How to Walk the Dog (Yo Yo)

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 11, 2023 References

‘Walk the Dog’ is probably one of, if not the, most famous yo-yo tricks there are. In general, walking the dog with your yo-yo is a fairly easy trick to master, but it does require you to perfect the ‘Sleeper’ trick first. Just like any trick you learn, whether it’s on the yo-yo or another toy, practice makes perfect.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Perfecting the Sleeper Trick

1
Place the yo-yo string around your middle finger using a slip knot. The end of the yo-yo string should have a loop tied into it. Use your thumb and index finger to pinch a part of the string about an inch below the loop. Slide the piece of string between your finger and thumb into the loop. Grab the string after it’s slipped through the loop and pull on it. A new, expandable loop (slip knot) is now formed and can be placed over your middle finger.^{[1]
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- Use your dominant hand to perform yo-yo tricks.
- Make sure the expandable loop is tight around your middle finger.
2
Place the yo-yo, on its edge, into the palm of your hand. Once the end of the string is attached to your middle finger, place the yo-yo in the palm of your hand, with your palm facing upwards. Put the yo-yo on its edge, between your thumb and middle finger. The string should be rolled up in the yo-yo, with the end running from your middle finger (where it’s attached to your middle finger), towards the tips of your fingers, then over the top of the yo-yo.^{[2]
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- You may find that the yo-yo feels more comfortable held differently. As long as you can perform the trick, hold the yo-yo in whatever way is most comfortable to you.
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3
Flick your wrist and throw the yo-yo down, towards the ground. While holding your palm up, flick your wrist forwards and towards the ground. Throw the yo-yo towards the ground, straight down. Do not pull the yo-yo upwards with your hand once it’s reached the end of the string, as this will make it come back up into your hand. Once the yo-yo has reached the end of the string, keep your hand still, and turn your palm downward.^{[3]
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- If you do move your hand upwards, the yo-yo will likely come back up into your hand. Turn your palm upwards and repeat the downward motion again.
- Some people prefer to hold their lower arm upwards, towards their shoulder, as a way to gain more momentum when throwing the yo-yo towards the ground. This method would require you to extend your arm, then flick your wrist, in order to send the yo-yo downward.
4
Allow the yo-yo to spin at the end of the string, near the ground. Once the yo-yo has reached the end of the string, as long as you don’t move your hand upwards to bring the yo-yo back to your hand, it should stay at the end of the string, spinning. This is the Sleeper trick. Once you’re ready, yank upwards on the string with your hand to return the yo-yo to the palm of your hand.^{[4]
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- The vast majority of yo-yo tricks require the Sleeper trick at some point. Therefore, it’s a great idea to practice the Sleeper trick often.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Performing the Walk the Dog Trick

1
Perform the Sleeper trick. Complete all the steps required to get your yo-yo into the sleeper position, where it stays spinning at the end of the string without coming back up to your hand. Repeat this step as often as required to get your yo-yo in the Sleeper position.
- Practice the Sleeper trick many times before moving onto trying the Walk the Dog trick.
2
Lower the spinning yo-yo gently to the ground. At this point, your yo-yo should be in the sleeper position. Lower the yo-yo towards the ground, gently, until it touches the ground. Because the yo-yo is spinning at the end of the string when it touches the ground, it will naturally move forwards.^{[5]
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- It is best to perform this trick on a smooth, hard surface like a hardwood or laminate floor. You can try the trick on a tile floor, but the dips between the tiles may make the trick harder to perform.
3
Walk forward while the yo-yo is moving forward. The spinning motion of the yo-yo will make it want to move forward along the ground. At this point, you too should start to move forward, holding your arm at the same height to keep the yo-yo just touching the ground. This movement looks like you’re walking your yo-yo on a leash, hence the Walk The Dog name of the trick.
- Your yo-yo may pop back up to your hand at this point due to small movements in your hand that you may not notice while learning the trick. If this happens, try again.
4
Pull your hand upwards to bring the yo-yo back to your hand. Once the yo-yo looks like it’s slowing down, or you’ve run out of room to walk the yo-yo across the floor, pull upwards with your hand to bring the yo-yo back to your hand. Catch the yo-yo in your hand.^{[6]
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- Your palm should be facing the ground since the Sleeper trick. When the yo-yo comes back up to your hand, it’ll be easy to capture in your hand, as your palm is still facing downwards.
- Once you’ve caught the yo-yo in your hand, turn your palm upwards and repeat the trick.

Warnings

Try not to perform this trick on rough surfaces like concrete or asphalt as those surfaces might ruin your yo-yo’s finish.^{[7]
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