How to teach a dog the give paw command. How to teach a dog the command “give me your paw”? With tasty encouragement

Most inexperienced owners sooner or later become interested in how to teach a dog to give a paw. This is not only one of the main skills, but also an effective exercise that demonstrates the friendship between man and dog.

Why do we need the command “Give me your paw!”

The training course consists of mandatory and optional commands. “Give me your paw!” belongs to the category of optional and does not carry a special functional load, but is necessary for the all-round development of the pet.

It is easier for a dog who has mastered the command to trim overgrown claws, wash his feet after a walk, pull out a splinter and carry out other manipulations related to his paws. The skill will be useful not only for medical/hygienic procedures, but will also help to master a variety of exercises that involve the front paws. A dog trained to perform the command “Give me a paw” can:

give the paw from any basic position;
give a given paw at intervals of less than 2 seconds;
place the paw on the knee or toe of the foot (without using support);
raise your paw above the floor from a lying position;
change the position of the paw (pads forward/down), obeying the owner’s gesture.

Methodology and learning process

There are several known ways to master the “Give me a paw” command (with or without a treat).

Command training using treats

Method one

Subject to correct algorithm Most dogs learn the command “Give me your paw” after a couple of lessons.

Stand in front of your pet, holding a piece of his favorite treat in your hand, such as sausage, cheese or meat.
Let him smell it, and then clasp it tightly in your fist, leaving your outstretched hand in front of the dog.
She will be forced to raise her paw and try to get the treat by scratching it out of her hand.
At this moment, the owner says “Give me your paw” and unclenches his fist.
The technique is repeated several times, not forgetting to praise the four-legged animal for correct actions.

The dog must understand the cause-and-effect relationship: command - raising a paw - receiving a treat.

Method two

Tell your dog, “Give me your paw,” by gently grabbing his front paw.
To make your dog comfortable, do not raise his paw too high.
Then give your pet a pre-prepared treat.
When repeating the exercise, just try to open your palm so that the puppy puts his paw there himself.
If the student is stubborn, you can gently lift the limb where it is bent.

Important! The owner just starts the movement, and the continuation always comes from the dog. Be sure to praise and treat her (more than usual) after the first independent execution of the command.

Remember to systematically repeat and improve the newly acquired skill.

Teaching a command without using treats

The method is suitable for both young and adult animals.

Take the starting position and take the dog’s paw in your hand.
Say “Give me your paw” (loudly and clearly) and praise your dog.
Repeat the steps after a short break.

Important! The paw should not be raised high: when bending elbow joint there should be a right angle.

This method takes a little more time, but it ensures that the animal works consciously and not for the sake of a tasty morsel.

Command "Give me another paw"

As soon as the dog has learned to give a paw, proceed to the task of the 2nd level of difficulty - teaching the command “Give the other paw”.

Ask for a paw and add, “The other paw,” touching it with your hand.
If the student tries to work with an already “mastered” paw, move away the support (your hand).
Reward him when he gives you the “right” paw.
As a rule, after a couple of rehearsals, the dog knows how to give paws one at a time.

Dog trainers consider the command “Give me the other paw” to be part of a general skill. Usually a dog that has learned a basic command changes its paws itself, without being reminded.

Command execution options

There are many of them: for example, a dog learns to give a paw from several positions (sitting, lying or standing). For example, command the dog to “Lie down” and immediately ask for a paw. If he tries to get up, repeat the "down" command and praise him as soon as he does so. You can switch places with your dog, teaching him to give a paw while the trainer sits, lies or stands. Teach your puppy to place his paw not only in your palm, but also on your knee or foot.

This is interesting! The most creative owners change the team because it is not mandatory. So, instead of “Give me a paw” they say: “Give me five” or clarify “Give me your right/left paw.”

A new stage in mastering the command is lifting the paw without support. Hearing the order “Give me your paw,” the pet raises the limb into the air. He must stay in this position for a few seconds, after which he receives a treat/praise. The most patient and smart dogs They are trained to give not only the right/left, but also the hind legs.

When to start training

They start training no earlier than 3 months of age, but preferably at 4–5 months. Until this time, the puppy is too busy with games and quite confused. However, it is possible to master the team at any age, the main thing is that training should be regular.

Executing the command “Give me a paw” solves several problems:

socialization – the dog becomes almost equal to the person and feels its importance;
development of the animal’s logical abilities;
improving motor skills - this is facilitated by exercises with the front/hind paws.

As soon as you give your paw on command, continue to reinforce the skill without taking breaks (sometimes the pet forgets the lessons learned even after 2-3 days). To ensure that the command is imprinted in the dog’s memory, repeat it at least 3 times a day.

The appearance of a puppy in the house is always exciting and joyful. But at the same time, the owner must understand the degree of responsibility for the small creature. He is obliged not only to feed and treat the pet, but also to teach it the commands included in the general training course, that is, OKD. After the dog has mastered the basic commands “Sit”, “Place”, “Fu” and others, you can move on to the secondary ones. From the article you will learn how to teach a dog to give a paw.

Start learning four-legged friend This team is recommended when he reaches the age of 4-5 months. The essence of this skill is that the puppy learns to give his paw after a signal in a couple of seconds. This is a serve from a basic position, when the dog lifts a limb above the surface, as well as a serve to the toe of the foot or knee without additional support. When the owner says “Give,” the animal must change the position of the hand, placing it with the pad down or forward, depending on the gesture.

The essence of the process of teaching this skill is to reward the pet with play if correct execution task, the moment of equality with the owner ( important point socialization of a puppy that can imitate a person). There is also development logical thinking, without which it is impossible to carry out any commands required for each dog.

Video “Teaching a dog the command “Give me your paw””

In this video you will learn the basics of training a dog for the “Give Paw” command.

Teaching methods

To quickly and easily teach your four-legged friend to give a paw, you should consider general recommendations. If you want to teach him to give paws alternately, you need to give clear orders, the essence of which boils down to a clearly formulated request to give left or right, or this or that. Otherwise, the dog will stop at only one limb. It is advised to try to perform the exercise in different positions - standing, sitting and lying down.

Training needs to be varied so that the pet uses the skill not only when the owner is in front of him, but also if he is lying nearby. Instead of supporting a given limb, a person can use a hand and other parts of the body, and teach the dog to do without it. Next, we’ll tell you how to train a puppy with and without tasty rewards.

With a treat

To begin with, the trainer must be patient and have a positive attitude. There is no place for a bad mood here; it is even more unacceptable to shout at an animal or forcefully train it. You should prepare for the exercises - feed your pet a couple of hours before, take a walk half an hour before, and play just before the start of the workout.

You can’t do without treats if you need to train a puppy or an adult temperamental dog. You need to hold something the animal loves in your fist and bring it to its face.

Often a pet, sensing the smell of coveted food, instinctively runs its limb along the owner’s hand. He needs to hold the limb for a couple of seconds with his free hand, clearly and calmly pronounce the order, after which he praises the puppy and rewards it with a treat. It is important to repeat this exercise several times until the dog learns to do everything quickly and correctly.

Without tasty encouragement

Training without using treats as a reward is suitable for a sanguine puppy or an adult dog. This method, unlike the first, requires more effort and time, but it guarantees that the pet will not feign obedience in order to get a treat. The starting position is the same as in the first case. You need to take one of the puppy’s paws, say the order loudly and clearly, then praise the student. Next, some time is given to rest, after which the exercise must be repeated.

Regardless of whether the owner uses treats as a reward or not, any training method does not involve raising the puppy's limb too high. It will be enough to bend it at a right angle so as not to cause discomfort to your pet.

Among the obligatory and optional commands, the command “give me your paw” is optional. However, it also has a certain functional significance, and also helps to establish and consolidate psychological contact between the dog and its owner. How to teach a dog the command “give me your paw”?

Dog training is then successful if it takes into account the instincts and character of the animal. Teaching the “give paw” command is simple, since it is also based on an innate instinct - the movements of a newborn puppy, called the milk step. The puppy "massages" the mother's belly to get more milk. From infancy, a logical chain is formed - the movement of the paws is associated with pleasure. That's why puppies learn to follow this command so quickly. In a maximum of 7 days, the dog will already give a paw.

The “handshake” is also important for establishing a close emotional connection with the dog. She feels a friendly disposition, approval, which is superimposed on an already existing instinct. The command “give me your paw” also has practical meaning:

inspecting the pads after a walk and treating, if necessary, scratches and damage;
nail care - trimming or filing;
putting shoes on your feet.

Dogs always have a hierarchy. He projects it onto the “pack” in which the dog lives. Therefore, it is better for the leader of the “pack” to teach the dog how to carry out a command, so the desire to win the favor of the leader will encourage him to learn the lesson quickly and correctly.

Conditions for training

It is better to start training at the age of 4-5 months. During this period, the puppy already recognized himself as a dog, recognized the “alpha” in social hierarchy and has learned some commands, for example, “sit,” from which he will follow the command “give me your paw.” To make learning easier, you need to:

surrounding stimuli did not distract the puppy;
he should not be too hungry or full for food reward to cause an appropriate response. Optimal time training 1.5-2 hours after feeding;
the pieces of treats should not be too large so that the dog does not have time to quickly get enough and lose interest, and not too small so that they do not fall out of the mouth;
the owner and the dog must be in a good mood;
training should not be too long and interspersed with periods of rest, so as not to cause psychological stress. It is enough to spend 5-10 minutes on a lesson every day;
training should be consistent and regular.

There is no lower age limit for learning the “give me your paw” command. Dogs remain trainable long time.

Sequence of training

The easiest way to teach a dog a command is to use treats as a reward and incentive. To consistently master the “give your paw” command, you need to:

give the command “sit”;
hold a piece of treat in your hand and let the puppy sniff your hand;
when the puppy becomes interested and tries to unclench his fingers using his nose, it is recommended to wait for him to try again, helping with his paw;
Unclench your hand, giving a treat, and with your free hand hold the puppy’s paw above the wrist for 1-2 seconds, saying the words of the command.
repeat the exercise 3-4 times.

The delivery of treats should be reinforced with vocal and tactile encouragement - saying “good” and stroking the puppy. The number of food reward signals should be gradually reduced and the child should be accustomed to vocal expressions of approval. If the puppy refuses to raise his paw, then he needs to be helped by raising the limb to the level of his shoulder and holding it carefully so as not to cause discomfort to the dog and to prevent a fall.

Any violence or manifestation of irritation or discontent must be excluded. The dog should feel only positive emotions. Games between lessons will help the dog replace mental stress with physical stress, which will prevent overwork and improve mood.

Video on how to teach a dog to give a paw

When a command is considered mastered

The command is considered learned if the dog begins to give his paw:

immediately after a voice command - no later than 2-3 seconds;
from any position - sitting, lying, standing;
placing the paw on a support or holding it in a canopy;
without food reward.

Using the same scenario, you can train a dog without food reward, expressing approval only with your voice and stroking. This will take a little more time, but then the little sly one will not manipulate the owner, begging for a treat.

After the dog has mastered the command, he can begin to teach him to give the other paw. This will happen faster, since the command “give the other paw” is just a complicated version of the first. Having mastered the “give paw” command, you can complicate it by commanding “give your left or right paw”, “give hind paw", "high five" and so on. This will help develop behavioral abilities, strengthen the vestibular apparatus, bring the owner and pet even closer together, and teach you to concentrate on an object.

Whose paw is better: who suits the team

“Give me your paw” is a phenomenal command: it is not included in any training course standards, but in terms of popularity it is on the list of leaders (after “sit” and “come”). The secret is very simple, “give me a paw” is a simple and universal element of trick training, equally suitable for both the rugged mastiff and the tiny Chihuahua.

Offer of paw and heart: why is the command to give paw needed?

A dog of any size needs to feel “good and needed”. Owners of decorative babies and companion animals sometimes do not attach importance to this component dog happiness. The skill of giving a paw is as important for a small dog as it is for sled dogs to pull a sleigh or for hunting breeds to fetch game. In human translation it sounds something like this: “I can do something. This means I have meaning in life.”

The learning process strengthens emotional connection between animals and humans, increases the master’s authority and is the key to discipline. Giving a paw and leaving it in the owner’s hand is also one of the signs of the pet’s trust.

Some dog breeders use the command to inspect the pads for damage, trim the nails or perform hygiene procedures. We recommend that you come up with your own speech markers for each action (for example, “let me look, cut my hair, wash it”). “Give me your paw” is a separate requirement and its auxiliary use is possible only in the first stages. The more words the dog learns, the better.

It is common for four-legged pets “raise your paw” at a person, demanding attention or delicacies. Animal psychologists suggest that in this way dominant individuals are trying to increase their hierarchical status, and recommend taking control of the process - developing the habit in the dog of performing actions only on command.

A simple trick can become the first step towards more complex elements. Dogs love to learn and the success of their tailed charge depends only on the owner.

General rules for self-training a dog

By properly raising and training a dog, the owner becomes for it the most important creature in the world, a source of emotions and new knowledge. Such trust is priceless. The better you cope with the role of leader, the more successful your further training will be. How to teach a dog to give paw? You will need desire, time, patience and our advice from professional dog handler.

Calm, just calm

The main tool of influence is voice. The command is given in an even, calm tone, each with its own intonation. The dog does not yet understand your words literally, but reacts to the sound.

Never yell at your dog. You can’t take your irritation out on her if something doesn’t work out at all. The dog will become isolated and will only work worse. It is the tone that affects, not the volume. Severity and anger are two different things.

You can't hit a dog for failure to follow commands! Your four-legged friend should respect you, not fear you. Doesn't obey? You are making a mistake somewhere. The main credo of proper training is persistence without violence.

You can issue the same command no more than two times. The demand has been made - achieve its fulfillment. You are much more cunning and smarter than your pet. Careful observation of the animal will help you choose the appropriate tactics.

Undesirable behavior is stopped using safe words(no, bad), said calmly, but sternly.

A kind word pleases the dog too

Praise from the bottom of your heart for correct behavior even in small things. Come up with a few “reward markers” (well done, good, bravo).
You should not pat the animal on the head or ruffle the dog. Some four-legged students perceive rough petting as violence.
The lesson should end on a positive note. For example, by following a favorite, well-practiced command and sincere encouragement from the owner.
Always have a treat on hand. Don’t be afraid that the dog will start to cheat and work only for treats. The need for food rewards will disappear over time. The treat is given immediately after the order is completed, along with praise. It is advisable to pronounce the command so that the dog understands why he is being praised (“okay, give me your paw, okay”).

Not a moment of peace

Before starting work, let the animal run around a little. Alternate training and “unloading”. We worked, played or walked. The dog should not get tired from training. If you notice that your pet has become distracted and has difficulty concentrating, it’s time to end it.

Training should be approached in stages(mastered one technique, move on to the next). A new element is introduced after familiar ones have been practiced, but not at the very end of the lesson.

To increase motivation, older dogs are trained 6-8 hours after feeding. But the main criterion is that the pet must be actively interested in receiving the treat.

Show kindness and energy. If you start studying without desire or in bad mood, the dog will experience the same.

By training your dog from time to time, you run the risk that it will only occasionally obey you: whenever she wants. Only multiple repetitions form sustainable skills. Communicate with your pet as much as possible. You will not regret it and as a result you will get a four-legged friend who understands everything perfectly.

At what age to start training

Dogs are trainable any age category , but for positive result It is important to take into account the characteristics of each group.

Training puppies from 1.5 to 3 months carried out exclusively in game form with a minimum number of repetitions (3-5 times). This is not a waste of time, as many people think, but a useful and exciting activity for both. By three months, the baby is quite capable of mastering such useful skills as “sit”, “come to me”, “give me a paw”, and get used to a collar and leash.
From 4 months onwards The real dog school begins. Everything here is like with people: there are primary classes, middle classes and senior groups. The older the puppy becomes, the more serious the requirements and the stricter the trainer.
There are situations when an adult dog comes into the house that has never been handled. Of course, it’s sad if the most productive period of upbringing is missed, but this is not a reason to give up. Work with adult dog possible and necessary. It just takes more time, patience, and repetition to achieve results.

How to teach a dog to give paw: three main ways

Learning will go faster if your pet first learns the “sit” command. This will make it easier for you to keep his attention. Sit the dog in front of you (if we are talking about a puppy or small dog, squat down to be on the same level as your pet). The student must focus on your actions. To do this, you can snap your fingers and make an unusual sound.

When the goal is achieved, start the lesson. To teach your dog a command, we recommend using one of the presented methods of your choice.

Pointing method

The essence of the method is to evoke the desired behavior in the animal using treats or gestures.

show the dog a treat;
make sure the student is interested in receiving encouragement;
hold the piece in the fist of your left hand and bring it to the dog’s nose;
do not unclench your hand, stopping the gourmand’s attempts to reach the food with his nose;
voice the demand “give me your paw”;
at the moment when the dog picks it up to get the treasured piece, substitute right hand, as if the dog itself put its paw in it, and unclench your fist with food;
At the same time, enthusiastically praise your pet: “ok, give me your paw, good.” Show up as much as possible positive emotions. And let others think you are crazy. Your aim - make the learning process enjoyable for the dog.

Passive inflection method

Enough effective method, if the animal does not experience negative emotions from exposure. The trainer “sculpts” the desired pose of the dog with hand movements.

after showing the dog a treat (interesting in the result), give a command;
lift the dog’s paw with your hand, fix the pose;
give a treat, praise.

The paw should not be lifted too high (up to the level of the animal’s shoulder is quite enough) or squeezed too hard. Any discomfort can cause a four-legged student to have a negative attitude towards the team.

Behavior selection method

How to teach a dog to give paw , without resorting to training? Pay attention to this method. It consists of encouraging behavior that is useful to the trainer in various everyday situations.

For example, a dog wants to play and touches you with its paw. Before he repeats this gesture himself, give the command;
put your hand on your paw and give it a treat and praise.

How to teach a dog to give the other paw

It is enough to show a little patience, and soon your pet will delight you with its successes. But don't rush to relax. Only when the dog learns to give both paws in turn is the command considered mastered. So let's move on.

practice a trick you’ve already learned, praise your pet;
show the treat and say “give me another”;
the dog, out of habit, will try to hand you the same limb;
show that now you need something different (for example, “no, give me something else”);
tell the dog right action(touch the desired paw with your finger or use the sculpting method - lift it yourself);
At first, the dog may get confused: give the same limb several times or perform a connection without waiting for the command “give another.” Gently correct the student using safe words (no, don’t) and praise only for correct actions.

The dog has learned to give its paw: what next?

There are as many methods of training and types of tricks as a trainer can come up with. If you are interested in further developing the skills of a four-legged artist, we advise you to learn other interesting elements, the basis for which is the simple ability to give a paw.

"high five"— raising its paw high, the dog touches the owner’s open palm with it;
"give me both"— the dog gives both paws at the same time;
"Okay"— a funny element that imitates a child’s game;
"hold"- after raising the paw, the animal holds it in weight;
"Give me the back"- not the most convenient trick for a dog, performed from a standing position;
"Spanish step"— the tailed comrade strides, raising his front paws high. It's hard to believe that performing this difficult element of freestyle (dancing with dogs) is impossible without the ability to give a paw. But, who knows, maybe your pet will become a star not only in a narrow family circle, but also at prestigious sporting competitions?

Orders that dogs can understand are divided into mandatory and optional. The first include such commands as “No!”, “Sit!”, “Come to me!”, “Stop!” and others, and to the second - “Roll!”, “Die!”, “Voice!” and similar ones. The latter do not carry any functional load, but are necessary so that the animal can develop fully and comprehensively. In this regard, experts advise spending a little time and teaching the dog the command “Give me your paw!” How to do it right?

Despite the fact that the order seems unnecessary and in no way applicable from a practical point of view, in reality this turns out to be not entirely true. It is more convenient for the owner of a dog who knows how to perform such an action to wash his pet upon returning from the street or trim his claws. In addition, the training process itself educates the animal and has a beneficial effect on its logical thinking.

Regardless of whether the training takes place in special group under the control of a trainer or carried out by the owner himself within the walls of the house, the exercise should be repeated regularly, and so that the animal feels team spirit and calm.

Preparation: what do you need to know?

Not all owners begin training their pets immediately after they arrive in the family. That is why the question of how to teach a dog to give a paw is relevant for owners of both adults and young dogs. Professional dog handlers note that:

Any dog can learn an order, regardless of age, but the most the best option However, training a puppy at the age of 4-5 months is considered, i.e. when the brain center is already able to retain information for a long time. In practice, the boundaries turn out to be blurred - both 2-month-old fidgets and their 2-year-old relatives, who have seen life, easily cope with the task. As the experience of dog experts shows, adult dogs learn material much faster, but only when they clearly understand what a person wants from them.
The key condition for successful lessons is the permanent dominance of the same person - the dog owner. Since dogs are pack animals by nature, they are able to recognize the strength of only one “leader”. The animal must learn to respond precisely to the voice of its owner and unquestioningly obey, first of all, his will.
Training should always be approached with positive attitude, but with a fair amount of persistence. Even stubborn and wayward pets begin to make progress in the second lesson and finally learn the new order by the third lesson. Less obstinate people may need no more than 1 evening.

The key to successful learning is proper preparation. A person needs to properly feed his four-legged friend a couple of hours before training, walk with him for half an hour and, finally, relax him right before the lesson with the help of fun game, scratching behind the ear or stroking the fur.

"Tasty" reward

To begin with, the dog must be seated using the abrupt word “Sit!” If the animal has not yet been trained in this order, light pressure should be applied to the back, in the area next to the tail, so that it understands what position it needs to take. The distance between the animal and the owner should be small, because they will have to reach out to each other quite often.

The method, in which treats play a key role, is perfect for babies or adults with a pronounced temperament. Starting position: the pet is sitting, his trainer is standing. The mentor brings the fist with the “sweetness” clamped to the pet’s nose in order to let the animal smell the delicious smell.

The dog will instinctively hit the hand, and the person will have to have time to grab the limb extended by the dog and hold it in this position for several seconds. At the same time, you will need to loudly and clearly pronounce the phrase “Give me your paw!” After this, the “student” needs to be praised and rewarded with a treat, and then the procedure must be repeated several times.

Without an appetizing piece (mechanical method)

Is it possible to train a dog to give a paw without the help of food, and how to achieve this? The first thing to consider: this method is only suitable for adult or an active sanguine puppy that does not need additional motivation.

The starting position remains unchanged. The trainer takes the dog's paw in his hand, clearly pronounces the order and praises the animal. After this, a short break is taken, and then the approach is performed again.

Important! In order to avoid injury, the dog’s paw must be raised low from the ground, and also ensure that it bends like a human elbow and only at a right angle.

Of course, this path will be more time-consuming, however, following it, you can be confident in the pet’s obedience, its ability to obey and learn.

"Give me another paw"

If the owner has already instilled a basic skill in his four-legged “student,” the skill can be further developed. To do this, the dog is given an already familiar order, but after it gives its familiar paw, its remaining “support” is carefully removed and taken into the hand. This position is maintained for several seconds. After just a couple of approaches, the dog will learn to give one or the other paw.

This is not an independent team, but a variation of its basic form. That is why pets usually extend one or the other limb to a person, even when they are not asked to do so.

The owner of an animal should always remember basic tips that will greatly simplify training:

If your pet (especially a young puppy) shows signs of fatigue, hunger or anxiety, exercise should be postponed until his health improves.
A person who is in a bad mood should not take up raising an animal, because activities aggravated by the owner’s irritation will not bear fruit. Dog handlers also categorically prohibit punishing four-legged pets with screams, beatings and other torture.
The most common form of command can actually be modified in different ways depending on what the dog learns better. Sometimes owners try to use even such an atypical in this case a phrase like “High five!”
To achieve joint success, you need to maintain regularity in training, and also not diminish the role of at least 30-minute breaks between classes.
5-6 repetitions per day are enough. However, if the animal begins to get nervous or whine, the lesson is interrupted until next day. The dog may not have the desire to exercise at all - then you should not force it to do so.
It is better to conduct training in a quiet, home environment, when there are no distractions nearby. If there is no quiet corner, in the warm season you can go to Fresh air- to a park or forest. It is necessary that there are not too many people in the chosen place.

If you master the basic command, you can move on to complicate it, for example, pronounce the task faster, ask for a paw from a dog in a lying or standing position, substitute not your hand for support, but your foot, knee, or do not substitute anything. Holding the limbs in the air will have a beneficial effect on the development of the animal’s motor skills.

After just 1-2 weeks of systematic exercise, the pet will perfectly master the new skill and will be able to please its owner.