Training is a very important tool to strengthen the physical and mental health of a dog, as well as to strengthen the human-dog bond. The presence of training in a pet’s life is as important as exercise is for its health, since it helps to
improve the animal’s intelligence
and keep it free of stress.
Among the different commands that can be taught to a dog, the paw is one of the most popular, belonging to the medium level of difficulty of training. Teach your dog to paw in 6 steps through patience and constancy.
patience and perseverance
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General information on how to teach your dog to paw
Pawing is one of the optional commands that can be taught to a dog, since it is not essential for its development in daily life. It belongs to the medium level of difficulty because it is a more complex command and requires the dog to have learned other commands beforehand in order to be able to perform it. It is essential that the dog knows how to sit before he learns to paw is fundamental to teach him properly.
To achieve good teaching, the person should prepare a comfortable place for the dog free of distractions and loud noises, as well as have treats on hand. Positive reinforcement, including treats, petting and words of encouragement, along with patience and routine, will be invaluable tools during the dog’s learning process.
Step by step on how to teach a dog to paw
There are two main methods for this purpose, the first uses the following steps:
- Be with your dog in a place free of distractions and stress, and have everything ready for a session of maximum 15 minutes (3 to 4 sessions per day). Think of the word you want to link the paw command to, such as “greet,” “paw,” or “high-five,” and initiate the training.
- Stand in front of your dog hiding a treat in one of your hands and give him the command to sit, once he has done the command, bring your hand with the treat to the side of his face and wait for him to start sniffing. When the dog touches your hand with his paw to try to open it, open it and give him the treat. Repeat this step several times per session.
- After you have practiced the previous step several times, it is time to add the keyword you have selected. When the dog touches your hand, say the selected word and then open your hand to give him the treat, repeat several times per session until the dog assimilates the information.
- The last step of this method is to try the same as above but without the treat and with the hand open, alternating both ways until the dog no longer needs the treat.
Second most used method to teach a dog to paw:
- Have everything ready and stand in front of your dog, then take his paw and raise it to the height of his head or a little higher and proceed to give a treat. Repeat this several times per session.
- Then, in the same way as in the previous method, introduce the word that you are going to link to the command to paw, and follow this pattern of action: grab the paw and raise it, say the key word and reward it, repeat until the dog manages to properly associate this action with the reward.
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