HugDog wraps front legs around your arm or leg
A charming trick built on paw targeting. The dog puts both front paws around your arm, leg, or a stuffed animal. Start with one paw (from high five), then shape both paws wrapping around. The dog must be comfortable with close contact.
Also known as: Cuddle, Hold On
At a glance
- Tier
- 3 · Advanced
- Time to fluency
- 3–6 weeks
- Practice
- 3× per week, 5 min each
- Equipment
- Small soft treats, Optional: a stuffed animal for practise
Prerequisites
Your dog should know these words first:
How to teach hug
Lure
Present your arm and lure the paws up and around it
- Kneel next to the dog, present your arm at their chest height
- Use a treat to lure one paw up and over your arm
- Once one paw is reliable, shape the second paw up
- Reward while both paws are around your arm. Not after they release
Hand Signal
Offer your arm and tap it with your other hand
- Present your arm at the right height and tap it as the signal
- The dog should place both paws over from the shaping work
- Build duration: 1 second, then 3, then 5 seconds of hug
Verbal Cue
The cue prompts the dog to wrap both paws
- Say the word, present the arm, mark the wrap
- Try it with a stuffed animal or a pillow for cute photos
- Some dogs prefer to hug a leg while you are standing. Shape what the dog offers
Success criteria
- Unlearned
- Does not place paws on offered arm or object
- In progress
- Hugs on the word alone, holds 3 seconds
- Mastered
- Hugs arm, leg, or stuffed animal on cue, holds until released
Common mistakes
- Holding the arm too high so the dog has to jump
- Not shaping one paw at a time. Both at once is too much to ask
- Pulling away when the dog puts paws up, which punishes the attempt
- Forcing the hug on a dog that is not comfortable with close contact