How to Train Your Dog to Walk on His Hind Legs
Introduction
Teaching your dog to walk on his hind legs is a fun trick. Large dogs and medium-sized dogs can do this trick, but most small dogs will get this faster and easier. Walking on hind legs is a cute and fun trick to show your friends and neighbors because dogs don't walk on two legs normally. You can turn walking on hind legs into a dancing trick or a spinning around in a circle trick with just a little extra training and attention.
Your dog may not want to walk on his hind legs all the time, but it can be a command you teach him to entertain people or just to have fun. Teach your dog to make the people in his world smile and laugh at his fun skills of walking on his hind legs. He’ll be a hit at your next party.
Defining Tasks
Teaching your dog to walk on his hind legs will begin in a 'sit' position or a 'beg' position. If your dog does not know these commands as of yet, train them first. In order to learn to walk on his hind legs, he should have the basic obedience commands down. He will be starting in a 'sit' or 'beg' position and then standing tall, rising up from that position, before learning to walk. This skill of learning to walk on his hind legs will take a little bit of time because your dog will need to build up rear leg strength. Even if he knows how to beg, it may take him a little extra time to learn how to walk on those hind legs, so have some patience and extra training time.
Getting Started
To get started training your dog to walk on his hind legs, you are going to need lots of high-value treats to offer during training sessions. Be sure your dog knows how to sit. If you would like to start in a beg position, teach the beg command first. These training sessions are going to require short and simple challenges. Keep your dog's strength up and his attention by keeping each training under fifteen minutes. Be sure to reward your dog during and after each training session. Your dog will need to build his muscles before he can walk, so don't expect him to walk on his hind legs from a beg position right away. Take it slow so he can build strength.
The From Beg Method
The Lure Method
The Name it First Method
Written by Stephanie Plummer
Published: 11/08/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
More articles by Stephanie Plummer
Success Stories and Training Questions
Training Questions and Answers
Zayka
To get a dog pee on a blanket .
776 Dog owners recommended
Hello Anna, Do you want to train pup to pee on a blanket or stop pup from peeing on one? It sounds like you want to teach pup to pee on one. Please comment back if that's not the case. First, I strongly suggest NOT teaching pup that, as a blanket is made out of fabric and teaching pup that will likely result in pup also beginning to pee on dog beds, carpet, rugs, and clothing also. Instead, you might want to consider training pup to pee on a disposable real grass pad or a doggie litter box. Check out the Exercise Pen or Crate Training methods for teaching pup to go potty in a litter box or grass pad (the same method can be used with a folded up blanket if you are really set on teaching pup to pee on a blanket). https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Real grass pad brands - also on Amazon: www.doggielawn.com www.freshpatch.com www.porchpotty.com A grass pad can also be made for temporary use by putting a cut piece of grass sod into a large, shallow plastic storage container. If pup is peeing on a blanket in their crate and you don't want them doing so, check out something like www.primopads.com and put a non-absorbent bed in pup's crate instead until pup is fully potty training. Many puppies will pee on blankets, towels, and soft dog beds if you give them to them while they are too young, before they are potty trained. You need to use something non-absorbent with a young puppy, like primopads or a cot type bed (in the opening - cots won't fit into the crate). If you hold off on soft beds and are consistent with potty training, pup should learn not to pee on blankets and soft beds, but if you give them now, it will continue to be an issue into adulthood. If pup is peeing on the blanket on your bed, pup also needs to sleep in a crate with a non-absorbent bed instead of in your bed at this age until potty trained. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Was this experience helpful?
It’s not really a challenge I just really want her to learn how to walk on her hind legs but she won’t let me even get close to her paws
210 Dog owners recommended
Hi there. You can try luring her with a super tasty treat. Have her start from a standing position, take a treat and put it up above her nose. Keep raising it until she stands up on her hind legs. Once she is up, give her a "yes!" and then give her the treat. Repeat this until she is standing longer, then eventually lure her to walk with the treat.
Add a comment to Matilda's experience
Was this experience helpful?
Add a comment to Zayka's experience