You can do an amazing number of tricks with your dog using practically any household item. Here is a fun selection of tricks using a simple chair!
Comparing to other dog sports, you can do tricks anywhere, you do not need any expensive equipment and set up (in fact you do not need any special equipment!), any dog can enjoy tricks and you can tailor the tricks to your dog rather than follow "one size fits all" approach!
Task 1 of the International Trick Dog Competition 2023 is all about tricks with a chair.
We had so much fun when making the list, hope you'll find it a useful inspiration for a rainy day. Or perhaps, it will also tempt you to enter the International Trick Dog Competition 2023 with your dog and give it a proper go!
Some ideas of tricks with chairs:
2 front paws up
4 paws up (on)
2 hind paws up
2 front paws up and elephant trick (full circle around the chair while keeping front paws up). And you can do it in both clockwise and anticlockwise directions!
2 hind paws up and elephant trick
Alternating front paws touch (like a drum)
Paws up and say prayers
Chin on the chair
Go under a chair
Jump over a chair
Crawl under several chairs
Jump from one chair to another
2 paws up and shuffle along a row of chairs
Put an object onto the chair
Fetch an object from chair
Turn the chair upside down and use legs to stack rings
Hide behind the chair
Circles around a chair leg
Figure of eight around a chair legs
2 chair leg weaves
Row of chairs leg weaves
Alternate over/under a row of chairs
Circle a chair clockwise and anticlockwise
Go around a chair backwards clockwise and anticlockwise
Person sits on a chair dog goes around
Person sits on a chair dog performs figure of 8 leg weave of a sitting person
Person sits on a chair dog into centre position between handlers legs while remaining under the chair
Person sits dog puts 2 paws up on knees
Person sits dog puts paws up and "tell the person a secret" (whisper into handler's ear)
Distance work with the chair used as a platform (make sure it's stable and safe for the dog)
Dog sits on a chair to play piano
Dog sits on a chair to "type on computer"
Pretend "wee" on a chair
"Do as I do" tricks involving a chair
"Read" involving a chair
Use chair to support painting while dog paints
Set up several chairs as an obstacle course
Push chair on wheels
Pull chair on wheels
Chair balance split (4 paws up on 2 chairs- 2 paws on each)
Rock the rocking chair
Ride the rocking chair
Push the pushchair (the dog can put a toy on first and then push along)
Hidden object search in an armchair
Nose touch chair (sustained nose touch chair)
Use the upside down chair as a container to put objects in (tidy up toys)
Up side down chair to get "in"
Cover the chair with a sheet and make a den where your dog or you can hide
Wrap chair around with a tinsel or rope (dog holds the rope as it goes around the chair wrapping it around)
Dog pushes an object off a chair using nose or paws
Chair legs cavaletti
Sit on chair
Stand on chair
Down on chair
Spin on the top of a chair
Sit on the chair and cover it's face (shy)
Dog sits on a chair and catches a thrown object
Chair tunnel (either under or put two rows of chairs and dog runs in-between them)
Ring a bell attached to a chair
Sit pretty with support from the chair
Sit pretty then stand tall on hind legs with support from the chair
Specific hind paw touch the chair
Specific front paw touch the chair
Chair hug (dog wraps one of the front paws around a leg of a chair or a leg of a person sitting on a chair)
Put a stick between two chairs and use it as an agility hurdle
Put sticks between several chairs to get a full agility or a cavaletti course
Put a rope between two chairs and teach your dog to hand some laundry on the improvised "washing line"
Sticky cheese or ham slices search involving a chair
What other great tricks with a chair or chairs you would like us to add to this list?
Enjoy trick training fun with your dog and we really hope to see you at