The good news for those who want to teach their Cavoodle puppy to shake hands is that it is one of the easiest tricks for them to learn. This is because reaching out with their paws is a natural reaction which only needs to be encouraged while being associated with you reaching out your hand. There are also multiple methods for teaching your puppy this trick which will stay with them for a long time if you repeat it every so often.
Make Them Wait
This is arguably the most popular method since it is the easiest way to teach this trick. You start by holding out your hand with the palm up and about knee level to your puppy. And then you wait.
The Cavoodle puppy will start to sniff and perhaps lick your hand, but the longer you wait, the more likely it will be that they will extend their paw. Once they lift their paw, you tell them “Good puppy!” and extend out a treat. The paw does not have to meet your hand at this point, but you are trying to encourage them to lift it up.
It will not take long for your Cavoodle to figure out that each time they lift their paw and place it in your hand, they will receive a treat. So, you will want to add a verbal command. Say “Shake” as you put your hand out to them. They will both see your hand and respond to your verbal cue and place their paw in your hand.
It takes a little patience with this method, but it is easy to do and before you know it, your Cavoodle puppy will be shaking hands.
Tap the Paw
This is a different and more direct method. It starts by using your index finger to gently tap the back of the paw under the dewclaw. Which is the extra nail that you’ll see on the upper part of the paw on the inside.
The Cavoodle puppy will instinctively react by pulling up their paw from the pressure. It may take a few tries, but soon your puppy should lift up their paw. Once they pick it up, turn your hand over and pick up the paw, holding it gently in your palm.
At this point, you should praise your puppy and reward them with a treat. This will help clue in your puppy that when reaching for their paw, they should lift it in response. Adding the word, “Shake” helps them to confirm your intentions and soon they will be shaking hands with you.
Keep in mind that this only works on one paw, so to have them do both you will need to train your Cavoodle for each paw separately.
Understanding how to teach a Cavoodle puppy to shake hands is a simple, fun way to further the bond between you and your dog. You’ll want to wait until the puppy is old enough to learn the trick, such as being six months old is a good start. However, it is a simple trick that anyone can teach if you have a little patience.
