Who doesn't want their dog to learn tricks? I'm sure no one has raised their hand. It is normal. Watching your pup roll over, lie down, or play dead is a lot of fun. But best of all, you are not only promoting his intelligence, but you are reinforcing his training and strengthening your relationship.
One of the most popular tricks for dogs is to give the paw. Not sure how to teach your dog? You're in the right place.
In this new AnimalWised article we are going to explain step by step how to teach your dog to give the paw.
Tricks to teach a dog
All puppies (and even adult dogs) have the ability to learn. You can be sure of this. It is true that some dogs learn faster than others, but with perseverance and love your pet will learn for sure.
The first thing you have to be clear about is that you must be patient. Do not despair if your dog does not learn in the first sessions. If you get frustrated, your pet will notice and become overwhelmed. Learning should be fun for both of you:
Short training sessions: Find a quiet place where you are quiet and avoid all possible distractions. The dog training session should last between 5 and 10 minutes, never be more than 15 minutes. You will only overwhelm your dog. Of course, you can practice between two and three times a day compensating games, walks and food between sessions.
The foundation of good training is positive reinforcement, repetition and love. Don't scold your dog because he hasn't learned a trick yet, he will lose motivation. Also, you would be being unfair, pay attention to the proverb: "nobody is born knowing"
Your dog must be sitting down
Does your pet not know how to sit yet? We cannot start the house from the roof. Teach your dog to sit first, then he can move on to pawing.
Make a good dose of goodies
You know that there are a wide variety of treats on the market, but be careful not to overfeed your dog. It is always important to avoid obesity. Always look for treats that you can break into small pieces.
If you like cooking, you also have the option of preparing delicious cookies for a dog. Yum yum!
Choose the right word and gesture
Every command must be linked to a word. Ideally, it should be one. In this case, the most logical would be "leg". Also, be careful and always use the same hand. If you alternate them you can confuse your dog. Also, after teaching him to give one leg, you can start with the other.
You can also use other words such as "hello" or "high-five".
How to teach my dog to shake
Method 1
- Command your dog to sit and grab his paw while saying the command word. Always use a pleasant tone of voice.
- Right after, you give him a treat.
- At first, your pet will look at you with a look of not understanding anything. I'm sure you know what expression I'm referring to. Nothing happens, it's completely normal.
- Repeat the exercise using the same method so he remembers it.
- Do not overdo the training sessions, they should be short.
Method 2
- Take a piece of treat and let your dog sniff it.
- Then, with the bauble inside, reach your hand to the side of his snout.
- Most often your puppy will try to open your hand with his paw
- Just as your dog tries, he opens his hand and lets your dog eat the treat
- Not all dogs will act in this way, although it is preferable to use it to promote the dog's intelligence and self-learning.
For both methods, always remember to congratulate your pet each time it performs the action.
Go away leaving the treats
As soon as he has correctly repeated the command a few times, remove the treats (or at least try not to base the entire training process on them). Use reinforcement with petting and praise, they are also valid and your dog will love them!
The next step will be to see if your pet obeys the order without having to reinforce the behavior. However, from time to time it is always good to reinforce your learning, for this reason we advise you to dedicate some time a day (or every few days) to practicing tricks already learned.
If you have taught him to give the right paw, you still have the left. In this case, there are people who use longer words For example, "How are you?" or "High five!" be creative and have fun with your pet.
