Teaching a Dog to Touch on Command

From left to right:

Lili, Trooper, and Ivie

Teaching a pup how to "touch" on command is a fairly easy trick to teach. You can use just about any prop at first - we started with a mouse pad. For best results, train new tricks in short sessions (just a few minutes each session), but often. We teach new tricks in the evenings and on weekends, when we can devote about five minutes out of every hour to the pups, over a four to six hour period.

Here are the basic steps that worked well with our Mini Schnauzers:

1. Decide on your first prop; something like a mouse pad, piece of cardboard, book, etc.

2. Put your prop in front of your pup and when he touches it (with paw or nose), mark it with your clicker or training word (ours is "Yes!") and give him a treat.

3. Pick up your prop and put it back down and again treat him when he touches it. After awhile, start saying "touch" when you put the prop down so he starts associating the word with the action.

4. After your pup shows some touch consistency, switch things up a bit by using different props, and move it around so he doesn't associate "touch" with any particular prop or place.

5. Try putting your pup in a sit/stay, and then put your prop down a few feet away from him and point to the prop, telling him to touch. Our kids really liked this game - once we gave the command "touch", they would run and pounce on the prop! [As evidenced in the composite picture above]

6. Once your pup understands touch, put his paw print bell on the floor by the door you go out to walk him. Every time you take him out, tell him to "touch" the bell before opening the door.

It won't be long before he's ringing the bell to let you know he has to go out, and maybe, like our Trooper, to also tell you he's hungry, wants to play, or his sister has to go out!!