I am teaching my mutt Ace the “touch” command.
I have a silent competition with my friend Maren to own the canine that knows the most tricks. Ace is now learning “touch” because Maren’s canine already knows it. She was good enough, though, to help Ace and I.
The touch command seems pointless at first, a modified version of “come.” The goal is to have my canine touch his nose to the palm of my hand whenever I say “touch.”
Ace seems to understand the command already and comes running, eager for a treat. He’s up for anything that involves food and has always had an practically ideal recall (click here for how to instruct your canine to come).
Uses of the touch command
1. The touch command can substitute for the come command.
Since many dogs will delight in the touch command, it can be used as a substitute for the word “come.” If your canine knows touching your hand will result in a treat or praise, then he will always be eager to run up and touch your hand. “Touch” ought to be fun for your dog, like a game.
2. You can instruct your canine to touch any object.
The touch command is used to start much more advanced “targeting.” Targeting is when a canine is taught to push, press or touch an object. once my canine will touch my hand, I will be able to direct him to “go touch” objects even more away. This is how trainers begin to instruct service dogs to hit a light switch or to lock doors.可能性は無限大。
Ace probably won’t be doing anything useful. instead he’ll be learning this command to challenge him mentally. Plus, it’s cute. In a way, he has some targeting already learned. When I tell him to “get Scout,” he runs over and licks my cat. Scout is such a good sport!
3. use the touch command to redirect your dog’s attention.
You can use the touch command to distract your canine from something he might bark at on a walk or while you are at home. I already used the touch command last night to distract Ace from another canine that was in our yard. He was starting to growl at the distant dog, but when I told him “touch,” he focused on me instead.
How to instruct your canine the touch command:
When training a canine to do anything, it’s best to break a concept down into easy steps. I don’t use a clicker, but the touch command would be the ideal time to introduce your canine to clicker training. With clicker training, you immediately click when your canine does the behavior you are looking for.
1. Hold out your hand and tell your canine to touch.
Put a small treat between two of your fingers to attract your dog’s nose to your hand (this also works for cats).
It’s easiest if your canine is sitting or standing in front of you at first. just hold out that hand and say “touch.” Your canine will automatically put his nose to your hand searching for that treat!
2. Reward the canine by giving him a different treat with your other hand.
If you are using a clicker, hold it in your opposite hand and click as soon as your dog’s nose touches your hand. then give him a treat.
Do not let your canine take the treat from the hand he touched. Instead, immediately give him a treat from your other hand. This will instruct him to rapidly touch your hand and then look to you for a treat. The goal is to touch your hand, not look for the treat.
You will soon be able to direct your canine to touch objects that are even more away. He will touch an object and then get a reward from you.
If you want your canine to go look for treats, then instruct your canine to “find it,” which is different than “touch.”
3. change the height of your hand.
Once your canine has been successful touching your hand in one spot, relocation your hand a little higher or lower and say “touch.”
4. say “touch” without a treat in your hand.
It will probably only take your canine two or three repetitions to figure out if he touches his nose to your hand he gets a treat. So, after success with that step, relocation on and hold out your hand with nothing in it. say “touch” and give him a treat from your opposite hand once he does it. If your canine is confused, then go back to using treats.
5. switch hands.
Hold out your opposite hand and say “touch.” give the reward from the other hand.
After I had been using the same hand for quite awhile, I saw Ace thinking about what to do when I switched hands. I caught that mutt off guard! Ace was confused at first, so I put one hand behind my back.
This gave him one option, touch the outstretched hand! I rotated hands every other time for awhile, so he learned to look for the hand I held out.
Touching your hand might be enough for you and your dog, but to make it much more interesting, you can instruct him to touch other objects bTeach your canine the touch command (###) I am teaching my mutt Ace the “touch” command.
I have a silent competition with my friend Maren to own the canine that knows the most tricks. Ace is now learning “touch” because Maren’s canine already knows it. She was good enough, though, to help Ace and I.
The touch command seems pointless at first, a modified version of “come.” The goal is to have my canine touch his nose to the palm of my hand whenever I say “touch.”
Ace seems to understand the command already and comes running, eager for a treat. He’s up for anything that involves food and has always had an practically ideal recall (click here for how to instruct your canine to come).
Uses of the touch command
1. The touch command can substitute for the come command.
Since many dogs will delight in the touch command, it can be used as a substitute for the word “come.” If your canine knows touching your hand will result in a treat or praise, then he will always be eager to run up and touch your hand. “Touch” ought to be fun for your dog, like a game.
2. You can instruct your canine to touch any object.
The touch command is used to start much more advanced “targeting.” Targeting is when a canine is taught to push, press or touch an object. once my canine will touch my hand, I will be able to direct him to “go touch” objects even more away. This is how trainers begin to instruct service dogs to hit a light switch or to lock doors.可能性は無限大。
Ace probably won’t be doing anything useful. instead he’ll be learning this command to challenge him mentally. Plus, it’s cute. In a way, he has some targeting already learned. When I tell him to “get Scout,” he runs over and licks my cat. Scout is such a good sport!
3. use the touch command to redirect your dog’s attention.
You can use the touch command to distract your canine from something he might bark at on a walk or while you are at home. I already used the touch command last night to distract Ace from another canine that was in our yard. He was starting to growl at the distant dog, but when I told him “touch,” he focused on me instead.
How to instruct your canine the touch command:
When training a canine to do anything, it’s best to break a concept down into easy steps. I don’t use a clicker, but the touch command would be the ideal time to introduce your canine to clicker training. With clicker training, you immediately click when your canine does the behavior you are looking for.
1. Hold out your hand and tell your canine to touch.
Put a small treat between two of your fingers to attract your dog’s nose to your hand (this also works for cats).
It’s easiest if your canine is sitting or standing in front of you at first. just hold out that hand and say “touch.” Your canine will automatically put his nose to your hand searching for that treat!
2. Reward the canine by giving him a different treat with your other hand.
If you are using a clicker, hold it in your opposite hand and click as soon as your dog’s nose touches your hand. then give him a treat.
Do not let your canine take the treat from the hand he touched. Instead, immediately give him a treat from your other hand. This will instruct him to rapidly touch your hand and then look to you for a treat. The goal is to touch your hand, not look for the treat.
You will soon be able to direct your canine to touch objects that are even more away. He will touch an object and then get a reward from you.
If you want your canine to go look for treats, then instruct your canine to “find it,” which is different than “touch.”
3. change the height of your hand.
Once your canine has been successful touching your hand in one spot, relocation your hand a little higher or lower and say “touch.”
4. say “touch” without a treat in your hand.
It will probably only take your canine two or three repetitions to figure out if he touches his nose to your hand he gets a treat. So, after success with that step, relocation on and hold out your hand with nothing in it. say “touch” and give him a treat from your opposite hand once he does it. If your canine is confused, then go back to using treats.
5. switch hands.
Hold out your opposite hand and say “touch.” give the reward from the other hand.
After I had been using the same hand for quite awhile, I saw Ace thinking about what to do when I switched hands. I caught that mutt off guard! Ace was confused at first, so I put one hand behind my back.
This gave him one option, touch the outstretched hand! I rotated hands every other time for awhile, so he learned to look for the hand I held out.
Touching your hand might be enough for you and your dog, but to make it much more interesting, you can instruct him to touch other objects b