Do More With Your dog!
Below is a printable list of tricks. The “Show 25 Entries” is set to “25” to make the page load faster, but you can adjust that number. Use the “Trick Level” checkboxes, or the “Search” line to filter the tricks you wish to print. We also have nicely formatted PDF forms of the tricks which you can print: Novice title (PDF), Intermediate, Advanced, Expert titles (PDF). NOTE: Don’t use the “Print” icon below; it will come out much better if you either use the “PDF” button, or print directly from your browser’s menu.
| wdt_ID | Trick | Level | Picture | Description | Also Called | Video1-Finished | Video2-Tutorial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 On/2 Off | Novice |  |
Common agility warm up exercise where the dog will place front feet on the floor or a target with rear feet on an elevated board or object. | 2 on 2 off Two On Two Off |
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| 4 | 2 On/2 Off Peanut | Intermediate |  |
Dog will have rear feet on stabilized peanut, ball or similar and front feet on target or floor. | 2 on 2 off Two On Two Off |
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| 5 | 2-on/2-off Pull Back on | Intermediate |  |
2 on 2 off pull back on (pull front feet back onto platform): Dog will move front feet only on cue from a 2 on 2 off position on a ball/peanut or elevated pedestal. Front feet may be on a target or the floor and rear feet will be elevated. The dog will pull the front feet from the target or floor back onto the elevated surface where rear feet are. | |||
| 6 | A-frame | Intermediate |  |
The dog will safely traverse up and down an A-Frame.The A-frame should be large enough that the dog takes at least 3 strides on the A-frame and at least once on each side. Example: once on the way up, once as he clears the apex, and once on the way down. The dog may take more steps on the A-frame, three strides is the minimum requirement. The dog should “hit” the contacts on the AF and not jump from an unsafe height. | |||
| 7 | Achoo! Bring Me a Tissue | Expert |  |
Achoo (fetch tissue from box, throw in trash): When the handler pretends to sneeze (other cues allowed), the dog goes to a tissue box. The dog retrieves a tissue from the box and brings it to the handler. After the handler “uses” the tissue, the handler gives the dog the tissue and directs the dog to put it into the trash can. The dog carries the tissue to an open can and drops the tissue in the trash can. The tissue can be a handkerchief, paper towel or a tissue. | |||
| 8 | Airplane / Arm Circle | Expert |  |
This trick is named after the “airplane” position the handler assumes. The handler holds their arms straight out to their sides (bent elbows are OK) in an “airplane” or “t” position. The dog circles the handler in either direction and jumps the handler’s “airplane” arms as they complete the circle. The dog should jump each arm at least once (2 jumps total) more jumps are fine but not required. Height is not a requirement and the handler may sit on the ground or kneel as appropriate for their dog, the goal is the dog goes around and over the handlers outstretched arms. The handler's arms must remain out-stretched and should not be used to cue, point or lure the dog over the arms. | |||
| 10 | Upright Walking (Assisted) | Intermediate |  |
Dog will place paws on the handlers arm as the handler walks backward. Handler should show about 5 steps of walking. For small dogs the handler can be on their knees. | Assisted Upright Walking Paws up on My Arm |
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| 13 | Back up on stairs | Expert |  |
With the handler standing at the bottom of the stairs, the dog backs up a flight of stairs. Show the dog backing up at least 4 stair steps. Handler should remain stationary. | |||
| 14 | Back Up Chute | Novice |  |
Dog will back up 5 feet (1.5 meters) in a chute made from objects like gating, boxes or furniture. Dog may pause and be given the cue to back up several times. Handler may walk beside the dog. Construct a narrow chute, for example by placing the back of a sofa near the wall. Toss a treat into the chute. Your dog should walk in to get the treat, and walk backwards out of the chute. We can build on this trick later, for the Advanced trick of "back up on cue". |
back-up chute | ||
| 15 | Balance Beam | Novice |  |
Dog will walk across a non slip board that is at least six feet long (~2 meters) and 12 inches (30 cm)or less wide. An agility dogwalk can be used but is not required. | Dog Walk | ||
| 16 | Balance Beam (Double Rail) | Expert |  |
This trick challenges the dog’s balance and coordination. The rails should be roughly chest width apart and there should be a gap of at least a paw width between the rails. The rails should be at least twice the length of the dog as measured from nose to hip. The height of the rails is not important as long as the dog is clearly placing his feet on each rail for the length of the board. | Double Balance Beam Tightrope |
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| 18 | Balance on a Block | Intermediate |  |
Dog will balance on a small block or brick. The item should be half the length of the dog or less as measured from the point of the chest to the point of the hip. | Balance on a Brick Balance on a Pedestal |
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| 19 | Balance on Top of a Ball | Intermediate |  |
Dog will safely balance on a stabilized ball or peanut for 5 seconds. Any position is allowed. | Fit Ball Stand on a Peanut |
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| 20 | Bang Game (smack a board) | Novice |  |
Dog will use their front foot or feet to push down a board and make a noise. Board can be any size or length and made from any materials. The key part of the trick is that the dog pushes a board that makes a noise similar to a teeter. | |||
| 21 | Bar Jump | Novice |  |
Dog will jump over a bar jump, no height requirement is required but the dog should jump vs walking over the bar. Jump may be made from anything safe around the house (Example: broom handle and blocks, etc) | |||
| 22 | Bark the Answer | Advanced |  |
Based on the “Clever Hans” experiments of the 1890s, the handler asks the dog a math question and the dog barks (or paws) until the correct answer is reached (ex- the handler asks “What is 2+2? The dog barks 4 times). The dog is actually barking on the cue of the question and continues barking until a subtle body language cue tells the dog to stop. | My dog can count 2+2 dog My dog can read Math |
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| 23 | Barn Hunt / Area Search | Expert |  |
The Area Search is done outside in a field, natural grasses, in an area of about 20m x 20m. Four small human-scented items (such as a baby sock) are placed in the field, unseen by the dog and handler. The dog, alone, enters the area to find the articles. The handler does not enter the area. The dog is given five minutes to do the search in competition. Various organizations hold competitions, such as FCI, South Africa Kennel Union, IRO, Schutzhund groups, and Search and Rescue groups. Barn Hunt is a variation of an area search in which the dog searches a maze of hay bales in a barn for a rat which is in an enclosed, protective cage. Competition organizations include BHA. |
Barn Hunt Area Search Quartering Search |
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| 24 | Barrel Racing (Go Around 3 Objects) | Advanced |  |
Place a barrel or cone or other object 10ft (3m) to your left, and another 10ft (3m) to your right. Send your dog to to around one, then the other, and then the first again. | Go Around Around an object |
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| 25 | Barrel Roll: 2 feet pushing | Expert |  |
Barrel Roll, 2 feet pushing: The dog pushes a peanut or similar object by placing his front paws on object and walking forward on his back legs. The dog should demonstrate placing his feet on the object and moving the item safely from a stopped position pushing forward a minimum of 5 steps. | |||
| 26 | Barrel Roll: 4 Feet on barrel | Expert |  |
Barrel roll, dog walks on top: The dog stands with four feet on top of a barrel, fitness peanut or similar object. The dog walks forward causing the barrel to roll backward. The dog should take at least 3 steps on the barrel. |
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| 27 | Basketball | Expert |  |
The dog retrieves a ball, carries it to a basket or hoop where the dog drops “dunks” the ball into the hoop by releasing the ball into the basket. | Basket Ball | ||
| 28 | Baton Jumping | Intermediate |  |
Baton jumping (jump a handheld bar) Dog will safely jump over a hand held bar. Bar can be a broom, pole, etc. No height requirement but dog should jump and not walk over bar. | |||
| 29 | Biscuit Under the Sofa | Novice |  |
This logic test challenges your dog to figure out how to pull a string to retrieve a biscuit from under the sofa. | Logic Test Cookie on a string |
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| 30 | Paper-Covered Hoop | Intermediate |  |
Dog will jump through a paper covered hoop or through closed curtains. This should be a blind jump. | Blind Jump | ||
| 31 | Blowing Bubbles in Water Bowl | Intermediate |  |
Dog places his nose under water in a bucket/small pool and blows bubbles in the water on cue. |