Teaching your dog new tricks is one of the most rewarding parts of being a pet owner. It strengthens your bond, provides mental stimulation for your furry friend, and let’s be honest, it’s incredibly cute. One of the classic, must-know tricks is “paw” or “shake.”
It’s a simple, friendly gesture that impresses friends and family and serves as a wonderful foundation for more complex training later on. If you’ve been wondering how to teach your dog paw, you’ve come to the right place.
This guide is designed for complete beginners. We will walk you through everything you need to know, from gathering your supplies to troubleshooting common issues. You don’t need to be a professional dog trainer to succeed.
With a little patience, a positive attitude, and a pocketful of treats, you and your dog will master this trick in no time. We will cover different methods, so you can find the one that works best for your dog’s unique personality and learning style.
Table of Contents
Why Teaching Your Dog “Paw” is a Great Idea
Before we dive into the “how-to,” let’s talk about the “why.” Beyond the adorable factor, teaching your dog to give you their paw has several benefits.
- Builds Confidence: For shy or anxious dogs, learning a new trick and receiving positive reinforcement can be a huge confidence booster. They learn that trying new things leads to rewards and praise.
- Strengthens Your Bond: Training sessions are quality time. This focused interaction, filled with positive communication and teamwork, deepens the connection between you and your dog.
- Provides Mental Stimulation: Dogs need mental exercise just as much as physical exercise. Learning new commands keeps their minds sharp, prevents boredom, and can help reduce destructive behaviors like chewing or excessive barking.
- Improves Handling and Grooming: A dog who is comfortable with you touching their paws will be much easier to handle during nail trims, paw cleanings, or vet visits. Teaching “paw” desensitizes them to having their feet touched in a positive, controlled way.
- Foundation for Other Tricks: “Paw” is a gateway trick. Once your dog masters it, you can easily transition to teaching them “high five,” “wave,” or even more advanced behaviors.
Getting Started: What You’ll Need
The good news is you don’t need any fancy or expensive equipment to teach this trick. Simplicity is key. Here’s a short list of what to have on hand before you begin your first training session.
- High-Value Treats: This is the most important tool in your arsenal. “High-value” means something your dog absolutely loves and doesn’t get all the time. Think small pieces of cooked chicken, cheese, hot dogs, or specially made training treats that are soft and smelly. The treat should be small enough to be eaten quickly so you can move on with the lesson.
- A Quiet Training Space: Choose a location free from distractions. A quiet room in your house is perfect. Avoid areas where other people, pets, or interesting sights and sounds might pull your dog’s attention away from you.
- A Positive Attitude: Dogs are incredibly perceptive and can pick up on your energy. If you are patient, happy, and encouraging, your dog will be more relaxed and eager to learn. If you get frustrated, your dog will sense it and may become anxious.
- A Clicker (Optional): A clicker is a small plastic device that makes a distinct “click” sound. In clicker training, you use the click to mark the exact moment your dog does the correct behavior, followed immediately by a treat. It’s a powerful and precise way to communicate with your dog, but it’s not essential for teaching “paw.” We will cover both clicker and non-clicker methods.
The Best Way to Teach Your Dog Paw: Step-by-Step
There are a few effective methods for teaching this command. The most common and often most successful is the “capturing” method, where you capture a natural behavior. Most dogs will naturally use their paws to investigate or touch things. We’re going to use that instinct to our advantage.
Step 1: Get Your Dog’s Attention
Start by having your dog sit in front of you. This puts them in a calm, focused state. Hold a treat in your closed fist and let your dog sniff it. Their curiosity will be piqued, and they will want to figure out how to get that delicious prize.
Step 2: Lure and Capture the Paw Movement
Present your closed fist with the treat inside to your dog, holding it near their nose but slightly off to one side, at about their chest level. Your dog will likely try a few things to get the treat. They might sniff, lick, or nudge your hand with their nose. Be patient and wait.
Eventually, your dog will likely lift a paw to touch or bat at your hand. The very instant their paw makes contact with your hand, say “Yes!” or click your clicker, and immediately open your hand to give them the treat. This is the crucial moment. You are marking the exact actionpaw touching handthat earned them the reward.
Step 3: Repeat, Repeat, Repeat
Repetition is how dogs learn. After the first success, do it again. Close another treat in your fist, present it, and wait for that paw touch. The moment it happens, mark the behavior (“Yes!” or click) and reward.
Your goal in this initial phase is to help your dog make the connection: “When I touch that hand with my paw, I get a treat.” Don’t introduce the verbal cue “Paw” just yet. We want the physical action to be reliable first. Keep these initial sessions short and sweetno more than 5-10 minutes once or twice a day. End each session on a positive note, with a successful repetition.
Step 4: Introduce the Verbal Cue “Paw”
Once your dog is consistently and quickly touching your closed fist with their paw (maybe 8 or 9 times out of 10), it’s time to add the word.
Now, as you present your fist, say the word “Paw” just before your dog lifts their foot. When they touch your hand, mark and reward as usual. You are now associating the verbal command with the action they have already learned.
Repeat this process several times. Say “Paw,” present your hand, wait for the touch, mark, and reward.
Step 5: Transition to an Open Hand
Your dog now associates the word “Paw” with touching your fist. The next step is to transition this to the classic “shake” gesture with an open palm.
Hold your hand out, palm up, in the universal “shake” position. Say “Paw.” Your dog might be confused for a moment since the visual cue (your hand shape) has changed. Be patient. They may try sniffing or nudging first. If they hesitate, you can briefly close your hand back into a fist to remind them of the game, then open it again.
The moment their paw touches your open palm, give them lots of praise, mark the behavior, and deliver a jackpot rewardmaybe a few extra treats! This big reward tells them they did something especially right. Repeat this step until your dog confidently places their paw in your open hand on command.
Step 6: Fading the Lure (the Treat in Your Hand)
The ultimate goal is for your dog to respond to the verbal cue “Paw” without needing to see or smell a treat in your hand every time.
Start by practicing the command with an empty, closed fist. Say “Paw” and present your fist. When your dog touches it, mark the behavior (“Yes!”) and then give them a treat from your other hand or a pocket. This teaches them that the reward doesn’t always come directly from the target hand.
Once that is successful, start practicing with your open palm, as in the final “shake” position. Say “Paw,” and when they place their paw in your hand, mark and reward from your other hand. Over time, your dog will learn that the command “Paw” and the hand gesture are what bring the reward, not the treat itself.
What If My Dog Doesn’t Lift Its Paw?
Some dogs are less inclined to use their paws and may not offer the behavior on their own. If you’ve waited patiently with a treat in your fist and your dog is just sniffing or staring at you, don’t worry! There’s another method you can try. This is a shaping method, where you gently guide your dog toward the right action.
The Gentle Lift Method
- Have your dog sit.
- Hold a treat in one hand to keep their interest.
- With your other hand, gently touch or tickle the back of your dog’s leg or wrist area. This slight sensation can often cause a dog to reflexively lift their paw.
- The instant they lift their paw, even a tiny bit, mark the behavior (“Yes!”) and give them the treat.
- Repeat this process. You are rewarding the small lift, not a full paw-in-hand action yet.
- Gradually ask for more. Once they are reliably lifting their paw when you touch their leg, start placing your other hand (the one that will receive the paw) underneath their foot as they lift it. Mark and reward when their paw makes contact with your hand.
- Introduce the cue. Once the action is happening consistently, you can start saying “Paw” right before you touch their leg to encourage the lift.
- Fade the physical prompt. Over time, reduce how much you touch their leg. Eventually, the verbal cue “Paw” and the sight of your outstretched hand should be enough to get them to offer their paw without you needing to touch their leg at all.
Advanced Paw Tricks: Taking It to the Next Level
Once your dog is a pro at giving paw, you can easily build on this skill to teach other fun tricks. This keeps training fresh and exciting for both of you.
How to Teach “High Five”
This is a natural and fun progression from “paw.”
- Start by asking your dog for “Paw,” but hold your hand vertically, like you’re about to give a human a high five.
- Your dog will likely try to put their paw on your hand as they normally would. The moment their paw pad makes contact with your palm in this new orientation, mark and reward enthusiastically.
- Start introducing a new verbal cue, “High Five!” as you present your hand vertically.
- Practice until your dog understands that the vertical hand means “High Five” and the horizontal hand means “Paw.”
How to Teach “Other Paw”
Teaching your dog to offer their other paw is a great way to challenge their brain.
- Ask your dog for their default “Paw.” Reward them.
- Then, present your hand on the opposite side of their body, closer to their other paw.
- Introduce a new cue like “Other Paw” or “Other One.”
- Your dog will likely offer their usual paw first, trying to cross it over their body. Don’t reward this. Simply wait.
- If they get stuck, you can use the gentle lift method on the other leg to encourage them.
- When they finally lift the correct, new paw and place it on your hand, give them a huge jackpot reward and lots of praise.
- With practice, your dog will learn to differentiate between the two commands and offer the correct paw based on your cue or which side you present your hand on.
Common Training Problems and How to Solve Them
Training doesn’t always go perfectly. Here are some common hurdles you might encounter when figuring out how to teach your dog paw and how to overcome them.
- My dog just licks my hand. This is very common. Your hand smells like treats! If your dog is licking instead of pawing, try closing your fist more tightly. You can also try wiping your hand clean of treat residue before presenting it. The key is to only reward the paw touch. Don’t give in to the licking, no matter how cute.
- My dog uses its mouth to grab my hand. Some dogs, especially puppies, are naturally mouthy. If your dog nips or mouths your hand, say “Ouch!” in a sharp but not angry tone and briefly withdraw your hand. This teaches them that teeth on skin ends the game. Only reward gentle paw contact.
- My dog gets frustrated or bored. If your dog starts whining, barking, or walking away, it’s a sign they’ve had enough. Training sessions that are too long can be counterproductive. Always end on a positive note before your dog gets to this point. Keep sessions short (5 minutes is plenty) and fun.
- My dog paws too hard or scratches me. Some enthusiastic dogs might swipe at your hand with their claws out. If this happens, you can teach them to be more gentle. Only reward the softest, most gentle paw touches. If they scratch you, say “Ouch!” and briefly ignore them. They will learn that a gentle touch is what gets the reward. Keeping their nails trimmed will also help significantly.
A Lifelong Journey of Fun and Learning
Congratulations! You now have all the tools and knowledge you need for how to teach your dog paw. Remember that every dog learns at a different pace. Some may pick it up in a single afternoon, while others might take a week or more. The key is consistency, patience, and positivity.
Don’t see training as a chore. See it as a fun game you get to play with your best friend. Celebrate the small victories, laugh at the goofy mistakes, and cherish the process of learning together. Once you’ve mastered “paw,” who knows what you’ll teach next? The sky’s the limit.
Now, go grab some treats and get started. We’d love to hear how it goes! Share your success stories and cute “paw” pictures with us in the comments below. Happy training
