How To Teach A Dog To Paw

All of us are delighted with a dog that knows how to give a paw. After our furry friend has learned some basic rules of behavior, how can we get our pet to greet friends and family in such a nice way?

What to do for your dog to learn to paw

Next, we’ll give you a series of steps for your dog to learn to paw.

• Take your dog to a place that is familiar to him, where he can be quiet and free from distractions.
• Ask him to sit down and make him pay attention to you.
• In a firm (non-aggressive) voice, give him the order: “Give the paw” or “greet”. Or choose other words to use.
• Then raise one of your paws. Thus, he will be able to associate his order with the action.

• Reward your good behavior with a treat and with caresses and affectionate words.

Another way to get your dog to give his paw

If despite the insistence you were unable to convince your pet to give the paw, try this way:

• Always with the dog sitting in front of you, reach out to him with a treat between your thumb and palm.
• After sniffing, your animal will surely touch your hand with its paw. At this point, you should give him the treat, but with the other hand.
• Repeat this procedure until your dog automatically paws you each time it approaches your hand.
• As you learn, you should take the treat out of your hand, although the first few times it is convenient to keep the smell of the food in it.

And, still, keep keeping the prize you’ll be given in the other hand.

A third option

You can also try this other option:

• With your dog sitting in front of you, reach out to him with a clenched fist and hiding a treat in him.
• Encourage your pet to get the treat. Most dogs, faced with this situation, try to open their owners’ hand with their paw.
• Open your hand and let him grab your prize.
• Congratulate him on his achievement.
• Repeat the action several times.
• Add a verbal order of your choice before he gets his treat.
• Reinforce the training routine, but with an open hand.

Important data to consider

Also remember these tips:

• Always use the same order. Don’t confuse it or change the rules of the game in the middle of the game.
• Repeat the exercise until your dog can associate order and action with a rewarding moment.
• Once your dog has learned this trick, it’s a good idea to eliminate the food premium and keep petting and congratulating.

• Don’t scold or punish your dog if he doesn’t do what was asked. Insist, but always with a lot of patience and love.

Advantages of teaching your dog tricks

Teaching your dog different tricks is, without a doubt, an enriching experience for both you and the animal and has a number of advantages. Between them:

• Reinforce your role as a leader in front of your dog.
• Boost your dog’s intelligence.
• Strengthen the bond with your furry friend.
• Work on the issue of obedience.

The importance of dog learning in a fun way

Remember that every dog ​​is a world and not everyone learns the same way. So don’t despair if things don’t happen right away. The time you dedicate to teaching your dog various orders and tricks should be  associated with pleasant moments and games. Dogs are very fond of playing.

The more fun the training, the easier and faster your dog will learn. Based on positive reinforcement when training your furry friend, remember that any behavior that is rewarded tends to be repeated.

And that those we ignore tend to disappear.

This way, you’ll get your furry best friend to learn not only how to give the paw, but also a multitude of other tricks, faster and with greater happiness.

Image courtesy of natanael.