The 13 Easiest Skills to Learn to Obtain the AKC Novice Dog Trick Title
Any dog four months old and up is eligible to get the AKC Novice dog trick title. If you have been diligent with training (and it’s OK if you haven’t), it will be pretty easy to obtain this title by six months of age. There are a few other tricks to learn aside from basic obedience skills, but you can test and earn it in about six weeks or less.
Ezra and I took a class and testing was included in the class fee, but you don’t have to take a class. Trick titles are one of the few AKC titling programs that allows you to submit a video for virtual testing. So you can train on your own, send in a video, and receive the necessary paperwork to apply for the title if you pass the test.
So if you are having fun with training your dog, why not go for the title? Keep reading to learn how to earn it!
What is the AKC Novice Dog Trick Title?
The American Kennel Club (AKC) has a titling program for dogs and their owners to trick train. The novice dog trick title is a test for 10 skills of your choice out of 22 approved skills (20 listed skills with two owner choice skills). If you already earned your Canine Good Citizen title, then you only need to test for five skills out of the 22 approved skills.
It’s a fun way to grow your relationship with your dog, delight an audience, and learn how to better communicate together. The AKC dog trick title program is one of the few that can be earned from the comfort of your home – just record you and your dog doing the tricks, submit to an approved evaluator, and then apply to AKC online.
No one says you need to have it – it’s just a piece of paper and a few letters to add at the end of your dog’s name at the end of the day. But, if you work hard with your dog, it is nice to have the clout to tell your family and friends that you’ve earned a title together. It’s a good mark of a successful partnership you have with your dog.
Why should I try to earn the AKC Novice Dog Trick Title?
- It’s fun.
- It builds on existing skills and communication methods with your dog.
- It will tire your dog out mentally and physically.
- You’re likely already halfway there, so why not finish it?
- It’s really easy. You can even food lure for every single trick, so your dog doesn’t need to fully understand any cue words yet.
Food luring while testing is allowed only for the Novice Dog Trick Title.
How to Prepare for the AKC Novice Dog Trick Title
First, download the novice trick list and highlight the tricks you want to test for.
Not sure which tricks to do? I’ve trained Ezra for both the Novice and Intermediate dog trick titles, and there is some overlap between the two titles. Remember: If you tested for the trick for one title, you can’t re-use it to gain another harder title. You can review the test requirements and eligible tricks for the Intermediate, Advance, Performer, and Elite Performer on the AKC website. If you are interested in earning more titles, I encourage you to carefully plan which skills you want to use for which title.
These are the tricks that Ezra and I used for our Novice title. Check them out if you want to quickly earn yours too.
Trick 1: Learn to Crawl
This is probably the toughest of the skills to learn on the list (in my opinion). You don’t need to crawl very far – just three body paces. For the intermediate trick title, you need to crawl further but you can still food lure for this skill.
The best way to train your dog to crawl is to train to lay down first in a square position. Then put a treat just out of reach from his nose. When he starts to move towards it, continue moving the treat just out of his reach. Reward as he makes the small behaviors correctly.
Trick 2: Go find it!
This is a super easy trick. To train Go Find It, all you have to do is train your dog to find a treat that you have hidden. I trained Ezra to find a treat under a solo cup. For the novice trick title, you only need one solo cup. That’s how Go Find It is. It gets a tad harder (but still not that hard) for the Intermediate dog trick test, when your dog learns to play the Shell Game.
Trick 3: High Five
High five is a trick you probably will train until you no longer need the lure. But don’t worry, it’s very easy. To train high five, you start with treats in your fist and wait for your dog to to paw at your fist. Then reward. Then slowly build to an open palm by putting treats in between your fingers. Only reward when he paws at your hand. Then introduce the cue word.
Trick 4: Jump
To train your dog to jump, you can use any item in your home for a low jump. You can use a hula hoop, actual agility equipment, a broomstick laid across two stacks of books, or you can even sit down and lift your leg off the ground. The intermediate trick title builds on this by having your dog jump over your leg or through your circled arms.
Trick 5: Kiss
This one is a cute trick. You can train your dog to kiss your hand or your cheek. Like high five, you will probably train this trick fully and not food lure. I trained Ezra to kiss my hand by putting a treat on the back of my end and not rewarding until he licked. Over time, I only rewarded after he licked on command.
Trick 6: Paws Up
For the novice title, your dog can be sitting and putting his paws up on a nearby platform, your arm, or the wall. The intermediate title requires the dog to stand on his hind legs while he puts his Paws Up on your forearm. It’s easy to build to the intermediate skill, just start kneeling down next to your dog with a treat in one hand and your forearm in between the dog and treat. Don’t reward until he puts both paws on your forearm.
Trick 7: One Hand Signal
For the novice trick title, you only need to learn one hand signal to obtain the title. The options are down, stand, or sit. We did down, because Ezra knew it best. But you can do whichever works best for you.
The Intermediate dog trick title builds on this trick by requiring you to train your dog to respond to three hand signals out of four options (come, sit, down, stand).
Trick 8: Shake Hands, or “Paw”
I would bet that even if you weren’t interested in getting your title, you were interested in training your dog to shake your hand. I don’t blame you – kids love this trick and it’s just fun. Plus, it’s easy. All you do is cup your hand and put a treat in it. Then put your hand out in front of your dog and don’t reward until he paws at it. Over time, try to hold onto his paw for a little bit before your reward. Then add in up and down motions.
Trick 9: Spin
Spinning is a trick that has never fully stuck with Ezra, and I think I food lured for it. It’s fairly simple to train your dog to spin though – all you do is grab a treat and guide your dog’s head to turn around. Reward at the small movements – so at a quarter turn, half turn, three-quarter turn if that’s needed. Over time, add the cue word and fade the lure.
Trick 10: Touch It
This is also known as nose target training because you want your dog to touch something with their nose. I trained Ezra to Touch It with the back of my hand, but you can use your forearm too.
Recommended Handler’s Choice Tricks
You can do up to two handler’s choice tricks. I opted not to do any Handler’s Choice because the novice tricks were so easy and I wanted to save them for a future harder trick title. Remember: whatever you choose to test for can never be used again for a trick title. So choose wisely!
Handler’s Choice 1: Unroll It
This trick is such a fun game for Ezra. All I do is put a treat on the end of a towel, and roll it up like a hot dog. Then I put it in front of him and tell him to Unroll It. He will completely unroll the towel with his nose and get the treats.
Handler’s Choice 2: Set Up
This trick is helpful for dog owner’s who want to work further on performance or agility events. For this trick, you train your dog to walk behind you, through your legs and then sit right between your feet.
Handler’s Choice 3: Twist
This is training your dog to spin in the opposite direction. Dogs usually learn to spin one way and then it’s harder to train the other way. I call it twist, but you can call it whatever you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the main questions I had or received about the dog trick title. If you have a question that isn’t here, please comment and I’ll do my best to answer it!
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