Grandma Held Out Her Hand and Said One Word. Rusty Was Ready.
Lesson one of the afternoon is going remarkably well. Ruth kneels by the coffee table, a folded newspaper and her reading glasses pushed aside, and holds out her hand. Rusty, sitting tall on the faded patterned rug, has lifted one heavy front paw and placed it right in her palm, mouth open in a pleased little pant. She is beaming. Behind them, a basket overflowing with stuffed toys and a rope tug sits on the couch beside a plaid throw, and shoes lie scattered by the door. It looks like a home where the dog has a say in most decisions, and today he is earning his keep.
Shake is one of the easiest tricks to teach, and a nice starter for dogs of any age. Many trainers begin by holding a treat in a closed fist near the dog's chest; most dogs eventually paw at the hand, and that moment gets marked with a cheerful yes and a reward. With repetition, you add the word shake right before the paw lifts. Short, upbeat sessions of a few minutes work better than long ones, and ending on a success keeps a dog eager for next time. Learning tricks is good mental exercise, and older dogs can absolutely learn new skills. Keep treats tiny so the calories do not add up.
Rusty clearly already understands the most important part of the lesson, which is that a paw in the hand leads to good things. Ruth, from the look on her face, may be enjoying it even more than he is.
