Trick tutorial

TEXT: DR CAROLINE HOWES - SCHOOL OF ANIMAL, PLANT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG

WIPE YOUR PAWS

‘Wipe your paws’ or ‘dig dig’ is one of my favourite tricks by far! It just involves having your dog ‘dig’ or scratch at a piece of fabric (e.g. an old towel, a piece of fleece etc.) with both front paws. It is an excellent trick from which to begin graduating into behaviours beyond your traditional obedience work since it is both fun and easy to teach. There is also a practical side to ‘wipe your paws, ’ which includes both getting muddy paws clean on a towel and building strength in your dog’s front end. From the strengthening perspective, the digging motion uses all the muscles in your dog’s front legs, from their feet to their shoulders, as well as engaging some core muscles. All in all, this can be a great trick to add to your agility dog or active companion’s life!

HOW TO DO IT

1. Find an old towel, blanket, or piece of fabric. Fleece fabrics work particularly well since they do not catch on a pup’s toenails. 2. Take a treat and place it under the fabric. Point the treat out to the dog. 3. Anytime your dog uses a paw to try to get to the treat, mark (with a ‘yes’ or a click), and give them a treat. 4. If your pup scratches multiple times or with alternating paws, give them a jackpot (three or four cookies in quick succession). This will help them realise that more ‘digging’ is what you want. 5. As your dog’s understanding grows, you can start waiting longer before rewarding them to help encourage them to keep scratching or to use both paws. Just make sure you mark BEFORE they stop on their own. 6. Once they reliably offer the behaviour when they see your ‘digging fabric’, you can add a name to start putting the trick on a cue.

HELPFUL HINTS

If your dog is not particularly interested in getting the treat, try moving your hand under the fabric to attract them.

If your dog is biting at the fabric instead of digging, start by ‘resetting’ them by throwing a treat and waiting for them to return to work.

Treat placement matters! Make sure to drop the treats where your dog is scratching to make it seem like the treat is being ‘dug out’ of the fabric.