I have trained my 13 week old GSD to use a potty bell , to sit, stay, lay down, go potty on command, but I can't get him to simply shake my hand. No matter what I do or for how many treats he just looks at me like I'm nuts . Help ! What am I not doing right ? Is it a balance problem ? I am open to all suggestions . Thanks a bunch .
He may simply not be interested in doing "tricks". Shaking hands is not based on a behavior the dog normally does all the time. The other behaviors are just connecting a command to the dog's normal actions. So, not only do you have to get him to learn the command "shake", you have to teach him to lift his paw. And since most puppies are taught not to paw at people, you are trying to reestablish a behavior that you "took away". Which means it isn't as easy as it seems.
You should try putting a tit -bit in a closed fist so he paws at it, and reward for any attempt he makes to raise its paw, even if its slightly off the ground. Or hold it over him and as he puts his paw up say shake and reward, they soon learn that if the paw goes up, he gets rewarded. Once he shakes paws, you can turn that into a "high five” they build on each other. He’ll probably go through a stage where he starts pawing at you unasked this is normal. Most dogs, once they find out something is being rewarded, will go through a stage where they try to offer it without the cue, just ignore him when he offers it unasked, and only reward when you ask and it will all even out.
I agree with the advice that has been posted and would just like to add that some puppies, (and adult dogs), can have sensitive feet. Dogs like this will often touch your hand, but will withdraw their paw if you try to grasp it. They can be taught to happily slap your palm, or do a high five, but resist having the foot enclosed. Teaching the paw slap builds confidence and the true hand-shake will usually develop.
I can't believe the next day I was playing around with him and he gave me a hand shake. What's really surprising is no treats involved. Thank you so much for your input I really appreciate it.
Congratulations on your progress with your GSD! It sounds like you've done a fantastic job with all of the commands he has learned. As far as getting him to shake your hand, it could be a balance issue or it could be that he's simply not understanding what you're asking him to do. We recommend breaking down the command into smaller pieces and rewarding each step along the way. For this particular command, you may also want to consider using a toy or treat as a means of motivation. As soon as you have tried everything and it's still not working, then you definitely need to hire a professional dog trainer such as Precision Protection Dogs. Professional dog trainers will be able to give you advice on how to best train your dog, as well as provide tips on how to successfully achieve the desired behavior. They can also help you to identify any potential behavioral issues that may be preventing your dog from learning the command. Good luck and don't forget to have fun while you are doing it!
