Hand Targeting (Touch)

Teaching “touch”, or a hand target, is easy, fun, and is an amazingly versatile behavior to have in a dog’s repertoire. The goal is the dog touching your hand or other object with his nose.

It is a great first skill to teach, as it establishes communication and connection between teacher and learner, gives the dog an easy way to interact with humans, and has endless links to other skills.

This video explains how to teach it:

Unleashing the Power of Touch (Fear Free Happy Homes)

How “Touch” is Useful

Moving the dog without physically pulling or pushing on them:

Into the car
Onto the scale at the vet
Off the couch or move to another area

Focusing their attention:

Instead of fixating on distractions like another dog, jogger, cyclist, etc.
Checking in with you instead of pulling on the leash
Engaging with you in the presence of something the dog is uncertain about, such as interaction with a new person.
Reconnecting with you in the midst of distractions or a busy environment.

Meeting people:

Alternate behavior to offer when meeting people instead of jumping up
A better option than “shake hands”, which may result in flailing paws
Can be used as an invitation to engage:
- Shy dogs can benefit from this because it gives them a structured way to interact with a person; knowing what to expect builds confidence and reduces anxiety. E.g. touch nose to hand, get a treat, and the person won’t reach for me. If the dog is at all hesitant, don’t push them to do this.

Aid to teaching other behaviors:

Moving into position - walking next to you on leash, getting on a platform
Teaching the dog to come all the way to you during recall
“Touch” is the beginning of teaching the dog to bring back and drop the ball
Springboard for teaching targeting to other objects, such as ringing a bell with paw or nose when needing to go out.

Learning to learn:

Invites the dog to engage in training
Establishes a connection between teacher and learner
Introduces the use of a marker, either a word such as “good!” or a click
Opportunity to teach the dog not to mug hands or pockets for food
Can become an “all done” cue to signal the end of training (and no more food reward will be delivered)
Use as a lure to teach a fun trick, such as weaving through your legs, or a play bow.

Invitation to engage (or re-engage):

Can be a “start button”, a way for the dog to opt in for a training session or procedure
When a dog knows “touch” fluently, it can be used to get the dog to re-engage if they are getting frustrated during a training session. If they are struggling to learn a new behavior, asking for a “touch” gives them an easy way to earn a reward, which can overcome frustration.

Fun and games:

Play “tag”. Move away from the dog holding your hand positioned as a target.
“Double touch”. Hold both hands out as targets and have the dog alternate touching both.
Challenge your dog by increasing the difficulty of the position of your hand, such as behind your back or at your feet.

Troubleshooting

For dogs who may be shy to touch your hand:

Put a small treat between two fingers, and put your hand out, palm toward the dog
When he licks/nibbles the treat, mark and reward with a second treat with your other hand.
Once he’s reliably touching your hand, remove the treat and work bare-handed

For dogs who are still hesitant:

Use a long wooden spoon or spatula with a small smear of peanut butter
Once he’s reliably licking the spoon, try it without food
Gradually hold it closer and closer to the spoon, finally holding the “bowl” of the spoon in your palm
Once he’s comfortable touching it this way, remove the spoon and offer your hand.

NOTE: If the dog is uncomfortable with this, stop training and wait until he’s had more time to decompress. He may have negative experiences or trauma around interacting with a human hand, or just doesn’t feel safe enough to engage in this way yet. Never lure a dog beyond his comfort zone.

DISCLAIMER: These materials are provided for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or legal advice. Users should consult with qualified professionals before implementing any training technique that may affect the health, safety, or wellbeing of any animal or person.

By using these materials, you acknowledge and agree that:

Dog training involves inherent risks, including but not limited to, physical injury to humans and animals, property damage, and emotional distress.
Each dog is unique and may respond differently to training techniques.
Golden Bond Rescue cannot guarantee the safety, effectiveness, or results of any training method described in these materials.
You assume full responsibility for assessing the appropriateness of any training technique for your specific situation.

Golden Bond Rescue hereby expressly disclaims all liability for any injuries, damages, or losses of any kind that may occur to any person, animal, or property as a result of using, implementing, or following any techniques, methods, guidance, instructions, or recommendations contained herein.