3. Teach Your Dog to Spin 🔄
Spin is an excellent beginner trick because the movement is relatively natural and easy to guide with a food lure.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Have your dog stand in front of you.
Step 2: Hold a small treat close to the dog’s nose.
Step 3: Slowly move the treat in a large circle around the dog’s body.
Your dog’s nose should follow your hand, causing the entire body to turn.
Step 4: The instant your dog completes the circle, say:
“Yes!”
Then give the reward.
Step 5: Repeat several times before introducing the word:
“Spin!”
Say the command immediately before making the circular hand movement.
Step 6: Gradually stop holding food in your guiding hand. Make the same circular gesture with an empty hand and reward from your other hand afterward.
Over time, make the gesture smaller until a tiny circular finger motion—or simply the word “spin”—is enough.
🎥 Video tutorial:
4. Teach Your Dog to Play Dead 💥
Few tricks get a bigger reaction than dramatically falling over after hearing a cue such as “Bang!”
Before attempting this trick, your dog should comfortably understand “down.”
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Ask your dog to lie down.
Step 2: Hold a treat near the dog’s nose and slowly move it toward the shoulder.
As your dog’s head follows the treat, the body should naturally begin rolling onto one side.
Step 3: The moment your dog lies on its side, mark the behavior and reward.
Don’t immediately worry about the dramatic fall. First teach the final position.
Step 4: Once your dog consistently rolls onto its side, introduce your command.
You might use:
“Bang!”
You can pair it with a playful finger-point gesture.
Step 5: Gradually remove the food lure.
Eventually the sequence becomes:
👉 “Bang!” → dog drops onto its side → remains still → reward.
For an advanced version, teach your dog to remain completely still until you give a release word such as “Okay!”
🎥 Video tutorial:
5. Teach Your Dog to Army Crawl 🐕🦺
Once your dog knows “down,” you can teach an impressive crawl in which the dog’s body stays close to the floor while moving forward.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Ask your dog to lie down.
Step 2: Hold a treat directly in front of the dog’s nose.
Step 3: Slowly move it forward while keeping your hand close to the floor.
If your dog crawls even a few centimeters without standing, immediately mark and reward the movement.
Step 4: Don’t rush the distance.**
Start with something as small as:
5 cm → 10 cm → 30 cm → 1 meter.
Step 5: Introduce the word:
“Crawl!”
Say it immediately before using your hand lure.
As your dog improves, gradually move your hand farther away and reduce the lure.
If your dog repeatedly stands up, make the exercise easier rather than pushing the dog back down.
🎥 Video tutorial:
6. Teach Your Dog to Wave Hello 👋
Once your dog knows how to give a paw, you already have the foundation for waving.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Ask your dog to sit.
Step 2: Give your normal “paw” command.
However, instead of allowing the paw to land in your hand, move your hand slightly backward.
Your dog may move the paw through the air trying to reach you.
Immediately mark and reward that movement.
Step 3: Repeat until your dog begins lifting the paw without needing to touch your hand.
Step 4: Introduce a waving hand signal.**
Wave at your dog and say:
“Hello!”
Then encourage the familiar paw movement.
Step 5: Reward increasingly obvious waves.**
Once your dog understands the trick, stop rewarding tiny paw lifts and reward the movements that look most like an actual wave.
Eventually, someone can walk into the room and say:
“Say hello!”
…and your dog responds with a wave.
🎥 Video tutorial:
7. Create a Full “Soldier Routine” 🫡🐕🦺
Once your dog understands several individual tricks, you can combine them into one routine.
For example:
Sit → Shake Paw → Pray → Salute → Down → Crawl → Play Dead → Wave
The important part is teaching every behavior separately first.
Don’t attempt to teach the entire sequence simultaneously.
Once your dog reliably performs each trick, begin connecting two behaviors:
“Pray” → reward → “Salute” → reward.
Later, wait until both behaviors are completed before giving the reward.
Gradually add additional tricks until your dog understands the complete routine.
This technique is often called behavior chaining—connecting behaviors the dog already understands into a longer sequence.
🎥 Video tutorial:
The Most Important Rule: Reward Progress, Not Perfection
One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is expecting the finished trick immediately.
Think of training like building a staircase.
If your goal is a salute, your dog’s first attempt might simply be lifting a paw two centimeters from the floor.
Reward it.
Next, wait for a slightly higher lift.
Reward that.
Then wait for the paw to move closer toward the head.
Reward again.
Little by little, you shape the final behavior.
Your timing also matters. The reward should clearly communicate which action was correct. Using a consistent marker such as “Yes!” or a clicker can make that communication much clearer.
Most importantly, training should remain enjoyable. Don’t shout at, intimidate or physically force your dog into these positions. If your dog appears tired, stressed, uncomfortable or uninterested, finish the session and try again later.
Different dogs also learn at different speeds. One dog may understand “spin” within a few sessions while taking much longer to master a salute.
That’s completely normal.
A Simple 7-Day Training Challenge
Instead of trying to teach everything in one afternoon, turn it into a one-week challenge:
Day 1: Paw and Wave 👋
Day 2: Spin 🔄
Day 3: Pray 🙏
Day 4: Salute 🫡
Day 5: Crawl 🐕🦺
Day 6: Play Dead 💥
Day 7: Combine your dog’s favorite tricks into one routine.
Even after seven days, don’t expect every behavior to be perfect. The challenge is simply a fun structure for introducing new skills.
The real objective isn’t creating a performing dog overnight.
It’s teaching your dog that paying attention to you, solving little problems and learning something new can be rewarding and fun.
And when your dog finally sits in front of you, puts those paws together and follows it with a perfect salute?
You’ll probably want your camera ready.