Top 4 Easy Tricks To Teach Your Dog If You Live in a Dorm

Focusing on simple dog tricks to teach your pet can bring you and your four-legged friend a lot of enjoyment. In the process, dogs receive a ton of attention from the owner in addition to edible rewards. For you, the training process will be an opportunity to communicate more with your pet and strengthen your bond.

Yet, if you are a student living in a dorm with your dog, you might need tricks that can be taught in small spaces. Let us give you some ideas. 

Trick 1 — Paw!

The first on the list of cool tricks to teach your dog is “Paw.” It’s actually a very simple one which looks very cute and impressive. How do you start training a dog? Just follow these steps:

1. Squeeze the treat in your fist. Let your dog smell it, but when it tries to get the treat, don’t open your fist. The dog will likely use its paw.
2. The instant your dog touches your hand, say a reassuring “Good job!” or, if you have a clicker, use it and treat your dog.
3. Repeat until your dog starts touching your closed hand (which has a treat in it) every time you offer it.
4. Next, give your dog an open palm (no treat), and when it places its paw on your palm, reward it with a treat.
5. Gradually increase the time you spend holding the paw before you offer the dog a treat.
6. Practice the vocal command “Paw!” every time you want your dog to do the trick. After a couple of sessions, the dog will remember the command.

Now, let’s move on to other easy tricks to teach dogs.

Trick 2 — Somersault!

To teach this command successfully, your dog needs repetition. It will guarantee you success.

1. First, the dog should lie on the floor. Kneel near it and carry a treat in your fist. Offer the treat to your dog right next to its nose, but don’t open your palm. Instead, lower it to the floor. When on the floor, give the treat and praise the dog.
2. With your dog lying down, offer it the treat again right next to its nose, but don’t open your hand yet. At this stage, reposition your hand to the other side so that the dog lifts its head and turns to get it. 
3. Show the dog another piece without giving it immediately to encourage your friend to turn around. To achieve this, your hand shouldn’t be easily reached but still keep it along the preferred trajectory. If the dog manages to do a somersault, praise it and give another piece of the treat.
4. The moment the dog begins to do somersaults, use the command “Roll!” and slowly remove the treat from the process. And that’s it, the job is done! Now, you are probably even more inspired by simple tricks to teach your dog. 

Trick 3 — Spin!

“Spin” is one of the best tricks you can teach your dog, and you can easily use it even if you’re not a pro dog trainer. 

1. Grab a treat, keep it near your dog’s nose and stimulate your dog to spin. When it completes the circle, say “Good job!” or use the clicker if you have one and give it the treat. If your dog can complete two turns in a row before you give it a treat, it is doing a great job and making progress. 
2. Next, try the same movement, but don’t add the treat. You can reward your four-legged companion when the rotation is completed. Teach the dog to follow the signal of your hand. 
3. Help your dog to understand the command clearly by consistently indicating the starting point with your hand. Don’t forget the treat. 
4. Use the word “Spin!” Eventually, after some training, the dog will spin with the voice command alone. But if it doesn’t work out, don’t worry; not all dogs can reach this stage of performing this trick.

Trick 4 — Bow!

So, all the unique tricks to teach your dog will be a huge success if in the end it bows and thus, earns applause (even from you). 

1. To start exercise, the dog should be standing.
2. Keep the treat around the dog’s nose and gradually move it down. Do this until its front feet are on the floor and its back feet are standing still. 
3. Do the same but in a different direction, moving the treat up and encouraging your dog to stand up again. Tell it, “Good job!” or give it a treat once again. 

To Wrap It Up

What tricks can I teach my dog? If you live in a dorm, try simple commands. Unlike the general training course, dog tricks are purely for fun and are aimed at strengthening relationships. For dogs, learning tricks should resemble an exciting game. 

Author Byline

Nicole Hardy

Nicole Hardy is an enthusiastic author who often writes about student life, soft skills and education. As a huge dog lover, she shares helpful tips on how to make things easier for pet owners, especially if they are students. For example, EssayHub can do your homework while you have more time to take care of your dog. Your academic performance will improve greatly, as will your relationship with your pet.