How to Train a Dog to Shake Paws or say hello

Shake is a fun trick that's fairly easy to train a dog to do. Most dogs learn this dog trick quickly. After just a few short training sessions your dog will be offering his paw for a shake every time he meets someone new!

Just follow Simple steps

1. Have your dog sit. If he doesn't know how to sit, go back and practice that command before moving on to step two.
2. Hold a treat in one hand, and show it to your dog. Close your fist over the treat so he can't get it.
3. Give your dog the command "shake," and wave your closed fist under his nose to keep him interested in the treat.
4. Wait for your dog to start digging in your hand for the treat. Usually dogs sniff around, and when that doesn't work they begin to paw at your hand.
5. The moment your dog touches your hand with his paw, tell him "good" or click your clicker, and open your hand and allow him to have the treat.
6. Practice "shake" for 5 minutes, two or three times a day. Your dog will be offering you his paw the moment you give the command before you know it.

How to Socializing A Pit Bull APBT

There are many ways to socialize your Pit Bull.  The age of your dog as well as his/her individual personality will help you determine which methods are appropriate for socializing your dog.

Pit Bulls under six months of age should be enrolled in a puppy class.  Many obedience training facilities have classes specifically for puppies, and often part of the class time is devoted to off-leash play with other puppies.  When seeking out a training facility, it is often helpful to observe the classes prior to attending so you can get a feel for how class will be conducted and see if it is a good match for you and your dog.  Off-leash play can be an important feature of a puppy class, but it should be done properly (i.e., does the instructor factor in age, size and play style of puppies when organizing play groups?).

To socialize adult dogs, owners should first carefully introduce their Pit Bulls to other adult dogs.  A great way to introduce adult dogs is to take a nice long walk on leash together.

Some ways that adult dogs can interact with other dogs are:

• Taking long leash walks with appropriately matched dogs of good temperament and good social skills and with known, responsible owners.
• Organized play dates with friends' dogs in a fenced area.
• Taking an obedience or agility class, where your dog will learn to focus on you in the presence of other dogs, and may also receive positive reinforcement in the presence of other dogs.

We do not recommend dog parks or dog daycare providers:

• While dogs can learn good social skills at a daycare or park, they can just as easily learn poor social skills in these largely unsupervised situations. 
• Dogs in a pack act very differently than they do individually; even a well-socialized dog of good temperament can be drawn into "pack behavior."
• There's no way to predict or know the behavior of the other dogs in the group at a park or daycare; many people take their dogs to daycare providers or dog parks with little understanding of their own dogs' tolerance for other dogs; there is often an expectation that "dogs will work it out" however this can occur in a way that results in injury.
• Dogs playing together for long periods of time in large groups with unstructured time or activities can result in inappropriate behavior.
• Dog playgrounds need to be carefully selected by competent readers of dog body language and with an understanding of social canine behavior; there are many people well-intentioned, operating dog day care with very little experience with dogs and, in particular, with very little Pit Bull experience.
• If something does go wrong, whether or not the Pit Bull instigates it, the Pit Bull is usually blamed; every negative incident can result in future problems during dog-dog interactions.

Understanding Different Dog Tolerance Levels

A Normal Trait that is as Flexible as it is Manageable.  This information is designed to help demystify the common trait of dog-dog aggression.  Dog aggression shows up in numerous breeds, and it's generally "no big deal" ...unless you deny it, misunderstand it or exploit it.  Like so many dog owners, we expect that our dogs have the potential to show some degree of dog aggression in select situations.  Our job as responsible stewards is to keep our pets out of those situations by reading their body signals and understanding their individual limits.  At the same time, we work to improve the tolerance of each dog through appropriate socializing opportunities.  Because dog aggression is not a "one size fits all" trait, outlined below are four very common levels of dog-tolerance that we've come to recognize in our work with the dogs.

1.  Dog Social - A dog that truly enjoys the company of other dogs, including house matedogs.  Very easy going; forgives even the rudest dog manners.  Dog-social dogs include most puppies and a percentage of socially mature (14 months and older) Pit Bulls.  Some call these dogs 'cold' Pit Bulls.

2.  Dog Tolerant - Typically non-reactive on leash and either indifferent or friendly to other dogs.  Is well socialized and shows relaxed, easy body language in the presence of new dogs.  May not 'love' dogs that he doesn't know, but has decent tolerance for rude behavior; a long fuse.  Enjoys known dog friends and, in general, succeeds with housemate dogs.

3.  Dog Selective - Has dog friends but is more selective.  May dislike certain 'types' of dogs and/or is easily offended by rude dog manners. Likes to dictate the rules during dog-play.  Can succeed with housemate dogs with supervision.

4.  Dog Aggressive - Has a very limited number of dog friends; sometimes, no dog friends.  May be opportunistically leash reactive with a weak handler and/or no training.  May have a short fuse during play, even with dogs that it knows.  Needs heavy supervision during play and a good leader when out on leash.  Many live successfully with housemate dogs (usually opposite sex) with proper supervision and safe management protocol.

The Bell Curve of Dog Aggression:  Dog tolerance levels are flexible and are determined by environmental factors (handler influence, training and socializing efforts) as much as they are determined by genetics.  Dog social dogs can become less social as they come into their maturity, and dog aggressive dogs can become much more tolerant with good direction and proper socialization.  With the combined
factors of maturity, socialization, good leadership and training, most Pit Bulls fall comfortably in the middle spectrum of this bell curve.