You can train your puppy to shake his head as a cute trick or as a way to tell you 'no'. Imagine asking your puppy if he’s ready to do something like go to bed or put away his toys and his response is a simple 'no' as he shakes his head. This is a cute way to communicate without the need to make sounds or speak.
Alternatively, you can also train your dog to shake his head in the opposite direction to say 'yes'. A shake up and down, or a nod, would mean 'yes', while a shake side to side would give you the simple answer of 'no' when you ask your puppy a question.
No matter what you want your dog to communicate, teaching him to shake his head will require time, repetition, and rewards. Training the motion to shake could occur as your dog watches you move a treat from one side to another or from up to down. He will then associate a command you give him to the movement of the shake by way of rewards. You can also train your dog to target, therefore, moving his head from side to side while conditioning himself to shake his head. You can also train your dog to mimic your movements as you shake your head. This is a fun trick puppies will love learning, but if you have an older dog you can train him as well.