Ideas for new things to teach a puppy?

[ItsMeAndMyPuppyNow]

I have a 4 month old Labrador puppy. She is a joy, and wants to play and interact with me whenever we are together. She seems to love training sessions just as much as play sessions, but we seem to have gotten into a bit of a rut, repeating the same old things. I don't want either of us getting bored, and she seems to love learning new things. But I've run out of ideas!

So: what new things could I do with her? Whether useful or goofy, I don't mind. I just want to stimulate her.

She already knows:

• sit
  
• down
  
• stand
  
• stay
  
• fetch
  
• drop
  
• roll-over
  
• shake
  
• heel
  
• come
  
• stop
  
• go
  
• off
  
• "where's the ball/stick/squeaky toy?" (cue her rushing for whatever toy is nearest)
  

and we play a lot of tug and fetch. My username does not lie: it's just me and her at home, so games requiring 3 or more parties are out.

[BitOfFun]

Washing up? Getting the kids to bed?

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

We're teaching our lab to unload the washing machine, but not sure how well that would work with puppy-teeth!
Have you generalised all of these things? i.e. will she sit just as reliably in the house as she will in the park, or in the town centre?
Twist and Turn are fun (dog spins once clockwise or anticlockwise). We also walk our dog on the left AND right (using "Place" for right).
Is there a trainer doing the KC awards near your? Not everybody's cup of tea but we're enjoying them.

[kid]

You can teach her to bow (front down and bum in air) by holding treat down in front of her. My pup picked this up pretty quickly and its so cute!

How about teach her to crawl. I was told how to do it but my so called clever pup has never got the hang of it.
You have to get them to lay down and then hold a treat slightly in front of them. As soon as one leg moves forward while they are still down on their belly, give them the treat. Try again with another treat and get her to move a little further.

Another trick I do with my dog is just 'find'. I hide his favourite toy or treat and tell him to find it. Its great and really makes him work hard.

Just thought of getting them to turn in a circle. Or weave in and out of your legs. I'd love to teach these to my dog but he is too stubborn now I think.

[minimu1]

oooh fantastic

Ok how about:-

Fetch a named article
(if she is good at tuggies) tie a tuggy to a door and she can learn to open and shut doors.
If she can pull she can empty your washing machine and "give" the washing into a basket.
Can she spin to the left
Twirl to the right
Walk backwards
Creep (in a down position and then crawl forward on her tummy)
Bow
Walk behind you (rather than heel position)
Weave through your legs
Walk around you in a circle
High five
Balance on her back legs (actually if she is 4 months don't do this one until 18 months old)
Walk backwards through your legs
Stand on a box with just front legs
Stand on a box with just back legs (obviously a low box)
Nose target
hand target
Scenting - find specific scented object
Distance commands so all the above and your list but from a distance
Distraction commands ao again all of the above with varying degrees of distraction someone squeaking a ball, or sausages on the floor.

There are more if these are no good - lucky lab to be kept busy and thinking

[melliebobs]

i've taught my Patterdale 'kiss'

Get him/her to sit. Hold your hand palm down a little above the dogs nose. To start with have a treat in your hand and just use your thumb to hold it. When they jump and touch your palm with their nose say 'kiss'

Nothing amazing but for my dog to concentrate to do anything is a bloomin miracle

[ItsMeAndMyPuppyNow]

Thanks all! Lots of great ideas here.
I can tell puppy and I will be having a lot of fun with some of these.