Train your Dog to Shake Quickly and Easily

Most dogs will do about anything to please their owners.  Dogs are typically eager to receive praise and affection, which is why training done right can produce the desired results in little time.  For example, you can train your dog to shake quickly and easily, simply by knowing the steps.  Although this particular command is not one for obedience, it is cute and fun.

Some people will teach their dog to shake while others prefer a more hip command of “Give me five, Paw, “Put it there”, etc.  Regardless, family members and friends will be impressed at the trick your dog can perform.  Then, once he has mastered the shake command, you could move on to other and even advanced tricks.  In this article, we wanted to show you examples of how you can train your dog to shake, quickly and easily.

• Start by choosing the command word or phrase that will be used and then be consistent, as not to confuse your dog

 

• Next, you can train your dog to shake using the left or right paw or both

• Make sure you have a few small, but healthy treats in your pocket, which will be used as a reward, along with verbal praise and petting

• Tapping your dog’s paw from the underneath, encourage him to lift his paw while giving him the chosen command

• Hold his paw for about five seconds, followed by a treat and praise

• Repeat the lifting and holding steps, waiting a few seconds longer before lifting the paw and then always provide a reward with praise when the paw is in your hand

• With practice, your dog will soon understand that when you say the command word, he is to lift the paw with or without a treat although positive reinforcement in the form of praise and petting should be given every time

• To train your dog to shake, go through five training sessions every day until he finally gets it

• If interested in teaching your dog to shake with the other paw or both paws, simply go through the process using the desired paw or by alternating with both paws for each session

After the “sit” command, the shake trick is one of the easiest for a dog to learn.  Usually, you can have your dog shaking in about a week or less.  In fact, with a little more time and effort, you can teach your dog to perform the trick simply by pointing to the paw.  Remember, your goal is to get to the point where you tell him to follow the command without him being touched or encouraged and him responding correctly.