Teaching your dog tricks like shake, roll over, spin, beg, or take a bow is an excellent way to engage your pet mentally and physically. It also helps strengthen your bond while reinforcing basic commands you use regularly. Plus, it’s entertaining to showcase your dog’s skills to friends.

You don’t have to be a professional trainer to teach your puppy or adult dog a range of fun and practical tricks—first-time dog owners can do it too. Here are 21 impressive dog tricks you can begin training your dog to perform today.

Give Kiss:

Teaching your dog to give kisses is one of the simplest tricks to learn. While not everyone appreciates a big, wet dog kiss, kids often love it. By placing a treat on your cheek and using a command, you’ll quickly be able to enjoy affectionate smooches from your dog whenever you want!

Additionally, teaching your dog to kiss on cue can help reduce unwanted licking.

Speak:

Teaching your dog to speak can be enjoyable and can help address a common behavioral issue. Many trainers suggest using the “speak” and “quiet” commands to manage excessive barking. By putting these commands in place, your dog can bark in specific situations while giving you control over when barking begins and ends. Plus, it’s a great way to impress family at gatherings with your dog’s conversational abilities!

Back Up:

Teaching your dog to back up is an enjoyable trick that can be useful in many scenarios. Once your dog learns this command, you can use it to prevent them from darting out the door, crowding you at the fridge, or simply to entertain your friends.

Back up is relatively easy to teach. With a little patience and some treats, you can quickly train your dog to take a few steps back when you give the command.

Shake Paws:

Teach your dog to greet your friends by shaking hands (or paws, as appropriate). This simple trick can typically be learned in just a few short training sessions. Most dogs naturally enjoy using their paws and will appreciate the positive attention they receive while performing this trick.

Wave:

Teaching your dog to wave hello or goodbye is an enjoyable and relatively easy trick. Begin by training your dog to shake paws; you can use the same motion to help them learn to lift their paw for a wave. This trick is a great way to grab attention and is adorable to see in action.

Spin:

You can easily get your dog to spin by holding a treat near their nose. To increase the challenge, teach your dog to spin in a specific direction. Your friends will be impressed when they see how your dog can distinguish between left and right!

Sit Pretty:

Like the “beg” command, the sit pretty trick involves your dog balancing on their hind legs while their front legs are raised in a seated position. This adorable pose is great for taking photos of your pet. If you can teach your dog to sit pretty and walk on their hind legs, you’ll definitely impress anyone who sees your interactions!

Roll Over:

Most people teach their dog to roll over in small steps, gradually getting them to complete the full roll. While it may require some effort, the payoff is well worth it. This trick is not only a lot of fun, but it also serves as a foundation for several other tricks, like playing dead.

Play Dead:

Your friends will be amazed when you point your finger like a gun, say “bang,” and your dog falls to the ground to play dead. While it may seem impressive, training a dog to play dead isn’t as difficult as it appears, especially if you’ve already taught them to roll over.

Take a Bow:

Taking a bow is a dog trick where your dog lowers their chest to the ground while keeping their rear end raised. While it may seem challenging to teach, bowing is actually a natural behavior for dogs.

If you observe two dogs playing, you’ll often see them perform a play bow, which is their way of inviting each other to join in. You can easily leverage your dog’s innate playfulness to teach them to bow. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to conclude a showcase of all the impressive tricks your dog has learned!

Sit:

Teaching a dog to sit on command is often one of the first tricks new owners attempt. With treats, patience, and consistency, you might be surprised at how quickly your pet learns. Once your dog masters this command, it will help you train them for more complex tricks, so be sure not to overlook this important step.

Down:

Another fundamental trick you can teach your dog is to lie down on command. With this command, your dog will stay on the floor until you tell them to sit or stand up. This trick is not only fun to demonstrate to friends, but it also lays the groundwork for teaching other tricks, such as rolling over.

Come:

What’s more heartwarming than calling your dog and watching them dash over to be by your side? Teaching your dog to come is not just about mastering a cute trick; this command can also help keep them safe and out of danger.

High Five:

If your dog already knows how to shake paws or wave hello and goodbye, you can easily teach them to give a high five. The main difference is in the position of their paw and how they touch your hand. This adorable trick is sure to impress your friends, and your dog will love the attention they receive!

Place:

“Place” is another useful trick that serves as an essential command every dog should learn. It teaches them to go to a specific spot, like their bed or crate, when you want them to settle down in a safe environment. If your dog has already learned other tricks, this one should be relatively easy for them to grasp.

Wait:

By teaching your dog the “wait” or “stop” command, you can make them halt any behavior when needed, whether it’s jumping, climbing on furniture, or chasing after animals or other dogs during a walk. It’s also a lot of fun to demonstrate that your dog can stop and wait for your next command.

Stand:

Just as you can teach your dog to sit and lie down, you can also train them to stand on command, which can be useful in many situations. To add an extra challenge and have some fun, you can teach your dog to stand only on their hind legs. This trick may require more time and patience than the simpler ones, but it will be impressive once mastered.

Jump:

Teaching your dog to jump is excellent for agility training or just for fun. In agility training, you can set up hurdles for your dog to leap over. Alternatively, you can teach your dog to jump into your arms for a playful activity. Make sure to work on this trick gradually to ensure your dog feels confident and stays safe.

Eye Contact:

This trick trains your dog to make direct eye contact and maintain their focus on you. By using commands like “watch me” or “look,” you can help your dog stay attentive. It’s a valuable skill for agility and obedience training, and it can also be used daily to keep your dog out of mischief.

Fetch:

Fetch is a game that many dogs enjoy, but your dog may need some training to learn how to play it properly. With a few basic techniques, you can teach your dog to fetch, enabling them to retrieve an item and bring it back to you, whether it’s an object from across the room or a ball thrown in the backyard.

Hug:

There’s nothing quite as heartwarming as receiving a hug from your dog. Begin with simpler commands that teach your dog to lift their front legs and rest their paws on your hand or arms. With time and practice, your pet will be able to express this delightful gesture of affection.