🔍
Contact
Dogs › Training › Teach Your Dog To Do A Handstand

Teach Your Dog To Do A Handstand

🎩 Training guideVerified: Oct 19, 2026Sources at bottom
🎩

Sourced to the AKC

AKC GoodDog! Helpline trainer Erin Rakosky tells you how to teach a cool trick that will impress your friends — a handstand!

The short version

AKC GoodDog! Helpline trainer Erin Rakosky tells you how to teach a cool trick that will impress your friends — a handstand!

Here are some simple steps to help teach your dog to do a handstand. Remember to take it slow and have lots of small treats ready. A clicker is very helpful to mark when your dog takes the correct actions. If you do not have a clicker, then use a “marker word” – a short word that you say in the same tone of voice to “mark” when your dog does the correct move (“yes” or “good” are two examples).

5 Tricks You'll Want to Show Off

Are you looking for inspiration on new tricks to teach your dog? If the answer is yes, then this is the e-book for you!

5 Tricks You'll Want to Show Off

By checking this box, you agree to the AKC Terms of Use . AKC may use the name, address, phone number and email address you share with us to (i) provide you with our services, content, products and information, (ii) improve and promote our services, (iii) disclose with our Affiliates and third parties who provide products or services that we believe may be of interest to you, and (iv) carry out our obligations and enforce our rights. For more information about AKC's data collection, use, disclosure, security practices, and how to withdraw your consent, please see our Privacy Notice .

Frequently asked questions

Teaching my dog how to do a handstand?

The AKC walks through this step by step — the key points are covered above, sourced to the AKC article linked on this page. AKC GoodDog! Helpline trainer Erin Rakosky tells you how to teach a cool trick that will impress your friends — a handstand! Here are some simple steps to hel…

How to teach yourself to do a handstand?

The AKC walks through this step by step — the key points are covered above, sourced to the AKC article linked on this page. AKC GoodDog! Helpline trainer Erin Rakosky tells you how to teach a cool trick that will impress your friends — a handstand! Here are some simple steps to hel…

More training guides

Sources & verification
🎓 All training guides8 step-by-step plans 🧠 Behavior Q&Awhy does my dog…? 🩺 Care guidespuppies to seniors 🐕 Breed profiles201 breeds