I always enjoyed teaching tricks because of the sheer joy puppy owners received when they saw their pint-sized charge do some goofy trick such as "bang you are dead" or "take a bow."
Besides bringing forth a healthy giggle or two, teaching your dog tricks can have a practical application in the real world and will definitely improve your relationship between you and your dog.
Tricks are a super fun way of building a positive relationship with your dog because just like children dogs retain information better in an environment with positive energy.
If dog owners have fun so do the dogs. I often included teaching a trick at the end of each week of obedience classes just so that the class could always end on a good note. Regardless of how a dog was progressing in its obedience, the owner always left with a smile after learning a new trick.
The Internet is a wonderful tool to access information about teaching your dog fun tricks, and there are a lot of tricks you can teach; some more practical than others.
Teaching your dog to touch your hand, for example, can lead to teaching your dog how to turn light switches on and off. There is no need for a Clapper when Fido can tap the light switch and shut all the lights off in the house for a liver treat.
Everyone teaches their dog how to shake a paw. Yet that simple trick has so many applications Teaching your dog to shake a paw can lead to teaching your dog a very cute way to meet a new person. How fun would it be to have your dog walk up to someone, sit in front of them and offer a paw to be shaken upon greeting?
A really fun trick that evolves from the shake-a-paw trick is called the wave. On this command your dog will sit and wave its paw at you.
You can modify this into teaching your dog to tap its paw to knock (paw) on a door to be let out or something similar.
To start you will need a bag of dried liver treats and a clicker, if you wish. Your dog needs to know "sit/stay" and "shake a paw" to start this trick. With your dog sitting, stand in front of your dog and ask for its paw. If you have a clicker, click and treat your dog for giving it to you. If you don't have a clicker, reward the dog with a treat and verbal praise with the word "yes". Do this several times in a row.
Next, take a step away from your dog, reach out with your hand and ask for its paw. Say "yes" (or click) and treat the slightest effort to raise its paw in your direction without moving toward you.
Do a number of repetitions to reinforce the dog lifting a paw without moving toward you.
Once you are certain your dog will remain in place upon you asking for a paw, it's time to change the cue of your out-stretched hand. To do this, start reaching out your hand and as your dog raises its paw out to you change your hand to a wave. Then say "yes" or click and treat your dog for basically swiping the air at your out-stretched but waving hand. Repeat this step until your dog starts raising its paw when it sees your out-stretched hand turn into a waving hand.
As your dog starts to readily swipe the air with its paw without moving forward gradually fade out the old cue of your outstretched hand until your dog is performing the behaviour when you are waving at it.
At this point you can begin to add a command such as "wave" while your dog is doing the air-swiping (pawwaving action), then say "yes" or click and reward.
Be patient with your dog when teaching it anything, be it obedience or tricks. The more fun you have the better and stronger your bond will become.
