How to Teach Your Dog the Touch Command

Touch or target is a verbal cue that prompts your dog to touch their nose to an indicated item. You can cue them to touch the palm of your hand, the end of their leash or even a sticky note. While using the palm of your hand can help with recall, opting for the sticky note makes transferring the behavior to another object later become easier.

Teaching your dog a new trick

Determining the best way to teach your dog a new trick l depends on how they like to learn. Petco trainers use positive reinforcement to teach this trick using two main techniques. Finding out which one’s right for you and your dog might take a little practice:

• Shaping is often used for complex cues when teaching behaviors dogs do not normally offer spontaneously.
• Luring uses a prompt (like a stinky treat) to guide your dog into performing a specific behavior. Your dog’s nose, and subsequently their body, will follow the prompt, and the behavior is consequently performed.

How to teach your dog to touch

While you can train your dog to touch or target different objects, the following steps outline training to touch your hand or palm. If you decide to use a different target, the process will be the same, just with your chosen object.

Shaping approach to teaching your dog to touch:

1. Place a flattened hand an inch or two from your dog’s nose with your thumb pointing up and your palm facing your dog.
2. If your dog performs any motion toward to your hand, verbally mark and reward them with your other hand.
3. Their mouth should remain closed. Do not mark any mouthing of your hand.
4. Begin to only reward touches to your hand.
   
5. Continue until your dog consistently touches their nose to your hand.
6. Begin curbing rewards and verbal marks until you are only marking and rewarding closed-mouth nose touches to the center of your palm.
7. Slowly move your palm farther and farther away from your dog’s nose until they are moving a step or two to reach the target.
8. Begin presenting your outstretched palm at various positions, requiring your dog to reach up, reach down and turn to reach your palm
9. When your dog is consistently responding correctly, add the verbal cue “touch.”

Luring approach to teaching your dog to touch:

1. Put a small amount of peanut butter on the back of your hand or place a small, stinky treat between the middle and ring fingers of your target hand (firmly enough that your dog can smell it but not take it).
2. Present your hand, with palm facing your dog and thumb pointing up, an inch or two from your dog’s nose.
3. If your dog touches your hand with their nose, verbally mark the behavior and let them lick the peanut butter or eat the treat.
4. Remove your hand.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 until your dog is clearly touching your hand and expecting to receive the peanut butter or treat.
6. When your dog is consistently nosing your hand expecting the treat or peanut butter, repeat steps 2-4 but without the peanut butter or treat. If your dog freely touches your palm, mark it and treat them.
7. Once consistent, add the verbal cue "touch".

Continuing your training journey with your dog helps establish and strengthen the bond you share. If you have any questions throughout your training journey, our team of Petco positive dog trainers is here to help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I teach my dog the touch cue? The touch cue is one of the most versatile foundation behaviors you can build with your dog. It can help improve recall (calling your dog back to you), redirect attention away from distractions, guide your dog through doorways or onto surfaces, and even assist with cooperative care like vet visits. Because it relies on positive reinforcement, it also strengthens the bond you share with your dog every time you practice.

What's the difference between "touch" and "target training"? Touch is a form of target training — specifically, nose targeting. Target training is the broader skill of teaching a dog to make contact with a designated object (a hand, a stick, a sticky note). "Touch" typically refers to nose-to-palm contact, while other target objects (like a target stick or a sticky note on a wall) make it easier to transfer the behavior to new surfaces, distances or directions later in training.

How long does it take a dog to learn the touch cue? Most dogs begin offering reliable nose-to-palm contact within one to three short training sessions of five minutes or less. Adding the verbal cue "touch" and generalizing the behavior to new positions, distances and environments may take a week or two of consistent daily practice. Every dog learns at his or her own pace, so keep sessions brief, upbeat and always end on a success.

What if my dog mouths or bites my hand instead of touching it with his nose? Do not mark or reward any mouthing — only a closed-mouth nose touch earns a treat. If mouthing persists, try the shaping approach rather than luring with peanut butter, since food on the hand can encourage licking and biting. You can also briefly pull your hand away the moment your dog opens his mouth, then re-present it calmly. If the behavior continues, a Petco-certified positive reinforcement trainer can help you troubleshoot in person.

Can I use any treat for touch training, or does it matter? High-value, small and easy-to-eat treats work best — think soft, pea-sized pieces your dog can swallow quickly so training momentum stays high. Treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog's daily caloric intake to keep his or her diet balanced. If your dog has known food sensitivities, check with your veterinarian before introducing new training treats.

When should I add the verbal cue "touch"? Add the word "touch" only after your dog is consistently and confidently offering the nose-to-palm behavior on his or her own — whether you used shaping or luring to get there. Introducing the cue too early, before the behavior is reliable, can cause the word to lose meaning. Once the behavior is solid, say "touch" clearly just before your dog makes contact, and he or she will quickly pair the word with the action.

This article was created with assistance from AI tools and reviewed for accuracy by Petco's content team.