How to Train Your Dog to Walk on His Front Legs
Introduction
Teaching your dog to walk on his front legs is more difficult than teaching your dog to walk on his hind legs. But much like teaching your dog to walk on his hind legs, it will take some time and a little bit of added strength for your dog to perform. Walking on front legs is typically a trick for tiny breeds and small breeds. Most large breed dogs or even medium sized dogs will not have enough strength in their front legs to walk on them.
This is a very cute trick and an incredibly impressive trick, even for small breeds to do. Many dog owners who teach their dogs to walk on their front legs have also taught their dogs to walk on their hind legs and do other tricks. This is a fun trick to have children or even just friends and neighbors to ask your dog to do while they meet you around the neighborhood. Your dog could be the life of the party with his incredibly fun tricks.
Defining Tasks
Walking on front legs starts with target training with his rear legs. From target training, he will learn to stand up in a handstand position and from there he will be walking. This will take time-- even more time than learning how to walk on his hind legs. Dogs' rear legs are typically stronger than their front legs, so your dog will need a few weeks to build up the muscle strength in his front legs in order to place all of his body weight on those two legs and then maneuver his legs into a walking position. Have some time and some patience with this one. It is a fun trick but it will require some work.
Getting Started
To teach your dog how to walk on his front legs you are going to need to start in a handstand position. There are few ways to do this. Just make sure you have treats to reward for every step of the way no matter which method you choose. You're also going to need time to do short sessions to give your dog's body time to rest and for your dog's brain time to work and click with commands and actions. Have some patience. It may take a few weeks, but your dog, especially the little ones, should get this with lots of time and practice.
The Stacking Books Method
The Target Method
The Wheelbarrow Method
Written by Stephanie Plummer
Published: 11/08/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
More articles by Stephanie Plummer
Success Stories and Training Questions
Training Questions and Answers
Navy
Not toy motivated at all. She won't pick up a toy, not even when thrown. She will tug it while someone holds it, but if I drop it, she does too!
She is supposed to become a service dog when she turns two and passes her test, but if she won't even pick up a toy, she will flunk! Please help!
1123 Dog owners recommended
Hello Keirey, She may never be super excited about fetch, but for task training where pup retrieves objects for you for service work you can teach a Take It command, Hold, Fetch, and Drop It command as cues...more like a command than a game in this case. If she likes food, take it can be taught using food first, then when you transition to objects you can use an object that you can smear a little liver paste, soft cheese, or peanut butter on (avoid xylitol found in some sugar free peanut butters - it's toxic to dogs). Reward pup for putting their mouth on the toy, with an additional treat. I would point to the treat then toy when you are telling pup to Take It, so that once pup will take those on command, you can point to an object without a treat smeared on it and say take it, then give the treat right after. Check out this article on teaching retrieving commands. Some of these methods you will need to substitute a toy reward for a treat instead, or start by using food at first. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-to-fetch/ Hold command: https://wagwalking.com/training/hold-an-object Make the focus and the reward the treat, and the object picking up, holding, retrieving and dropping the task - motivate pup to interact with the object in order to earn the reward, even if they aren't motivated by the toy itself. This is a gentler version of what's called force fetching. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Was this experience helpful?
You May Also Like
Add a comment to Navy's experience