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How to Train a Six-Month-Old French Boy Puppy to Shake

Training a puppy can be challenging, but it is highly important to train at an early age so the puppy grows into a well-behaved adult dog. At about six months of age, puppies are curious and willing to learn. At this age, puppies will become more independent, and will test boundaries and exert dominance. It is up to the owner to step in as the pack leader and teach the puppy acceptable behavior. French bulldogs are widely known as great companion dogs. They are also known to be stubborn, and training can be difficult. It is important to be patient and to be consistent with training this breed.

Things You'll Need

Dog treats
Collar
Harness
Leash
Clicker

Instructions

- 1
  
  Harnesses support the entire body of a dog.
  
  Put a collar and leash on the puppy to establish control over before attempting any training. Some pet owners prefer using a harness to establish better control of the puppy's body for training.
- 2
  
  Treats help with training, as most dogs are food driven and will react to food.
  
  Take a treat, preferably one that has some sort of aroma, in your hand and touch it to its nose, allowing the puppy to smell it. Do not feed the treat to the puppy.
- 3
  
  Smelling the treat is usually enough to get the puppy's attention for training.
  
  Hold the treat upwards once you have the puppy's attention, and slowly move it toward the back of the puppy's head. Having the puppy's head in this position will make it lose its balance, and to stabilize it will lower its haunches into a sitting position.
- 4
  
  Praise is a helpful tool in training.
  
  Reward your puppy with positive reinforcement by giving praise to let the puppy know it did a good job. Refrain from giving the puppy the treat at this point. Some trainers will utilize clicker training for positive reinforcement. Clickers are hand-held devices that make a short, loud clicking sound. The click communicates to the dog that it is doing the right behavior. Combining clickers and treats when a dog is first learning a command is sometimes useful. As the dog continues to perform correctly, treats can be given less frequently, and clickers can be used to continuously reinforce positive behavior.
- 5
  
  Make sure the puppy is sitting prior to teaching it to shake.
  
  Give the command "shake" after the puppy has been sitting for a few seconds. Any time you teach a puppy a new trick it helps to combine the puppy's name and the command. For example, "Lucky, shake." Gently raise one of your puppy's front legs near the elbow, and slowly slide your hand towards the paw, stopping at the wrist. Try not to touch the paw itself, as most dogs do not like having their feet touched.
- 6
  Shake the puppy's leg gently, making sure your puppy remains sitting. If the puppy gets up, start again with the sit command and repeat the shake command steps. Reward your puppy with a treat if it shows any signs of successfully performing the command. Practicing the command repeatedly, and using positive reinforcement will teach the puppy to shake on its own without the owner having to raise its leg.

Animals & Science