How to teach your dog to wave

By DaKnees, eHow Member Rating

I Did This Rate: (7 Ratings)

Everyone teaches their dog to sit, roll over, and shake hands. Make your friends think your dog is ready for show business with this simple and adorable trick.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

small treats
your dog

Step1

This trick is a variation of a common trick that your dog will need to know: shaking hands. Start by making sure your dog knows this trick well.

Step2

Decide what your vocal command will be. Consistency is important when teaching a dog a new trick, so think it through before you start. One-syllable commands are always easiest for dogs to understand and remember, so you could just tell your dog to "wave." If you want to try something a little showier, say "hi" or "hello" and accompany the command by waving your own hand. When your dog responds to your greeting by waving back your friends are sure to be impressed.

Step3

Kneel in front of your dog and hold out your hand as if you just want her to shake hands. Raise your hand higher and higher each time, until you are holding your hand vertically and your dog is only touching her paw to your hand almost like a high five - no longer placing her paw completely in your hand.

Step4

Once your dog is reaching up high and tapping your hand, you can start using the new command by name. When she seems to have the hang of this action, back away from your dog about a foot and hold your hand up for the wave. When your dog tries to touch your hand with her paw, pull your hand away but praise her and give her a small treat. When you pull your hand away, she may get confused or think she's done something wrong. Giving her praise helps reinforce the action and shows her she's doing well.

Step5

Slowly move further away from your dog as she practices, tossing her a treat each time she performs the trick successfully. Eventually, she will stop trying to give you her paw and just raise it in the air, giving you and adorable greeting.

Tips & Warnings

When praising your dog be sure to use the name of the trick. Rather than a well-intentioned "Good dog," say "good wave, Charlie, good wave." Combining the command name with the (hopefully) familiar word "good" will help your dog understand exactly why she's being praised.
All these treats and rewards can really add up. When using food to teach your dog a new trick stick to small treats or pieces of dog food and leave the larger treats for special occasions.