How to Teach Your Dog to Shake (Paw)
Capture the Paw Lift
Some dogs are naturally “pawsy.” These are the easiest to teach to shake. Just hang out with your dog and wait for your dog to lift a paw. When she does, “mark” this behavior with the click of a clicker (or other reward marker, such as a “thumbs-up” hand signal or a verbal marker such as “Yes!”) and give her a treat. Repeat by marking any lifts of that same paw (chose left or right – not both!) until your dog realizes she’s getting reinforced for the lift, and then add your “Shake” cue just before she lifts her paw. With enough repetitions she’ll offer her paw even every time you cue her to “Shake.” Now start offering your hand so she can rest her paw on it for your final shake behavior.
Shape the Shake
Shaping shake works well for dogs who move their feet often while otherwise sitting still, but don’t raise a paw high enough to shake. Start by having your dog sitting in front of you. The instant you see a tiny movement with either foot, mark the behavior and feed her a treat. Now focus on that paw only (if you randomly click movement of either paw you get a shuffle instead of a shake!) and continue to mark and treat for any paw movement. As your dog starts to move that foot on purpose in anticipation of reinforcement, very gradually raise the criteria you require in order to mark and treat. For example, only mark-treat if the paw moves at least one inch off the floor. When that happens consistently, raise the criteria to two inches. Continue raising the criteria slowly, add your cue, and you’re off and shaking!
Lure-Shape the Shake
If your dog sits perfectly still with no paw movement at all, you can lure-shape the paw lift. Hold a treat at the end of her nose and slowly lift it until her nose is pointed almost straight up. Now move the treat slowly to one side so she shifts her weight onto one foot and the other paw lifts slightly. Mark and treat. Repeat until the paw lift gets easier and she starts to offer paw movement without the lure, then continue as described in the shaping section, luring if needed while you raise criteria. Fade your lure as quickly as possible so that you can get your “Shake” on verbal cue.
Prompt the Paw
If all else fails you can prompt your dog to move her paw by tickling or pressing gently on her pastern (the back of her ankle). Mark and treat when the paw moves, repeat until she starts to offer paw movement, and then switch to shaping or lure-shaping as described above to get to your final paw shaking goal.
Paw Targeting
When your dog has learned that moving her paw earns treats, she can teach learn how to do other things with her feet. Teach her to touch her paw to a designated object to ring a bell, turn on a light, push a rolling toy – and these fun behaviors are just the beginning. Have more fun with your dog’s paws!
