How to teach your dog to shake
When you and your dog team up to show off a new trick—it’s a lot of fun, but tricks, specifically learning them, can strengthen the bond between you and your pup. Once your dog has mastered the basics like sit and stay, adding a trick like "shake" is a great next step.
Yes, it makes for an adorable greeting when friends or family come over, but it also has practical perks. The next time your dog comes in from a muddy backyard, you can have them offer you a paw for a quick wipe as opposed to chasing them around with a towel!
Teaching your dog to shake also builds trust and improves their training. It encourages mental engagement and keeps your dog thinking, which can help reduce boredom and any mischief that comes with it.
Before diving into the shake trick, make sure your dog is in a sitting position. A calm and focused dog will make learning new tricks easier and quicker. Next, follow these steps:
With any new trick, patience, consistency and short bursts of practice, around 5–10 minutes a day, are the keys to success. The goal is keeping your dog engaged and excited to learn without overwhelming them. Dogs learn best when they can have fun and feel successful.
Choose a distraction-free environment, and once your dog consistently masters the “shake” at home, you can gradually introduce more distractions. This strengthens their ability to focus on you in busy settings and ensures the command is reliable in real-world situations. Remember, if your dog isn’t getting it right away, don’t worry! Dogs learn at their own pace.
Yes, it makes for an adorable greeting when friends or family come over, but it also has practical perks. The next time your dog comes in from a muddy backyard, you can have them offer you a paw for a quick wipe as opposed to chasing them around with a towel!
Teaching your dog to shake also builds trust and improves their training. It encourages mental engagement and keeps your dog thinking, which can help reduce boredom and any mischief that comes with it.
Step-by-step guide: Teaching your dog to shake
Before diving into the shake trick, make sure your dog is in a sitting position. A calm and focused dog will make learning new tricks easier and quicker. Next, follow these steps:
- Grab a treat your dog loves, and let them see it. Then, close your hand around the treat so your dog knows it’s there but can’t get to it just yet.
- Hold out your fist, palm facing up, at your dog’s chest level. The idea is for your dog to naturally paw at your hand to get the treat inside.
- When your dog reaches out and touches your fist with their paw, open your hand and let them have the treat. Give them lots of praise to reinforce the behaviour. Repeat this process several times so your dog understands that giving their paw earns them a reward.
- Now, repeat the steps, but without the treat in your hand. Offer your fist just as before, and when your dog paws at it, reward them with a treat from your other hand. This helps them learn the action isn't just about the treat being visible.
- Once your dog consistently paws at your hand, it’s time to introduce the word “shake.” Say “shake” before offering your hand, and reward your dog when they respond. Keep practising this until your dog connects the word “shake” with the action of giving their paw.
The importance of patience and practice
With any new trick, patience, consistency and short bursts of practice, around 5–10 minutes a day, are the keys to success. The goal is keeping your dog engaged and excited to learn without overwhelming them. Dogs learn best when they can have fun and feel successful.
Choose a distraction-free environment, and once your dog consistently masters the “shake” at home, you can gradually introduce more distractions. This strengthens their ability to focus on you in busy settings and ensures the command is reliable in real-world situations. Remember, if your dog isn’t getting it right away, don’t worry! Dogs learn at their own pace.
Using positive reinforcement and a clicker (optional)
A clicker can be helpful and make it easier to communicate with your pup. The sound of the clicker acts as a clear signal that your dog has done something right and will be rewarded. This helps your dog to connect the dots between their actions and the treat, speeding up the learning process.
Before you incorporate the clicker into teaching “shake,” you’ll want to condition your dog to understand what the click means:
- Grab a clicker and treats, and wait for your dog’s attention. When they look at you or engage in a behaviour you like, click the device and immediately reward them with a treat.
- Repeat this 10–15 times. By the end, your dog will associate the click with something positive.
- Once your dog understands the clicker, you can bring it into your “shake” training sessions. Every time your dog paws at your hand when you ask them to shake, click and reward them with a treat. The click sound marks the exact moment your dog gets it right, making it clear that they’ve performed the desired behaviour.
- As your dog becomes more consistent with the “shake” command, you can start phasing out the clicker. Once they’re reliably offering their paw, use the clicker less frequently, relying more on verbal praise and treats.
The goal is for your dog to respond to the command without eventually needing the extra reinforcement of the click!
Training doesn’t always go smoothly
Some dogs might take a little longer to catch on to the “shake” trick, and that’s where your patience and adaptability come in. If your dog seems to be struggling, here are a few tips to help guide them along the way:
- If your dog isn’t pawing at your hand despite the tempting treat, try moving your hand a bit closer to their paw. Sometimes, they just need a little help understanding what you want!
- If nudging isn’t working, don’t hesitate to give your dog a more hands-on demonstration. Say “shake,” then gently lift their paw and place it in your hand. Immediately follow up with a “good” or a click, and reward them with a treat.
- If your dog seems confused or frustrated, don’t push them too hard. Keep the sessions short and end on a positive note. If they’re having trouble with “shake,” ask them to perform a command they already know, like “sit,” and reward them for that.
If your dog is really struggling, take a step back and review the earlier steps. Practice having them sit calmly before introducing the “shake” command again. It’s all about repetition and building their confidence, so don’t rush the process.
The art of the handshake
Eventually, you and your dog will be high-fiving all over the place! The adage that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks isn’t necessarily true, so try the “shake” trick no matter how old your dog is. However, if you are starting young with a puppy, you’ll find some other helpful puppy resources and the right diet to help them grow with our Eukanuba puppy section. We love to see healthy, happy, active pups! Happy training!
