Teaching the Dog High Five is similar to the WAVE trick and it’s best that your dog has already learned the SHAKE command.
A lot of tricks build off of previous tricks. For example, if you can consistently have your pup sitting on command, they can go up and down from there.
This trick is no different.
Teach you dog the SHAKE command first because this trick starts there.
Now, give me five…
STEP 1
Start with your dog in the seated position and give the SHAKE command. Don’t treat or reward at this point since there is more to come.
With this step, you want your dog to do what you taught them previously with the shake command. But, you do NOT want to PRAISE or REWARD them for this action.
The reason for this is that there is more expected from them before they earn the treat and praise.
STEP 2
When your dog reaches to shake your hand, move it up higher than normal and make them reach up.
This is the key difference from the shake command. Instead of your dog moving their paw to chest height, you want it to go above their head.
If your dog already has the shake trick wired, they will start to get this quickly. As you move your hand higher, they will understand this is a little different than an ordinary shake.
STEP 3
When they move paw above their head, touch their paw with your open palm and say “HIGH FIVE” then PRAISE and REWARD them.
For this step, you want to do two things.
First, you want to get them to associate the “High Five” command with moving their paw above their head and touching your open palm.
Next, you want to give them a Good Boy, Good Girl to let them know they did something good.
FOLLOW ON:
You want to remove the SHAKE verbal command over time, so your dog responds to shake at a lower level and the HIGH FIVE command alone with their paw above their head.
This is one of the basic cool dog tricks to teach your dog.
It is really straight forward and most dogs take to this command quickly.
