How To Teach Your Dog Sit Up, Speak And Shake Hands – In One Day

This video by Zak George’s Dog Training rEvolution is a great demonstration of a combination of dog tricks. It’s vital to continually challenge your dog and continue to teach them beyond the basics. In this video, the trainer shows some tricks that every dog can learn.

Utilizing a clicker for this training is essential because it provides pinpoint accuracy when it comes to letting your dog know that it’s doing the right thing. The main reason for the clicker is to properly inform your dog that every time it clicks, it will get rewarded right after. Clicker training is one of the easiest and most effective strategies to train a dog.

Zak, the trainer in the video, started utilizing the clicker on the first part of the “speak” command training process. While holding a treat on his hand, Zak lures the dog repeatedly and as soon as he sees a form of barking or speaking, he clicks. The clicker is very critical because it can help in perfect timing, letting the dog know that even a little gesture can be rewarded. For this step, you have to take note that your dog will aggressively try to grab the treat from your hand. Never give the treat unless your dog showcases positive progress. With practice, over time, your dog will eventually bark as it tries to reach for the treat. Always give your dog a “jackpot” reward whenever it showcases a huge improvement. Let your dog know that it did very well.

The next trick is the “shake hands” command. Zak trains the dog by simply tickling the back of one of its paws. The starting progress that you can see is that the dog will lift its paw up. It may start with a very low lift but as it improves; your dog will raise it up higher. Keep in mind that when you introduce a new command to your dog, there is a need to say the command simultaneously as it performs the gesture. This will help your dog understand what it is that it’s doing. In the video, Zak, mentions “yes” then follows it up with the “shake hands”. This will set up your dog for success by praising it for doing the right thing and letting it know the command that it’s performing. Zak also reminds to never repeat the verbal cue over and over again until your dog does the gesture. This will confuse your dog. Simply use the cue when it’s actually doing the command.

The last trick is the “sit pretty” command. Zak trains the dog by luring it with a treat near the top of its head. The dog eventually lifts up both legs and drops them with an end result of a “sit pretty” position.

Lastly, you have to understand that some dogs may progress slower than others but as long as you follow the steps of training, it will eventually learn each of the tricks the right way. This awesome video is worth seeing, especially if you really want to add tricks to your dog’s repertoire.

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