One of the best ways to bond with your dog, while at the same time stimulating his mind, is to teach him new tricks as often as possible. Training a dog to learn new things not only gets his mind working, but also teaches the brain to analyze and process information, thus producing a more intelligent and responsive dog.



Another interesting aspect of teaching your dog new tricks everyday is that he will start to understand specific words within the human language. For instance, below we are going to show you how to teach your dog to "Find It". After persistent training and practice of this trick, your dog will eventually be able to find a specific toy within a pile of dozens of other objects. Not only is this entertaining for you, but it activates the animal's thinking process by expanding his understanding of your vocabulary.

The Trick: Find It!

To begin training, line up about six or seven objects on the floor. Then ask your dog to locate a specific one. It is much easier if you start by sending your dog to retrieve something that he is familiar with.

For example, his favorite toy or food dish would be perfect starter objects. Now place the specific object you want him to find right next to a group of other, unfamiliar objects. The other items should be made up of boring, non-attractive things, such as a book, or a glass, etc. The reason for this is to make it easier for him to make the obvious choice when first being introduced to this trick.

Now point your finger to all of the objects that are lying on the floor and tell your dog to "Find The Toy". Without much hesitation he should put the right object in his mouth, and when he does, shower him with praise and offer a treat.

If your dog already knows how to fetch then have him bring the toy back to you. And if he does not know how to fetch then this is a great time to get him started!

Important: If you give your dog a treat for his good work at finding the right object, do not feed it to him while that particular object is lying close by. Dogs are quick to associate positive feelings with many experiences, and he might only go for the toy simply because he thinks he will get a treat each time, thus preventing him from learning new objects later on.

The next step is to place a different item amongst the pile of objects. Perhaps this time choose his food dish or a small ball. Run the sequence over again by pointing to the object and telling him to "Find The Dish".

If he picks the wrong item, say "Nope", and repeat "Find The Dish" over and over until he makes the right choice. Eventually he will be able to associate the name of each object and fetch it for you without fail.