One of the wonderful things about dogs is that they have the intelligence necessary to learn a variety of entertaining tricks. Teaching your dog to shake isn’t simply fun – it can actually help your dog to become more comfortable with obeying basic verbal commands. Here is a simple guide to teach you how to train a dog to shake.
Before You Train
Before you teach your dog to shake, you first need to establish some basic commands. Proper dog training involves teaching obedience, constant attention and gentle respect. Some dogs have difficulty learning new commands, and may need a significant amount of time for their basic training. Basic dog training should include: the “Come” command, teaching your dog his or her name, as well as simple commands (“Sit” and “Lie Down”).
Positive Reinforcement
Just like any other command, teaching a dog how to shake is most effective when combined with positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement dog training has proven to be extremely effective, and is most likely to yield successful results. When training your dog how to shake, be patient, offer praise, and reward good behavior with treats.
Teaching a Dog to Shake
Teaching a dog to shake is actually quite easy, as long as you follow positive reinforcement training procedures. Begin by gathering small treats, your dog’s favorite food, or another food item that is appetizing to your dog. Take your dog to a non-distracting area, such as a vacant yard. Pick up your dog’s paw and shake it with one hand, while feeding your dog treats from your hand. Reinforce this command with the verbal cue (“Shake”). If your dog successfully tugs their paw away, stop feeding them, and repeat the process after several minutes.
How to Teach a Puppy to Shake
It could be argued that puppies up to six months of age are easier to teach than adult dogs. This is because young puppies are still in their “learning” stage, which allows them to be more open to following a training program. To learn how to teach a puppy to shake, follow similar directions to teaching an adult dog. However, puppies tend to have much shorter attention spans than adult dogs, and may also be much easier distracted. A good place to teach a puppy to shake is an empty room, or a quiet yard. Grab your puppy’s paw while feeding them treats, reinforcing with the verbal command “Shake” or “Shake Hands”.
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Sat, Jul 10, 2010
Shake, Tricks