Things You'll Need:
- A dog who enjoys dog training sessions.
- Lots of yummy treats.
- Patience!! Dog training sessions go much more smoothly when you're patient.
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Step 1
Start your dog training session with enthusiasm and lots of patience. Your dog is likely to take a little bit of time to catch on with this dog trick, so be ready for it to take a few weeks. Keep each dog training session to about five minutes so that your dog doesn't lose interest.
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Step 2
Start with the command, "Sit." If your dog knows to shake, move your hand like you're going to ask for a shake (don't use the command, just the hand motion), and when your dog reaches up a foot, name the foot ("right" or "left") and give a treat. Be quick! It's important to catch your dog while he still has his paw in the air. In these early dog training sessions, don't worry about whether the foot is the right or the left one--just name whichever your dog lifts and give a treat.
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Step 3
If your dog doesn't know how to shake, keep your dog in the sitting position, and hold the cookie out where he can see it. Lifting one paw is actually a dog's way of saying, "Please," so your dog is likely to do this on his own if you give him a moment. Just be patient and wait for your dog to lift one of his front paws. Then, as above, name the paw he's raised ("right" or "left") and follow up quickly with a treat.
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Step 4
Keep practicing the trick like this for several dog training sessions until your dog seems to really have the hang of the command. Then, ask your dog to lift the paw that he's lifted most often (never start with the paw your dog didn't favor). Say, "Right" (or Left), and when your dog lifts the Right paw, give a treat and lots of praise. If your dog doesn't lift his right paw, he's not ready for Step 4 yet, so go back to the previous step. If he lifts the correct paw right away, stay at this level for two or three dog training sessions before moving on to Step 5.
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Step 5
Now, ask your dog for his other foot. This will be a little tricky. To get him in the right frame of mind, start by asking for "Right" (or left if that's what he's used to) two or three times and giving a treat. Then, ask very confidently, "Left." Your dog will probably lift his right foot again. That's okay, just say, "Nope, Left." Most dogs will actually catch on and will lift their left foot. Yay! Go on to Step 6. If your dog doesn't, though, again you'll need to wait him out. Don't repeat the command over and over, just keep him in the sitting position, and each time he lifts his Right foot, say, "Nope. Left." while keeping the cookie in full view. Eventually, he'll pick up his left foot, even if it's just a tiny bit. Immediately give him the cookie and lots of praise. Then move on to Step 6.
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Step 6
Your next few dog training sessions should focus on Left until your dog gets the hang of it. Then, you're ready to start practicing both at the same time. If your dog gets confused, go back to practicing just one or the other per dog training session. Only move on when your dog really does know the difference between Right and Left.
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Step 7
Show off your new dog trick to your friends! Slowly phase out giving a treat *every* time your dog gets it right, but do still give treats occasionally--that makes the dog training session more fun for both of you.
