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How to Teach a Dog to Shake Hands?

How to Teach a Dog to Shake Hands

Updated on January 24, 2023
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Reviewed by Petco’s Animal Care
Education and Compliance (ACE) Team

“Shake” is a classic and fun dog training prompt that is relatively easy to teach. Like many cues, it requires repetition, positive reinforcement and enthusiastic responses to effort and success. Once you understand a few straightforward steps for how to teach a dog to shake, you and your pet can begin learning this charming greeting together.  

As one of the most fun tricks to teach your dog, “shake” is a great way to spend time together, building their skills and your joint bond. Practice this trick in various locations, including environments with distractions, to increase their ability to perform this cue. Reward-based learning is often the most successful, so make sure you have plenty of dog training treats on hand before you begin.  

 You can use the same steps for both right and left paws if you want your dog to know both. It might take them a while to adjust from one to the other, so be patient and offer much praise and many treats. If they give you the wrong paw at first, wait without speaking for them to correct themselves, then provide positive reinforcement when they get it right.

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Tips and Questions About Teaching Your Dog to Shake

At what age should you start teaching your dog to shake? 

Dogs can learn to offer their paw at any age, but starting early may ensure the most success. Once you have tackled more basic commands like how to teach your dog to sit and stay, they will be ready—and in the correct position—to learn this cue. For the most effective training, your puppy should be at a training level where they can sit and give you their attention.  

 What to know before teaching your dog to shake 

Knowing how to teach a dog to shake hands requires training on your part, too. Pet parents learn as their dogs learn, but there are things you should know before you begin. Use these types of dog tricks to teach your pup good behavior and obedience. Learning how to teach a dog paw shaking requires short, frequent sessions. Have lots of treats on hand and practice patience and praise.  

 Some pet parents, when discovering how to teach a dog to shake, find clicker training helpful. Clickers help communicate a positive response when your dog performs a desirable behavior. Combined with treats, clicker or marker training helps your dog to understand which behaviors will be rewarded. Before you learn how to teach your dog to shake, look into mark and reward or clicker training to see if it’s right for you and your pet.  

 How to teach a dog to shake hands  in 10 steps  

These 10 steps should easily teach you how to train a dog to shake. You can use these methods at home or out and about in diverse environments. Your dog can learn better focus when they learn cues around different noises and distractions.

  1. Ask them to sit—a basic command they should learn before you begin.
  2. Offer your hand to your dog. Hold it out palm side up and look at, but don’t speak to, your dog.
  3. It may take some time for your pup to figure out what you are asking them to do. Be patient and keep your hand extended through sniffs and licks. Do not grab their paw or raise it to your hand. In most cases, they will eventually paw your hand. At this point, be lavish with the praise and treats. 
  4. Repeat the action, quiet waiting and positive reinforcement each time they give you their paw.  
  5. When you have reached a consistent flow and your dog understands the nonverbal cue, slightly increase the time between the shake and your praise to solidify their confidence.  
  6. Now start to wait until your dog’s paw is resting on your palm before giving treats. This will help them learn that is the desired action, not pawing at your hand.
  7. Once your dog is consistently placing their paw on your hand, you can start including the verbal component. Though "shake" is the common cue, you can make a unique command like “high five” or “up top.” Timing of praise is important. You want them to equate the verbal cue with the action, so say “shake” right before you can sense they will lift their paw to your hand, then introduce the treat and praise or clicks.
  8. After repeated success with the previous step, you can start to change your hand’s position to a traditional sideways “shake” pose. Hold out your hand and use the verbal cue. Your dog should understand at this point, but if they get confused, return to step 7 until they build more confidence.
  9.  Now that they understand the word, you can complete the full action. When they place their paw in your hand, gently begin to move your hand up and down as in a traditional handshake. This is a new part of the trick for your dog, so make sure to give praise and treats for this step as well.
  10.  When you feel like your pup fully understands this trick and performs it with confidence and ease, you can stop using dog training treats. They should now know the “shake” cue, and congratulations, you’ve mastered how to teach your dog to shake hands.

Dog Training at Home

It’s not difficult to learn how to teach your dog to shake hands at home. Dog training at home helps you bond with your pet and sets a foundation of trust and positive interaction.

Basic Dog Training Needs and Equipment  

With so many fun tricks to teach your dog, you may be wondering where to begin. Here are some guidelines for the things you need to teach your dog new tricks.  

  • Establish a schedule. Proper training of any kind requires structure, and introducing routine helps your dog adhere to daily patterns. Choose one or two basic cues to work on every day for however many weeks it takes—typically about six weeks.  

  • Start with the basics. It’s a good idea to start with the fundamental cues like sit, down, stay, come and off. Once these are mastered, it will be much easier to move onto other tricks to teach your dog, like shake and roll over.  

  • Decide on rewards. Dog training treats, toys and dog training clickers are tools you can use for reward-based positive reinforcement training. This method is considered highly effective and one of the best ways to train.  

  • Find the right tricks. You want to be sure to work on tricks that are right for your dog’s age and abilities. Don’t try to get too advanced with young puppies, for instance, or don’t begin with touch interactions for anxious pets. 

  • Review and repeat. Once your dog has learned commands and tricks, it’s important to reinforce that training with check-ins a few times a week.

Dog Training Classes

If you’re feeling overwhelmed learning how to teach your dog to shake or need help teaching basic cues, you might benefit from dog and puppy training classes. They can help you establish long-term techniques and behaviors. In-store dog training classes with other dogs are a chance to socialize your pet and get them used to following cues while distracted or away from home.  

  One-on-one classes are a good option for more high-energy pets, and you can even sign up for online dog and puppy training courses. A professional trainer at a reputable Petco Pet Care Center will help troubleshoot any problems you run into while teaching your dog to shake—or any other fun tricks.

The Benefits of Finding Tricks to Teach Your Dog

Is trick training good for dogs? 

Training your dog tricks like roll over, shake, back up and take a bow helps create a trusting relationship. It can also help your dog’s well-being by promoting concentration, balance, flexibility and opportunities for praise. Getting your dog used to following cues establishes good behavior, which leads to more rewarding social interactions for you and your pet.  

 Learning how to teach a dog to shake enables you to set routine interactions with your pup that have lasting results. Your dog will respond to the positive reactions they receive from guests, as well as the attention you show them every time you perform a trick together.  

 “Shake” is just one of the many fun tricks to teach your dog. It’s one of the best-known and loved tricks, and once your dog masters it, you can impress guests together. Trick training is a constructive way to spend time with your dog, teach good behavior and results in many charming future interactions with your pet.

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