Teaching shake is one of the fastest tricks to train, usually taking three to five days of short sessions

The shake command works because it builds on what dogs already do naturally — they paw at things they want. You are not teaching a new behaviour, just redirecting it to your hand on cue. Most dogs learn this in five to ten minutes per session, though they need practice across several days before the behaviour sticks reliably.

The basic method is: hold a treat close to your dog's nose, move your hand up slightly so the dog has to reach, and the moment their paw touches your hand, say "shake," give the treat, and praise. After repeating this twenty to thirty times across a few sessions, your dog will start lifting their paw before you even lure them. Once that happens, you can fade the lure and just use your open hand as the signal.

Key Takeaways

  • Hold treats in your closed fist at nose height, then open your hand slightly so your dog's paw naturally reaches toward it.
  • Say "shake" the moment the paw touches your hand, then when ready reward with the treat and praise.
  • Keep sessions to five or ten minutes, three to five times a day, because dogs learn faster with short, frequent practice than long sessions.
  • Stop using the treat lure once your dog starts lifting their paw on cue, and instead reward only after they touch your open hand.
  • Practice in a quiet room first, then gradually add distractions like other people or outdoor settings once the behaviour is solid indoors.

The step-by-step training process

Start in a quiet room with your dog sitting in front of you. Hold a small, soft treat in your closed fist and bring it to your dog's nose. Your dog will sniff and paw at your hand trying to get the treat — this is the behaviour you want. The moment their paw touches your closed fist, say "shake" clearly, open your hand to give them the treat, and praise enthusiastically.

Repeat this ten to fifteen times in one session. Your dog does not need to understand the word yet; they just need to learn that pawing your hand = treat. After two or three sessions spread across a day or two, your dog will start pawing faster and more deliberately. At this point, you can start opening your hand slightly before they paw, so they touch your open palm instead of your closed fist.

Once your dog is reliably touching your open hand, begin saying "shake" just before they paw, rather than at the moment of contact. This teaches them to respond to the word as a cue, not just react to the treat. After another day or two of practice, your dog should lift their paw when you say "shake" and hold out your hand, even without a visible treat.

Using the right treats and timing

Choose treats your dog loves but can eat quickly — small pieces of chicken, cheese, or commercial training treats work well. The treat should be gone in one or two chews so you can repeat the exercise many times without your dog getting full. If you use large treats or ones that take a long time to eat, you will only get five or six repetitions per session instead of twenty or thirty.

Timing matters more than treat quality. You have about one second to mark the behaviour with "shake" and deliver the reward after your dog's paw touches your hand. If you wait too long, your dog will not connect the word to the action. A clicker can help here — click the moment the paw touches your hand, then give the treat. The click is faster and more precise than saying the word.

Common mistakes that slow down training

The most common error is waiting for a perfect shake before rewarding. Early on, reward any paw contact, even a light tap. If you hold out for a firm grip or a longer hold, your dog may get frustrated and stop trying. Once the behaviour is reliable, you can shape it into a firmer shake by only rewarding the stronger contacts, but that comes later.

Another mistake is training for too long in one session. A dog's attention span for repetitive training is short — five to ten minutes is the sweet spot. After that, they get bored or tired, and the quality of their responses drops. Three or four short sessions a day teaches faster than one thirty-minute session.

Do not lure your dog's paw up with your hand moving upward. This teaches them to follow your hand, not to shake on cue. Instead, keep your hand still at nose height and let your dog's natural pawing behaviour do the work. Your hand is the target, not a lure to chase.

Moving from the training room to real life

Once your dog shakes reliably in a quiet room, practice in different locations — the kitchen, the backyard, a friend's house. Each new environment is a distraction, and your dog may forget the behaviour temporarily. This is normal. Go back to rewarding every shake for a few sessions in the new space, then gradually reduce the rewards as they remember.

Practice with different people holding out their hand. Your dog may shake perfectly for you but hesitate with a stranger. Have friends ask for a shake and reward your dog when they do. This teaches your dog that the behaviour works with anyone, not just you.

Once shake is solid, you can start using it in context — before meals, when greeting visitors, or as part of a sequence of tricks. At this stage, you can also start using variable rewards: sometimes a treat, sometimes just praise, sometimes a toy. This makes the behaviour more durable and less dependent on always having food available.

Troubleshooting when your dog is not catching on

If your dog is not pawing at your hand after several sessions, they may not be motivated by the treat. Try higher-value rewards — something they rarely get, like pieces of real chicken or cheese instead of kibble. Or train right before a meal when they are hungrier.

If your dog paws at your face or body instead of your hand, you are holding the treat too high or too close to your body. Keep your hand at nose height and slightly away from your body. If they still paw elsewhere, gently guide your hand to the correct position and only reward when they paw your hand specifically.

If your dog knows shake but only does it sometimes, you may be rewarding inconsistently or training in too many distracting environments too fast. Go back to the quiet room and reward every single shake for a few sessions. Once it is solid again, slowly reintroduce distractions.

Building on shake with other tricks

Once shake is reliable, you can chain it with other behaviours. Teach your dog to sit, then shake, then lie down. Or ask for shake with the other paw — this is called "other paw" or "shake left." The process is the same: hold your hand on the opposite side, let your dog paw it, and reward.

You can also add a duration element by rewarding your dog for holding their paw in your hand for longer — one second, then two, then three. This makes the trick look more polished and impressive. Start rewarding only after the paw stays in contact for a full second, then gradually increase the time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old does my dog need to be to learn shake?

Puppies can start learning shake around eight weeks old, though their attention span is very short — two or three minutes per session. Adult dogs and senior dogs learn just as fast as younger dogs. Age is not a barrier; motivation and consistency matter more.

What if my dog uses their left paw instead of their right?

Dogs have paw preferences just like people have hand preferences. If your dog naturally uses their left paw, let them. You can teach them to use the right paw by holding your hand on the right side, but it will take longer because you are working against their natural preference. Most trainers just accept whichever paw the dog offers.

Can I train shake if my dog does not like treats?

Yes, but it is slower. Use whatever motivates your dog — a toy they love, a chance to go outside, or praise and petting. The reward does not have to be food. The key is that your dog wants it enough to repeat the behaviour for it. Some dogs are toy-motivated or praise-motivated, and those work fine for shake training.

Why does my dog shake on cue sometimes but not other times?

Inconsistent behaviour usually means the dog has not fully learned the cue yet, or there are too many distractions. Go back to the quiet room and practice five to ten minutes a day for a week. Once shake is automatic indoors, gradually add distractions. Also check that you are using the same hand signal and word every time — consistency from you teaches consistency from your dog.

How long should I practice shake each day?

Three to five short sessions of five to ten minutes each day is ideal. This is better than one long session because dogs learn faster with frequent, short practice. If you only have time for one session, ten minutes is enough — quality matters more than quantity.