Have you ever taught a dog a fun trick that turned out to be useful, too? Did your dog spontaneously pick up her favorite toys? You offered to “trade” a treat for a toy and your dog became an even more eager retriever … then you taught her to take the toys and to leave them where you keep them?
Think of other uses for this set of skills! Your dog could collect your kids’ toys and deposit them in a toy box, or maybe … how about gathering your family’s dirty socks to take to the laundry basket?
I asked online friends if they had taught a dog or dogs a trick that turned out useful.
Ann McQuillen (California) I have artificial knees and as such can’t kneel down to get things that roll under a table or back in a corner that’s obstructed. I’ve taught my cattle dog, Bishop, to crawl under things pick up what I’ve dropped and bring it to me. It’s his most useful skill. I use it when something is in the back end of a crate and I have to stand on my head and can barely reach it. Bishop is happy to go in, grab it, and come right back out for a treat. Very useful skill, plus it keeps me upright.
Trish Ryan (South Carolina) Using her known behavior of touch, I was able to change the cue to “close” so now Gracie will close drawers and cabinet doors if my hands are full. Fun and functional.
Alisha Ardiana (California) I have taught our dog to find my keys and my cell phone. During the pandemic, I taught her to find her toys and food. Once we exhausted all those options, I taught her how to find my stuff. It’s basically giving her treats when you show her an object. Then you put her in the crate, and ask her to find the object we just had. You start with the object in close proximity, and then you increase the distance. I have misplaced my keys and phone in the past. This has been very helpful.
Carol Byrnes (Washington) “Take it to”—at our house we go by “daddy” and “mom”—very handy! Especially when wrapping Christmas presents for each other and someone needs the tape. Also, “put your toys away.”
Photo by Carol Byrnes
Gwen Jones (California) I found every trick I taught my reactive dog to be useful!
Adrienne Critchlow (United Kingdom) Every trick I’ve taught my dogs is useful in some way (to help them cope in difficult environments, giving them a clear, fun, highly reinforced alternative behavior). For practical usefulness, closing/opening doors and gates, putting clothes in the washing machine, pulling my socks off when I can’t be arsed to bend down, picking up my credit card without leaving a tooth mark (I was trapped on the sofa by my other dog sleeping on my legs when I dropped it on the floor whilst internet shopping), but I think MOST useful was teaching them to find my car keys in case I ever lost them—and I did once, in a 70-acre park!
Amy Suggars (Ohio) The “trick” I’ve taught my dog was to retrieve the newspaper from the end of the driveway. It is especially useful on rainy and snowy days! The only drawback is when the newspaper carrier forgets to deliver my paper. If my retriever is sent for the paper and there isn’t one there, she’ll hunt around until she finds something to retrieve. That’s usually my neighbor’s paper! Then I have to go outside after all to return it to my neighbor!
Sarah Adams (Oregon) I taught Kiki to whisper, which is useful because now instead of shouting at me when she wants something, she vocalizes very quietly.
Ruth L. Heller DVM (Pennsylvania) Trade. Stevie picks things up from the floor and brings them to me. Once he brought me Beth’s phone that she had lost.
Stephanie Nilles (Washington) Simple, but I love it …”get dressed.” I hold out her hiking backpack and say “get dressed,” she will put her head into the pack. I then clip and go! No chasing a wiggly pup around trying to get her head in the hole. One command, easy-peasy.
Erin Saywell (Indiana) Jot is my latest dog to learn service-dog tasks as a helpful trick. He can retrieve, bring, hold all sorts of objects.
Photo by Erin Saywell
Rebekah Piedad (California) I taught my drooly Cane Corso to bring me his drool rag whenever he wanted attention. Not only did it mean bringing me the towel to wipe his face, but it also meant he had a bit of the towel under his chin when he rested it on my thigh.
Sandra Sandy Machado (Florida) “Stay still” while the owner bends down to pick the poop during a walk. I don’t know if it’s a trick, but based on what I’ve seen over the years … it’s very useful.
Sarah Richardson (California) I taught my dog to do a long stretchy bow that was a great stretch for him, especially as he got older. He was also my “neutral dog” with my training, and his ability to do a play bow on cue helped other dogs feel more comfortable with him.
Toni Vignogna (California) Preparing for his old age, I taught Rusty to “step up” on a stool to get on the couch. Then I taught him to step down so he wouldn’t jar his joints. Another trick I have taught was “go around” and “reverse.” If he gets stuck, I can guide him to his way out.
Denise Nuttall (United Kingdom) Yes. Many years ago, in classes, we used to teach a trick. We decided on “bang” = down. One client wasn’t keen on “shooting” her dog, but she couldn’t think of another trick. So she did it. Fast-forward six months and she called me. She thought I would be interested to hear how ‘bang down’ had helped. After her dog’s spay operation, the vet wanted to examine the stitches. The owner said “bang!” The dog laid down on her side and played dead. Stayed there whilst all the stitches were removed. Clever owner and pup!
Beth Fabel (Washington) I teach all my dogs a formal retrieve. They enjoy getting paid for helping me with tasks like getting the paper or dropped keys. My little dog is such a help when I drop something small that rolls under furniture. He collected a spool of thread that fell and rolled way under a table against the wall for me the other day!
Jessica Stinson Hudson (Alabama) [I’ve taught many such tricks] because I’m lazy. I teach “speak” on hand signal. which allows me to get off the phone with my mother-in-law. “Oh, gotta go, someone’s at the door!” Allows me to take goofy photos. Finn picks up laundry I drop so I don’t have to bend over. Hold it—(stay still) while getting blood draws, while I inspect his paws or ears, etc. Most recently, Finn had to have an ultrasound and, because of his training, they reported he was the easiest patient because he was relaxed and okay with “holding” an odd upside down position. Get dressed = pop your head into your harness. Paws up = front feet up on bed, table, my car, etc., so I can lift. Go around = detangles himself from a tree or object when on a long line. Flop = lie flat on side (this gets him in perfect position for me to dremel his nails). The trick training we’ve done has allowed my dog to be way more comfortable with many situations that can be very stressful or unusual. And the concept of learning allows him to generalize more easily.
Photo by Jessica Stinson Hudson
Stacy Braslau-Schneck (California) I’ve taught my dogs to shut my office door; I use that in the winter when I have a space heater going in my office and the dog shoves open the door to come join me. “Shut the door,” I say and he pushes it closed, keeping all my nice heat in with me!
Kimberly Hall (Massachusetts) Sit at a distance. I had a dog get hit by a car and if I’d had that trick, he would’ve had a lot less arthritis in his hip. Watching my dog come towards me and a car at the same time was something I’ll never forget. He had perfect recall but I learned sometimes you need a “stay where you are” command.
Sarah Richardson One of my dogs, a beautiful GSP, came to me later in her life. She was very shut down. She had mostly been ignored, living a life as a backyard dog. And it was clear her “training” had involved a lot of punishment, as she was afraid to try new behaviors. With me, she began to discover that doing things could be joyful! One day, Brandy, who never dared to bark, did! And once she found her bark, she barked and barked with joy! Such a party girl! She especially barked when anyone came into the house. I didn’t want to quash the joy, but I didn’t enjoy the bark—and neither did visitors—so I kept a basket of soft toys by the door and taught Brandy to put a joy toy in her mouth instead of barking. It satisfied her need to do something with her mouth, stopped the barking, and it was so cute to watch her prance around with her joy toy!
Jessa Lewis (Washington) My daughter would have nightmares or trouble falling asleep when she was little and I would tell my dog to “go see” my child and the dog would stay in her bedroom while she fell asleep and come join me later. I also taught her to “find” my daughter and that would help when out in the woods or at a park and I couldn’t see my child (instead of yelling for her).
Barbara Carlson (Pennsylvania) I taught my dog to pick up the ferret toys in exchange for yummy treats. She generalized this by bringing me anything she could find. It was cute until she brought me the kitchen towels and some newspaper the ferrets had pottied on! I got her to pick up anything I dropped, and anything I pointed out (“get that”). She could pick up a dime! The funniest thing was one day at a ferret club meeting, the lady dropped the winning ticket for a coveted item. My dog swooped in, snapped it up, (the woman thought the ticket was a goner) and neatly deposited it in the woman’s hand that was still outstretched from her going to pick it up. The dog was very pleased with herself and everyone burst out laughing.
What tricks does your dog know?
Which tricks could become useful?
How would you train to add skills?
