Teaching Your Dog to Shake Hands: A Fun and Easy Trick

When it comes to teaching your dog new tricks, one of the most popular and impressive ones is the 'shake hands' trick. With just a few simple steps and some patience, you can teach your furry friend to shake your hand like a pro. In this article, we'll explore the 8 hand signals to train your dog and make it happen.

Step 1: Introduce the Verbal Cue

To start, hold out your hand and wait for your dog to offer the 'shake' behavior. When they do, say 'shake' just before their paw makes contact with your hand. Praise, click, and treat them immediately after. This association between the verbal cue and the behavior will help your dog learn what you want.

Step 2: Add Timing and Duration

Once your dog is consistently placing their paw on your hand, start introducing a verbal cue of your choice. Make sure to praise, click, and treat only when their paw rests on your hand. Gradually increase the duration of the behavior by asking them to hold their paw on your hand for slightly longer periods.

Step 3: Build Duration and Difficulty

Repeat the process several times until your dog is consistently pawing at your hand. Then, start building the duration and increasing the difficulty by asking them to hold their paw on your hand for longer periods.

Step 4: Add the Formal Cue

As soon as your dog paws at your hand, click, praise, open your hand, and give a treat. The key is to wait it out and not say anything until they offer the behavior.

The Benefits of Teaching Your Dog to Shake Hands

Teaching your dog to shake hands is not only fun and impressive but also has several benefits. For one, it's a great way to strengthen your bond with your dog and teach them new skills. Additionally, it's a polite way for your dog to meet new people and can be a hit at social gatherings.

Tips and Tricks

When teaching shake hands, make sure to have plenty of high-value treats or rewards on hand. Avoid physically manipulating your pup by picking up their paw and forcing them to 'shake hands' with you. Instead, let them happily offer the behavior and show enthusiasm and understanding.

In conclusion, teaching your dog to shake hands is a fun and easy trick that can be achieved with patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement. By following these 8 hand signals to train your dog, you'll have a well-behaved pup in no time.