Teaching "Touch" or Hand Targeting

Teaching “TOUCH” or Hand Targeting

The touch cue is a FUN and EASY behavior to teach your dog with so many uses!

It can help you with loose leash walking.
I can help you call your dog to come to you.
It is also great for training new behaviors and tricks.
You can use it to teach your dog to SPIN or weave in between your legs
It is also useful for times when your dog is curious, but slightly cautious about a new object.
It’s a great exercise for shy dogs to help build confidence with strangers and being handled.
Service dogs are trained to turn light switches on and off are first taught to touch/target a sticky note.

How To Teach Touch:

Hold your hand open or two fingers close to your dog’s nose.
When your dog touches your hand with their nose, say “YES!” (Or click) and reward your dog with a treat from the opposite hand.
Make sure you mark (“YES!” or click) the touch precisely when your dog touches your hand.
Timing must be precise!
Use a specific hand gesture to invite your dog to touch your hand, otherwise your dog might always attempt to touch your hand. (We don’t want to create “un-invited” touches, only when we play the game.)

Once your dog has repeated the touch exercise several times, and is doing it reliably, add the verbal cue “TOUCH.”

Start slowly raising the criteria by changing your hand position, body position, position of your dog, and from different distances, etc.
You can also switch hands for touch. (Left and Right)
You can use a target such as a plastic container top, a sticky knote or a target stick

If your dog is succeeding, make it a little harder each time. If your dog is having a difficult time, make it easier.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TARGETING READ:

Tip Sheet: Hand Targeting

VIDEO EXAMPLES:

Teaching a Puppy to Hand Target