Dog Tricks: 25 Easy and Fun Tricks to Teach Your Dog When You’re Both Bored

A bored dog chews, digs and barks. A bored human scrolls. Dog tricks fix both at once: five minutes of training gives your dog a mental workout that tires them out faster than a walk, and gives you something genuinely fun to do together.

This guide covers 25 tricks to teach your dog, from easy dog tricks you can teach tonight to advanced dog tricks for show-offs. You’ll get one simple method that works for every trick, a trick picker to choose the right ones for your dog, and step-by-step instructions using reward-based training only.

Dog tricks list: 25 tricks to teach your dog at a glance

Use this dog tricks list as your trick picker. Start with any Level 1 trick, then follow the “teach first” column so each new trick builds on one your dog already knows. Session counts are rough estimates for 5-minute sessions; every dog learns at its own pace.

Dog trick	Level	Teach first	Typical sessions	Best for
1. Touch	Easy	None	1 to 3	Every dog, puppies
2. Shake	Easy	Sit	2 to 4	Every dog
3. High five	Easy	Shake	2 to 4	Every dog
4. Wave	Easy	High five	3 to 6	Show-offs
5. Spin	Easy	None	2 to 4	High-energy dogs
6. Bow	Easy	None	3 to 6	Every dog
7. Speak and quiet	Easy	None	3 to 6	Vocal dogs
8. Find it	Easy	None	1 to 2	Bored dogs, seniors
9. Leave it	Useful	None	4 to 8	Every dog
10. Drop it	Useful	None	3 to 6	Chewers
11. Go to your mat	Useful	None	4 to 8	Busy homes
12. Back up	Useful	None	3 to 6	Every dog
13. Ring a bell	Useful	Touch	5 to 10	Potty training
14. Roll over	Fun	Down	4 to 8	Healthy adult dogs
15. Play dead	Fun	Down	5 to 10	Party trick
16. Crawl	Fun	Down	4 to 8	Small and medium dogs
17. Peekaboo	Fun	None	3 to 6	Every dog
18. Leg weave	Fun	Spin	5 to 10	Agile dogs
19. Cover your eyes	Fun	Wave	5 to 10	Show-offs
20. Sit pretty	Fun	Sit	6 to 12	Healthy adult dogs
21. Tidy up toys	Advanced	Drop it	10+	Clever dogs
22. Jump through a hoop	Advanced	Touch	6 to 12	Adult dogs only
23. Say your prayers	Advanced	Touch	8 to 12	Medium and large dogs
24. Fetch by name	Advanced	Drop it	10+	Retrievers, herders
25. Close the door	Advanced	Touch	8 to 12	Clever dogs

How to teach a dog tricks: the Treat-to-Trick Loop

To teach a dog tricks, lure the position with a treat, mark the exact moment they get it with “yes” or a click, pay with a treat within two seconds, then fade the treat lure and add a word cue. We call this the Treat-to-Trick Loop, and it works for every trick in this guide.

The same loop works for fun dog tricks, practical dog training tricks and show-off moves alike, so once you learn it, you can teach your dog almost anything.

What you need: pea-sized soft treats, a quiet room, and 5 minutes. Use a single marker word (“yes!”) or a clicker, and always stop while your dog is still having fun.

• Lure: guiding your dog with a treat. Fast, but fade it early so your dog doesn’t need food in your hand.
• Capture: rewarding something your dog does naturally, like a bow when they stretch or a bark.
• Shape: rewarding small steps toward the final trick, such as a paw lift on the way to a wave.

Every method here is reward-based. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends reward-based training for all dogs, so there’s no place for scolding, collar corrections or pushing your dog into position.

Easy tricks to teach your dog (start here)

These easy dog tricks and simple dog tricks need no props and no prior training beyond a sit. They’re the best tricks to teach your dog first because each one takes only a few short sessions.

1. Touch (hand target)

Best for: every dog, including puppies; it’s the foundation for bell ringing, closing doors and more.

1. Hold your flat palm a few inches from your dog’s nose.
2. The moment their nose bumps your hand, mark “yes” and treat.
3. Repeat, moving your hand a little to the left, right and higher.
4. Add the cue “touch” just before you present your hand.

2. Shake

Best for: every dog; it’s one of the most common dog tricks.

1. Ask your dog to sit and hold a treat in a closed fist near the floor.
2. Wait. When they paw at your hand, mark “yes” and open your hand.
3. Gradually raise your fist and switch to an open palm.
4. Add the cue “shake” as you offer your hand.

3. High five

Best for: every dog that already knows shake.

1. Ask for a shake, but turn your palm to face your dog like a high five.
2. Mark and treat as their paw touches your palm.
3. Raise your hand a little higher over a few sessions.
4. Add the cue “high five”.

4. Wave

Best for: show-offs who already know high five.

1. Ask for a high five, then pull your hand just out of reach.
2. Mark the moment your dog lifts their paw in the air.
3. Reward bigger, higher paw lifts.
4. Add the cue “wave” and wave your own hand as a signal.

5. Spin

Best for: high-energy dogs that need to burn off steam.

1. Hold a treat at your dog’s nose.
2. Slowly guide them in a full circle, keeping the treat at nose height.
3. Mark and treat when they finish the circle.
4. Fade the treat to a circling hand signal and add the cue “spin”.

Tip: teach the other direction separately with a different word, like “twirl”.

6. Bow

Best for: every dog; it’s often captured when dogs stretch.

1. With your dog standing, hold a treat at their nose.
2. Lower it straight down toward the floor between their front paws.
3. Mark the moment their elbows touch the floor while their back end stays up.
4. Treat quickly before they lie all the way down, then add the cue “bow”.

7. Speak and quiet

Best for: vocal dogs; teaching “quiet” is the useful half.

1. Get your dog excited with a toy until they give a small bark.
2. Mark and reward that bark, then add the cue “speak”.
3. After a speak, wait for a pause in barking.
4. Mark the silence, reward it and add the cue “quiet”.

8. Find it

Best for: bored dogs and seniors; it’s a nose game that tires dogs out fast.

1. Say “find it” and toss a treat on the floor where your dog can see it.
2. Next, toss it a little farther away or behind a chair leg.
3. Then hide treats around the room while your dog waits.
4. Release them with “find it” and let their nose do the work.

Tip: five minutes of sniffing games is one of the best things to do with a bored dog on a rainy day.

Useful tricks to teach your dog

These useful tricks to teach your dog double as everyday manners. They make walks safer and the house calmer.

9. Leave it

Best for: every dog; it can stop your dog from grabbing something dangerous.

1. Hold a treat in a closed fist and let your dog sniff it.
2. The moment they back off, mark “yes” and reward from your other hand.
3. Never give them the treat they were told to leave.
4. Add the cue “leave it”, then practice with a treat on the floor under your foot.

10. Drop it

Best for: chewers and toy-guarders.

1. While your dog holds a toy, put a tasty treat at their nose.
2. Say “drop it” as they open their mouth for the treat.
3. Mark and reward, then give the toy back so dropping it never means losing the fun.

11. Go to your mat

Best for: busy homes, doorbells and dinner time.

1. Lure your dog onto a mat or bed.
2. Mark and treat when all four paws are on it.
3. Toss the next treat off the mat to reset, then let them go back on their own.
4. Add the cue “mat” and slowly build how long they stay.

12. Back up

Best for: every dog; it’s great for body awareness.

1. Stand facing your dog in a narrow hallway.
2. Take a small step toward them. Mark and treat any step backward.
3. Build to two or three steps, then add the cue “back”.

13. Ring a bell

Best for: potty training; teach touch first.

1. Hang a bell at nose height by the door you use for potty trips.
2. Ask for a “touch” on the bell. Mark and treat the jingle.
3. Before every potty trip, have your dog ring the bell, then go straight outside.

Tip: only open the door for bell rings at potty time, or your dog will learn to ring it just to play outside.

Fun and cool tricks to teach your dog

These fun tricks to teach your dog are the crowd-pleasers. They’re also cool dog tricks for videos, and the funny dog tricks friends will ask to see again.

14. Roll over

Best for: healthy adult dogs comfortable lying on their back.

1. Ask your dog to lie down.
2. Move a treat from their nose toward their shoulder so they tip onto their side.
3. Keep moving the treat over their back so they roll all the way over.
4. Mark and treat at the end, then add the cue “roll over”.

15. Play dead

Best for: party tricks; teach down first.

1. Ask for a down, then lure your dog onto their side.
2. Mark and treat the moment their head rests on the floor.
3. Build to a second or two of stillness.
4. Add a finger-gun signal and the cue “bang!”.

16. Crawl

Best for: small and medium dogs; teach down first.

1. Ask for a down and hold a treat at your dog’s nose, close to the floor.
2. Pull the treat slowly forward a few inches.
3. Mark any forward shuffle that keeps their belly low.
4. Build to a longer crawl and add the cue “crawl”.

17. Peekaboo

Best for: every dog; it makes a great photo.

1. Stand with your feet apart and your dog behind you.
2. Lure them forward through your legs with a treat.
3. Mark and treat when their head pokes out between your legs.
4. Hold the treat there for a second or two, then add the cue “peekaboo”.

18. Leg weave

Best for: agile dogs that already know spin.

1. Take a big step forward with your right foot.
2. Lure your dog through your legs from left to right.
3. Step forward with your left foot and lure them back through.
4. Mark each pass and build a smooth figure eight.

19. Cover your eyes

Best for: show-offs who already know wave.

1. Stick a small piece of painter’s tape or a sticky note lightly on your dog’s snout.
2. When they swipe at it with a paw, mark and treat.
3. Remove the tape once they swipe reliably and add the cue “shy”.

Tip: use low-tack tape and only for a few seconds at a time.

20. Sit pretty

Best for: healthy adult dogs with a strong core.

1. From a sit, hold a treat just above your dog’s nose.
2. Raise it slowly so their front paws lift off the floor.
3. Mark and treat even a tiny lift, and support their chest if they wobble.
4. Build balance slowly over many sessions.

Tip: skip this one for puppies, long-backed breeds like dachshunds, and any dog with back or hip problems. Ask your vet if you’re unsure.

Advanced dog tricks to teach your dog

These advanced dog tricks combine skills your dog already knows, so save these advanced tricks to teach your dog for when the basics are solid. They’re unique tricks to teach your dog that will make people do a double take.

21. Tidy up toys

Best for: clever dogs that know drop it.

1. Hold a toy basket under your dog’s mouth while they hold a toy.
2. Say “drop it” so the toy lands in the basket. Mark and treat.
3. Gradually put the basket farther away so they carry the toy to it.
4. Add the cue “tidy up”.

22. Jump through a hoop

Best for: adult dogs only; skip it for puppies.

1. Hold a hula hoop upright with its bottom touching the floor.
2. Lure your dog to walk through it. Mark and treat.
3. Raise it only a few inches at a time over many sessions.
4. Add the cue “hoop”.

Tip: the American Kennel Club advises against repetitive, high jumping for young dogs, so keep the hoop low and wait until your dog is fully grown.

23. Say your prayers

Best for: medium and large dogs that know touch.

1. Have your dog put their front paws on a low, stable stool.
2. Lure their head down between their paws with a treat.
3. Mark and treat the moment their head dips, and build a short hold.
4. Add the cue “say your prayers”.

24. Fetch by name

Best for: retrievers and herding breeds.

1. Start with one toy and say its name every time you play with it.
2. Put that toy on the floor alone and ask for it by name. Mark and treat.
3. Add a second toy and only reward the named one.
4. Add toys one at a time.

25. Close the door

Best for: clever dogs that know touch.

1. Put a sticky note on a light door at nose height.
2. Ask for a “touch” on the note. Mark and treat each nose bump.
3. Wait for a harder push, and reward when the door moves.
4. Remove the note and add the cue “close it”.

Turn tricks into a routine: 3 trick chains

Once your dog knows a few tricks, chain them into a 30-second show. Chains keep training fresh, which matters a lot for a bored dog.

Trick chain	Sequence	Best for
The Greeting	Sit, shake, high five, wave, bow	Guests and video clips
The Party Trick	Spin, bow, play dead, roll over, bow	Family gatherings
The Calm-Down	Go to your mat, down, find it	Before guests or bedtime

Dog trick troubleshooting

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
My dog loses interest	Sessions too long or treats too boring	Stop after 5 minutes and use softer, smellier treats
My dog only works for food in my hand	The lure wasn’t faded	Switch to an empty hand and pay from your pocket
My dog keeps lying down during bow	Treat lowered too far or too slow	Mark faster, the instant the elbows dip
My dog jumps up for the treat	Treat held too high	Keep the lure at nose height
My dog guesses tricks randomly	Cue added too early	Go back to the hand signal before adding words
My dog won’t learn a new trick	Missing a step	Teach the “teach first” trick from the picker table

Is your dog bored? 8 signs and what to do

Wondering “is my dog bored?” A bored dog usually shows it through behavior: chewing, digging, attention barking, pacing, or following you around the house. Short daily trick sessions, sniffing games and food puzzles give their brain the work it’s missing.

If you’re wondering how to tell if your dog is bored, compare the behavior to their routine: it usually shows up on low-activity days. Mix in a 5-minute trick session, a find it game, and dog toys for bored dogs like snuffle mats and treat-dispensing balls. Any sudden behavior change is worth a chat with your vet, since pain or illness can look like boredom.

Earn a trick title: the AKC Trick Dog program

Want a goal? The AKC Trick Dog program awards titles for tricks your dog can perform, and many tricks on this list count toward them.

AKC Trick Dog title	What’s required
Novice (TKN)	10 novice tricks
Intermediate (TKI)	10 intermediate tricks, after Novice
Advanced (TKA)	10 advanced tricks, after Intermediate
Performer (TKP)	A routine of at least 10 tricks, including props
Elite Performer (TKE)	A scripted routine with at least 5 props

Safety rules for teaching dog tricks

• Reward, never punish: use treats, toys and praise only.
• Protect growing joints: the American Kennel Club says puppies shouldn’t do high or repetitive jumping until they’re at least 12 to 15 months old, and longer for giant breeds.
• Know your dog’s body: skip sit pretty and jumping tricks for dogs with back, hip or joint problems.
• Watch the treats: count training treats as part of your dog’s daily food, and use tiny pieces.
• End on a win: finish every session with a trick your dog knows well.

Dog tricks FAQ

Start with one trick tonight

Pick one easy trick from the list, grab a handful of treats and set a 5-minute timer. That’s all it takes to turn a bored evening into the best part of your dog’s day. Trick training is also one of the best things to do when bored with no money, a perfect rainy day activity and a great break when working from home.

Kids love helping, too: it’s one of our favorite things to do when bored for kids. And if you’d rather put the phone down for good, see our things to do instead of doomscrolling. Looking for a skill of your own? Try easy card tricks, learn some skateboard tricks, or take our hobby quiz.