How to Teach Touch to a Dog

Teaching a dog to touch is less popular than the lie down or drop it commands. Still, the command is an essential part of obedience training. Touch, known as nose targeting, helps dogs master more advanced commands and new tricks. 

Teaching your dog the “touch” command can be a fun game and an effective way to build focus, improve responsiveness, and foster a stronger bond between you and your pet. This simple target training involves your dog to touch your hand or specific objects with their nose or paw, and it can be a foundation for various tricks and practical behaviors. This exercise provides mental stimulation and helps with recall training, building confidence, and mastering advanced movements.

If you want to learn more about effective techniques for teaching the touch command to a dog, our 4-step guide will come in handy. Let’s discuss why training your dog to touch on command is practical and how you can do it effectively. 

Touch Command for Dogs: What Is It and Why Do You Need It?

The touch command trains your dog to approach and touch objects with their nose. It helps dogs redirect their focus on you, especially when the dog is far away or in a distracting, noisy environment. The nose targeting has multiple practical benefits.

Here's What You Can Use the Nose Touch Command for:

• It can be an alternative to recall

When you are out in public, especially in a crowded place such as a park, you can use the command “Touch!” to make your dog approach you. The benefit of giving your dog the touch command is that it makes them come right to you, so you can pick them up quickly if necessary. 

• It's a way to distract a dog

When you walk outside and your dog starts greeting every person they meet on their way, you can redirect your dog by using the nose touch command. The dog will come close to touch your hand, allowing other people to pass by. It can also help your dog stop barking at an object when it's not appropriate. 

• Encourage walking

When your dog refuses to walk, avoid pulling them. You can move away a few steps and give the touch cue to make the dog come to you. 

• Desensitization

If your dog is scared of particular objects, training them to touch those objects in a controlled way might help reduce fear over time.

• Build confidence

Touching different objects or surfaces can help build your dog's confidence, especially if they're timid or nervous about new things.

• Vet visits

if you’re trying to build duration on the nose touch command (encouraging the dog to stay with their nose close to your hand), try using this skill when the vet is doing the physical exam so that they're distracted.

How to Teach Touch to a Dog in 4 Steps

Teaching a dog the command “Touch” is a gradual process. You should move from one stage to another only after you ensure the dog consistently practices the behavior. 

Let’s review training your dog how to do hand targeting step by step.

Step 1. Keep the Focus on Your Hand

Choose a quiet and distraction-free place where the training sessions will occur. Make your dog sit in front of you to attract your dog’s attention. Hold a treat and wait until your dog starts investigating your hand. When your dog touches your hand with their nose, mark the behavior with a clicker or a cue word (“Yes!”) and immediately open your hand to deliver the treat. Repeat the procedure until your dog reaches for your hand five times.

Step 2. Add a Verbal Cue

When your dog succeeds in consistently touching your hand, add a verbal cue, “Touch!” Go through the same process and say “Touch!” as you present a treat in your hand. Once the dog touches your hand, mark the behavior and reward it.

Step 3. Change the Hand Position

Fade the treat in the hand: repeat the process without holding the treat in your hand. To ensure a reliable response to the command “Touch,” teach your dog to reach for your hand in different positions. Perform the above-mentioned process, but hold the hand further or higher than the typical position. Mark and reward the appropriate behavior.

Step 4. Add More Length to the Command

Now, it’s time to add more time to the command. You can do it by increasing the length of the nose touch. Go through the same steps, but wait a few seconds before offering the dog a treat. This way, you’ll make the dog keep their nose on your hand. 

You can gradually build up the command's duration by adding several seconds each time you practice. If the dog starts failing, decrease the duration and increase it again once they're having success. It's important to ensure they’re motivated. They should succeed (receive the treat) in most trials.

More Tips on How to Teach Touch Command to a Dog

For some dogs, grasping the concept of the touch command is easy and natural. However, others may experience struggles in the process of learning the cue. We collected some tips that can help you overcome the most common issues dog owners face.

Some Extra Advice on How to Teach Your Dog the Touch Command Effectively:

• Keep the training sessions short and practice daily with some intervals to allow your dog to rest.

• Being naturally timid, some dogs may find touching your hand with their noses challenging. If you notice your dog struggling with this exercise, place a treat between your fingers (index finger and thumb) or use tastier treats to encourage the dog to investigate more actively.

• Avoid pushing a treat in your dog’s nose. Wait until your dog is interested first. If the dog doesn’t try to sniff your hand, toss a treat to get the dog moving and build enthusiasm, and then try again.

• When your dog masters the touch cue in a distraction-free place, you can practice it outside in a different location. You can start giving the command in your yard, move to busier places, and practice nose touches during your walks.

Wrap-Up

The touch cue is an element of obedience training. It can be helpful in different places, including when you need to distract your dog from unwanted behavior. Follow our four-step guide and use positive reinforcement to encourage your dog to do hand targeting on command.