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Tricks to Teach Your Dog at Home: Paws Up

Tricks to Teach Your Dog at Home: Paws Up

Feel like your dog’s been practicing the same old tricks for too long? It could be time to expand their education and add a few more behaviors to their knowledge base.

Paws up—when a dog moves toward an indicated object or platform, places both front paws on the platform and remains there until you cue them off—is a fun behavior to teach your dog (and a fantastic pose for a perfect photo!).

How to teach your dog paws up

What you’ll need:

  • A stable platform that will not tip that’s at least 4 inches longer than the width of your dog’s chest, at least 6 inches wider than the length of a paw and no taller than their knees
  • A treat bag
  • Treats for rewarding

Method 1: Shape your dog’s behaviors slowly to achieve the intended action. This approach works well if this is a behavior that seems foreign to your dog.

  1. Place the platform in front of your dog.
  2. Verbally mark and reward any attention your dog gives to the platform. You can help build interest by tossing treats near or on top of the platform.
  3. As your dog gets more accustomed to the platform, reward them whenever they touch the platform.
  4. As your pup starts spending more and more time near the platform, raise your criteria for marking and rewarding.
  5. Once your dog is staying near the platform and touching it consistently, withhold your verbal mark to see if they will step up onto the platform.
  6. If they do step up, verbally mark the behavior and reward. If they don’t, start marking any lift of a front paw while they’re next to the platform.
  7. Begin withholding marking and rewarding and see if your dog touches the platform with their paw. If they do, mark and reward. If they do not, continue marking paw lifts next to the platform until they touch it.
  8. Once your pup is consistently touching the platform with their paw, begin only marking weight-bearing touches.
  9. When weight-bearing touches become consistent, mark stepping up onto the platform with both paws.
  10. Once they’re stepping up consistently, delay the mark for longer and longer periods to develop duration of the trick.
  11. Add the verbal cue “paws up” with the behavior.

Method 2: Capture a behavior your dog is prone to do and turn it into a behavior that is done only when asked for. This approach can benefit pet parents whose pups are counter-surfers.

  1. Set the platform in between you and your dog.
  2. Give your dog attention whenever they begin approaching the platform from straight on, ignoring  them when they approach it  from any other angle.
  3. Mark and reward if your dog steps up onto the platform toward you.
  4. Toss a treat away from the platform to encourage them to get off.
  5. Repeat steps 2-4 until your pup is consistently moving toward and stepping up onto the platform.
  6. Begin to delay your mark and reward to develop duration.
  7. Add the verbal cue “paws up” with the behavior.

Method 3: Use a desired lure (like a treat or toy) to get your dog to follow their nose to the desired action.

  1. Place treats on top of the platform until your dog happily approaches and eats the treats.
  2. Repeat until your dog eats the treats and then remains next to the platform.
  3. While your dog is next to the platform, hold a treat to your dog’s nose and slowly move the treat over the top of the platform. Continue moving the treat in the same direction until your dog touches the platform while leaning toward the treat with outstretched neck or until they lift one paw and touch the platform. Mark and reward this behavior.
  4. Repeat until your dog actually steps onto the platform, marking and rewarding when they place both feet on the platform.
  5. Once your dog is consistently stepping onto the platform, delay the mark and reward for longer and longer periods until your dog stays on the platform until released.
  6. Add the verbal cue “paws up” with the behavior.

And you’ve done it! While instilling this behavior will take time, patience and practice will get you to your goal.

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