Teaching Your Puppy Hand-Targeting “touch”
The first thing I learned from a puppy trainer back in 2019 was to teach my dog the cue “touch”. My trainer explained to me this cue was a great foundational tool for your puppy to learn. I was able to teach my dog how to ring potty bells by the door when he needed to go outside by teaching him “touch” first.
What you’ll need:
A puppy
Clicker
High value treats (my dogs LOVE freeze dried liver)
Hand Targeting “TOUCH” Basics
Hold your hand close to your dogs, nose, and click (with the other other hand) any movement or look toward it. Remove your hand and after each click, then treat.
Hold your hand 1 inch to the right or left of the dogs nose: click any movement toward your hand.
Hold your hand 1 inch above or below your dogs nose, click any movement toward or touch your hand.
As your dog is reliably moving toward your hand and touching it with his nose, begin to move in various positions, still holding it very close to the dog’s nose.
Begin to move your hand slightly further away; click any movement the dog makes towards your hand.
Continue to move your hands in various directions and positions varying more difficult with easy.
When your dog has done the hand-touch several times, and you are willing to bet money he will touch your hand again, say the word “touch” JUST BEFORE you think he will touch. Click & treat as soon as he does it. Practice lots this week—it takes at least 60 times hearing the cue and doing the behavior before your dog knows what that word means.
Now, after the click, start to toss the treat a short distance away to increase the distance your dog must return for the next cued hand-touch. You can start adding some quick steps backwards to encourage your dog to come eagerly toward your hand.
Targeting can be use for all kinds of useful activities; getting in and out of cars, crates, the bath, or hopping onto the scale at the vets for example.
TIP: If your dog shows no interest in your hand, rub a bit of treat or meat on your hand to get it smelly (you only want the odor). This will get them interested in putting their nose on your hand. You should only have to do this the first session. Once the lightbulb goes on that they get paid for touching your hand, the little jump start won’t be needed.
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Goliath (Archie) from Gidget x Cooper 2022 litter