If you want to learn how to train a dog to shake hands, you must first understand that dogs cannot be trained like horses. You can teach a dog to follow basic commands such as “sit” or “roll over,” but you cannot train him to shake hands. Horses can be trained to pull carts, herd cattle, or do other jobs for humans, but dogs do not possess the same horsepower as horses. You will never see a horse that walk into a corner, taps a foot, and shakes hands with every person you meet. Horses are born true show animals.
Most dogs are born true show animals. They learn through rewards and praise. A dog training tip that will work best is to find out what your dog enjoys most. After you learn that, make sure to reward and praise him every time he performs the trick correctly.
How to train a dog to shake hands is best done when the dog is still a puppy. However, you can start dog training tips even before your puppy is a year old. You should begin by teaching your dog to know his name. Teach him this word over, using the same phrase, until the dog recognizes the sound alone and not associated with any human contact. Make sure to say the word several times, using the exact phrase and using the same actions.
When your dog recognizes the name, you should move closer to him and give him a treat every time you approach him. When you reach him, instead of giving him the treat, use your finger to push his lead towards you and toward the dog. Keep doing this until he gets tired and understands the command. It is advisable to use a treat only when the dog responds correctly, otherwise you should not use treats in general, as they will teach the dog to respond to anything.
If your dog has a favorite toy, you should buy him several times the number of treats that the toy’s value sells for. Using the clicker, you should train the dog to sit and then using the verbal command, “shake hands”, you should click the clicker and give the dog a treat immediately when he complies. Continue doing this until the dog understands what you want him to do and you give him a treat each time.
After several training sessions, the dog will start to understand that when he responds to your commands he gets a treat. The dog should also understand that when he responds correctly he gets a treat. If your dog does not respond correctly, just give him a no-brainer reward like a dog biscuit. This is one way of reinforcing the correct behavior.
During the clicker training, you should make sure you are always saying the word “shake” throughout the training session. The dog should learn to respond to the word, even if he is responding to a treat. As the dog becomes more proficient with the clicking sound, you can start removing the treats during the training sessions. The dog will eventually understand that if he barks or whines he will get nothing at the end of the session.
Shaking the dogs head while performing some dog tricks can be fun especially when done with other dogs. However, you must remember that these are tricks and can easily be mastered by advanced trainees only. Also, these dogs love attention and will become impatient when they don’t get it. Repetition and patience are two important factors that you must consider when training the dogs to perform the archery tricks.
