How to Teach Your Dog the Spin Trick

Would you like to teach your dog a fun trick? The spin trick is very fast and easy to teach your dog and will impress your friends.

Teaching your dog new tricks, whether your dog is young or old, is a great way to bond with your dog and build your dog's confidence. Take the time to teach your dog the spin trick today!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dog
• Lots of cookies
• Some patience
• A bit of time over several days (5-10 minutes/session is best)

1. Pick a day when you have at least 5-10 minutes to spend teaching your dog the spin trick. Pack your pockets with treats your dog loves. Find a spot where you won't be distracted (the backyard, instead of the dog park, for instance).

2. Take one tempting treat out of your pocket and make sure you have your dog's attention. Then, hold the treat right at your dog's nose (but don't let your dog *take* the treat!). If your dog's sitting, ease him up into a standing position.

3. Draw a very, very, very slow circle with your hand (with the cookie), large enough (and slow enough) for your dog to follow. If your dog doesn't follow, try again, this time drawing your circle much slower. You can speed the trick up later. When the dog follows the cookie in a complete circle, say, "Spin," "Good dog!" and give the dog the cookie. Remember to be really enthusiastic and upbeat as you practice the trick. You want this to be fun for both you and your dog!

4. Practice at least five complete spins for today. Always end the training session with a success, so if your dog is still having trouble with the spin, ask for a sit (or other trick your dog knows well) and reward with lots of praise.

5. Practice your new trick every day until your dog will spin without the cookie. As you practice, you can speed up your circles little by little to encourage your dog to spin faster.

Tips & Warnings

• All new tricks take lots of practice. Some dogs take longer to learn than others, so make sure you're really patient even if your dog doesn't seem to be catching on. Sooner or later, your dog will learn to spin on command as long as you're persistent.
• Dog won't follow the cookie no matter how slowly you go? Find better cookies or try a toy your dog loves. In the beginning, it's really important to use something your dog would do
• anything
• for, so make sure you've picked the right reward.

Resources

• Two dogs perform spin trick

[ilivetoteach]

on 5/1/2009 I've got four dogs to teach that too. Thanks!

[betterbody]

on 4/30/2009 Just too cute. Thanks for the 5* tips on teaching a dog the spin trick.

[JasneJ]

on 4/30/2009 Great trick,but I would rather teach my human feeder to spin!

[2besure]

on 4/30/2009 I don't if the humans are smart or the dogs to be able to learn the trick!

[katecrittendon]

on 4/30/2009 My dog learned the spin trick as a pup and still loves it! Thanks.