How to teach your dog to put their paws up
I use a feet up behavior a lot! From photos to therapy visits I have a feeling you and your pup will love “feet up” too!
From putting your dogs paws up on a wheelchair for therapy visits, feet up on a chair for grandma to pet your cute pup’s head, to helping with grooming, to just feet up for a cute photo – teaching your dog they can put their front paws up on something is a useful and fun trick to teach. Feet up is also a great way to build up your dogs confidence and a trick anyone in the family can teach, great for kids or adults.
- To begin you’ll need something for your pet to put their paws up on to that is study and doesn’t wobble – a chair, ottoman or training platform works great!
- Tap whatever you want your dog to put their paws up on.
- Take a tasty treat and lure (leading your do with the treat) to the platform and up so their front paws go up.
- Immediately reward and tell your dog how good they are
- Lure your dogs paws off and repeat
- Once your dog begins to understand begin adding a verb cue such as “paws up” or “feet up”, use whatever comes naturally for you – I say “feet up”.
- If you find your dog is jumping completely up, then go very slowly when luring your dogs paws up to the platform and be sure to reward immediately as those front paws touch the surface and your dog will soon catch on. If your pet is still struggling try feet up on a step or somewhere they can’t jump up and transition back to your platform afterward.
Once your pet has mastered this have fun doing paws up all over from walls to your bed and more.
Products used in teaching paws up video:
Training platform: Klimb from Blue-9 Pet products
