I'm pretty sure all dog owners have some special 'silly tricks' that they do with their dogs but maybe never show anyone. This can even be useful in some situations, especially if you teach your dog to actually carry something with him. The idea is that the dog runs from person A to person B on command, then back to person B, etc. If it doesn't make it he will push it over to the other teams side and then run back to his spot and wait for the next one. In Finland there is a famous dog call Gizmo who performs with a symphony orchestra.
Many owners play with their dogs games where they hide the dog's favorite toy etc.
Start with boxes without a lid, and progress to freezer box -type boxes with a lid that can be opened by pulling on the side. Don't help your dog to find his way to you, because then he'll learn to expect help from you. Naturally you can't do this many times at one place. You can hide treats in your house for your dog to find. When you go for a walk with your dog, you can sometimes stop and hide treats for him.