbal cue such as "twirl."2
Trick #3: Play Dead ("Bang!")
Why it's a great trick
This dog trick is fun for showing off, and it also reinforces impulse control.
Training steps
Work from having your dog lie down to encouraging him into a side-lying position, then add a cue word such as "flop" and a hand signal.3
Trick #4: Sit Pretty (Beg Position)
Why it's a great trick
The beg position (aka sitting pretty) strengthens core muscles, stretches the back and improves balance.
Training steps
Start with a sitting position, then use a treat to encourage your dog's front paws to raise. Gradually increase height, then introduce a verbal cue such as "sit pretty."4
Trick #5: Army Crawl
Why it's a great trick
This trick engages a dog's instincts and works well in agility training.
Training steps
Start by teaching your dog to lie down, then use treats and verbal reinforcement to encourage a forward crawling motion that gradually increases in distance.5
Trick #6: Take a Bow
Why it's a great trick
This trick is a natural movement for dogs that looks impressive, too.
Training steps
Begin by having your dog stand, then use a treat as a lure to encourage her to lower her nose toward the ground. Hold, then return to standing. Add a verbal cue when your dog is ready.6
Trick #7: Speak & Quiet
Why it's a great trick
This dog trick helps with vocal control and can curb excessive barking.
Training steps
Encourage your dog to bark and reward him when he does, then introduce a verbal cue such as "speak." Be consistent and reward only single barks given on command. Then bring in rewards for ceasing barking to teach the "quiet" command.7
Trick #8: Put Away Toys
Why it's a great trick
This one teaches your dog responsibility and offers mental stimulation.
Training steps
This advanced skill is best attempted after your dog has already mastered others. Start by finding the right box—one that's wide and shallow and fits all your dog's toys. Break the process into steps: First train grabbing a toy, then bringing, then dropping. Finally, combine the steps and add the box along with a verbal command.8
Trick #9: Ring a Bell
Why it's a great trick
This trick can be just for fun, or it can be a practical way for dogs to signal when they need to go out.
Training steps
Hang or install a bell on the door(s) your dog uses to go outside, and ring it every time you let her out. After a few days, use rewards to teach her to ring it on her own and associate it with going outside.9
Trick #10: Walk Backward
Why it's a great trick
This neat trick improves your dog's spatial awareness and is useful for obedience training.
Training steps
First, hold a treat at your dog's chest so he has to look down and shift his weight backward to see it. Use rewards to gradually increase the backward movement, then add a verbal cue.10
Key Tips to Teaching Dogs New Tricks
Training your dog requires patience and time—she's not going to learn a trick immediately, let alone 10 of them. Think of it as a fun, engaging way to spend quality time with your dog and strengthen your bond.
For all training, have treats and other rewards on hand as well as an optional clicker. Each time you want to give positive reinforcement in any of these scenarios, click and praise, then give the treat. If your dog starts having trouble at any point, back up to the previous step where he was successful, reinforce it and then slowly proceed again.11 Pay attention to how your dog learns best and orient training activities around his learning style.
Training Your Dog Has Multiple Benefits
At first glance, trick training might seem like it's just for fun. But when dogs are well trained, they show less aggression, anxiety and destructive behavior. Teaching your dog fun tricks is a way for you to bond, too—just make sure to practice patience and make training fun.
Purchasing pet insurance is another way to help you protect your dogs and keep them healthy as you learn new tricks together. At Pets Best, our dog insurance plans can be customized for your pet's unique needs. In addition, Pets Best policyholders can speak to a veterinary expert anytime through a 24/7 Pet Helpline.
Sources/ Citations
1. "How to Teach Your Dog to Shake Hands," Sassafras Patterdale (6/20/2024), American Kennel Club, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-teach-your-dog-to-shake-hands/
2. "How to Teach Your Dog to Spin," Pat Miller (5/19/2023), Whole Dog Journal, https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/training/how-to-teach-your-dog-to-spin/
3. "How to Teach Your Dog to Play Dead in 4 Steps," Amy Bender (7/12/2024), The Spruce Pets, https://www.thesprucepets.com/train-dog-to-play-dead-1117293
4. "How to Teach a Dog to Sit Pretty: 8 Vet-Approved Tips," Nicole Cosgrove (1/28/2025), Dogster, https://www.dogster.com/dog-training/how-to-teach-a-dog-to-sit-pretty
5. "How to Teach a Dog to Crawl in 3 Simple Steps," Nicole Cosgrove (2/5/2025), Dogster, https://www.dogster.com/dog-training/how-to-teach-dog-to-crawl
6. "How to Train Your Dog to Take a Bow," Amy Bender (5/6/2020), The Spruce Pets, https://www.thesprucepets.com/train-a-dog-to-take-a-bow-1117287
7. "'Speak!' Training Your Dog to Bark on Command," (7/20/2024), American Kennel Club, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/train-your-dog-to-speak/
8. "How to Teach Your Dog to Put Away Toys: 9 Tips & Tricks," Chelsea Mortensen (3/20/2025), Dogster, https://www.dogster.com/dog-training/how-to-teach-your-dog-to-put-away-toys
9. "How To Bell Train A Dog & Best Bells For Training Dogs," Danielle DeGroot (1/31/2024), Canine Journal, https://www.caninejournal.com/how-to-bell-train-a-dog/
10. "Teach your dog to walk backwards from the comfort of your home," (n.d.), Your Dog, https://www.yourdog.co.uk/dog-care-and-advice/your-dog-training/teach-your-dog-to-walk-backwards-from-the-comfort-of-your-home/
11. "How to Use Clicker Training to Communicate With Your Dog," Stephanie Gibeault (7/19/2023), American Kennel Club, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/clicker-training-your-dog-mark-and-reward/