12 Quick and Easy Tricks You Can Teach Your Dog In a Day No Expensive Trainer Required
Teaching your dog tricks can be so much fun and a lovely way to bond. My dog, Lottie, is a border collie, so she is a pretty smart breed, and teaching her wasn’t difficult. However, you don’t need a super smart dog to teach them tricks.
And it certainly doesn’t require a professional trainer or months of practice. Most dogs can pick up these basic commands in a single afternoon with the right approach and a pocket full of treats.
The secret? Keep sessions short, stay positive, and end on a win. Dogs learn best in five to ten-minute bursts, so teach one or two tricks, take a break, and come back later. That’s why these are easy tricks to teach your dog.
12 Easy Tricks You Can Teach Your Dog
It’s not as hard as you think, and most dogs will pick these 12 tricks up in no time at all.
No. 1 Sit
This is the foundation of pretty much everything else you’ll teach your dog. Hold a treat close to your dog’s nose, then slowly move it up and back over their head. As their head follows the treat, their bottom will naturally hit the ground. The second it does, say “sit” and give them the treat with plenty of praise.
Practice this ten times in a row. Most dogs figure it out within minutes because the movement feels natural to them. Once they’re reliably sitting, start saying the word before their bottom touches down so they connect the command to the action.
No. 2 Come
Start in a hallway or small room where your dog can’t wander off. Get down to their level, show them a treat, and say “come” in an excited voice while backing up a few steps. When they reach you, reward immediately and make a big fuss.
Gradually increase the distance as they get better at it. Never call your dog to come and then do something they dislike. You want “come” to always mean something good is about to happen.
No. 3 Shake
Ask your dog to sit, then hold a treat in your closed fist near their chest. Most dogs will naturally paw at your hand, trying to get the treat. The moment their paw touches your hand, say “shake,” open your hand, and give them the treat.
After a few repetitions, start holding out your open palm. Your dog will likely lift their paw on their own. That’s when you know they’ve got it. Lottie learned this in about fifteen minutes and now offers her paw whenever she wants something, which is both adorable and slightly manipulative.
No. 4 High Five
Once your dog has mastered shake, high five is ridiculously easy. Hold your hand up higher, palm facing them, and say “high five” instead of shake. When they lift their paw to touch your raised hand, reward them immediately.
Some dogs get confused at first because they’re expecting to put their paw in your hand like with shake. Just be patient and keep your hand in the same spot. They’ll figure out the height difference pretty quickly.
No. 5 Down
Start with your dog in a sitting position. Hold a treat in your closed hand and slowly lower it straight down to the floor between their front paws. Your dog will follow it with their nose and usually lie down to get closer to it.
The second their elbows touch the ground, say “down” and release the treat. If your dog stands up instead of lying down, you’re probably moving the treat too far forward. Keep it right between their paws and move it straight down, not out.
No. 6 Wait
This one saves lives, literally. It teaches your dog to pause before running outdoors, jumping out of cars, or lunging after squirrels. As I live in the rural French countryside, I had to teach this to Lottie very quickly, as she spends much of her time in the lead. Getting her to wait when I yell was a big one, as they still have the hunt here, and that could be disastrous.
Start at doorways inside your house. Ask your dog to sit, put your hand up like a stop sign, and say “wait.” Take one step through the doorway. If your dog stays put, immediately step back and reward them. If they follow you, gently guide them back and try again. Gradually increase how long they wait and how far you go before releasing them with an “okay” and giving them the treat.
No. 7 Fetch
Some dogs are natural retrievers. Others need a bit of convincing. Start by getting your dog excited about a toy, then toss it just a few feet away. When they pick it up, call them back to you enthusiastically.
Here’s where most people mess up: they try to grab the toy from the dog’s mouth. Instead, show your dog a treat. Most dogs will drop the toy to get the treat. Say “drop it” as the toy leaves their mouth, give them the treat, then throw the toy again. Once they understand the game, gradually increase the distance.
No. 8 Spin
I love doing this with Lottie as it’s so comical. Hold a treat near your dog’s nose and slowly move it in a circle around their head. They’ll naturally follow it with their body, completing a full spin. The moment they finish the rotation, say “spin” and give them the treat.
Start with the direction that feels most natural for your dog. Some dogs prefer spinning clockwise, others counterclockwise. Once they’ve mastered one direction, you can teach them to spin the opposite way using a different command, such as “twist.”
No. 9 Speak
This trick is easier to teach if you have a naturally vocal dog, as I do. Although if you’re trying to stop them barking excessively, you might want to get that sorted first before teaching this trick. Wait for a moment when your dog is about to bark, like when the doorbell rings, or they’re excited about dinner. Right before the bark comes out, say “speak.”
When they bark, reward them immediately. The tricky part is teaching them to bark on command when they’re not already excited. Try holding a treat just out of reach and looking at them expectantly. Some dogs will bark out of frustration, and that’s your moment to reward them.
No. 10 Roll Over
Your dog needs to be comfortable lying down first. Once they’re in the down position, hold a treat near their nose and slowly move it toward their shoulder, then continue the motion over their back.
Most dogs will naturally roll to follow the treat. The first few times, you might need to gently help them complete the roll. Say “roll over” as they do it, then reward them. This one takes more practice than the others because it requires coordination, but most dogs get it within a few sessions.
No. 11 Take a Bow
This is one of those tricks that looks impressive but is actually pretty simple. Start with your dog standing. Hold a treat near their nose and slowly lower it straight down toward the ground between their front legs.
The goal is to get their front end down while their back end stays up. As soon as they’re in that play bow position, say “take a bow” and immediately give them the treat before they can lie all the way down. Timing is everything with this one.
No. 12 Play Dead
This is the most theatrical trick on the list and builds on roll over. Start with your dog lying on their side. Use a treat to encourage them to stay in that position for a few seconds. Say “bang” or “play dead” while they’re lying still, then reward them.
Gradually increase the time they stay down before you give them the treat. Eventually, you can make it even more dramatic by pointing your finger like a gun and making the command more exaggerated. Dogs love the attention this one gets, which makes them more likely to hold the position.
The Real Secret to Success
None of these tricks requires hours of training or special equipment. What they do require is consistency, patience, and really good treats. I’m talking small pieces of chicken, cheese, or whatever makes your dog lose their mind with excitement.
Keep training sessions fun and upbeat. If you’re getting frustrated, your dog picks up on that energy and will struggle to learn. End every session with a trick they already know, so you both finish on a positive note.
Some dogs are naturally better at certain tricks. Lottie picked up spin in about two minutes, but took forever to understand play dead. That’s completely normal. Work with your dog’s strengths and don’t stress if one particular trick takes longer than expected.
The best part about teaching tricks? It strengthens your bond with your dog. They’re not just learning commands. They’re learning to pay attention to you, to work with you, and that good things happen when they do. That foundation makes everything else easier, from basic obedience to dealing with behavioral issues.
So grab some treats, pick a trick, and get started. Your dog is probably smarter than you think.
