"Shake" ...uh, I don't get it....!

buzzyhoneybe · #1 17th March 2005, 12:24 PM

One of my pups is 13 months old and knows Sit, Down, Stay, Off, Back, Leave It, and Okay.

I've tried teaching him "Shake" but he doesn't get it. I kneel down with him, make him sit, tell him Shake and then pick up his paw, tell him good boy, and give him a treat and praise him. He loves it but he doesn't understand the command.

The reason I don't think he's making the connection is because first of all if I tell him Shake he just sits there and doesn't move and then if I get upset with him when he does something wrong (like chewing up my comforter again or something!), he starts trying to give me his paw. He knows that I praise him when he gives me his paw so when I'm upset with him he tries to make it up to me. He just doesn't understand to do it on command...

Any suggestions?

kitikarial2 · #2 18th March 2005, 06:18 AM

funny, Lucy does the same thing. SHe will just look at me when I say shake and I grab her paw and say shake and give her a treat. any other time she is just giving the paw out, although I believe its just the boxer way and she is trying to box me, cause she does everything with her paw. I guess she will get it someday, I keep trying, she just thinks I am nuts

Gus's Teah · #3 18th March 2005, 08:25 AM

...and we used the below link as a reference. Try holding the treat just out of his reach so that he has to reach for it, then grab his hand and say shake, then he gets the treat. Once we taught him to shake (it took 4 sessions over 2 days), he learned "Other paw" in less than 2 minutes and does both consistently now

Teaching Shake

apollosdad · #4 19th March 2005, 05:27 PM

the above thread is pretty good. you might also try just gently grabbing his paw and shaking it with him, while saying "shake" and then giving him a treat immediately afterward. pretty soon he'll learn that he gets a treat when he hears the word "shake" and shakes your hand.

LewisKimball · #5 21st March 2005, 10:19 AM

Lewis picked up the shake by picking up his paw and shaking it. We would praise him right away and make a big production. We would then give him a jackpot (large treat)! We did that 4-5 times one night and the next morning we did it once and he has had it ever since. I think getting really excited and the extra large treat was the key and stopping before he was bored with the game. It seems like leaving him hanging and wanting to play the game longer makes them pick up on things sooner the next day.

We now have Lewis giving us a high five and a high ten on command as well. He occasionally makes a mistake with the high five and the high ten (either way it is pretty cute!!!)