Have you ever heard of hand targeting? Many dogs can benefit from learning to target, which involves teaching the dog to touch her nose to an object — in this case, an outstretched hand. For shy or fearful dogs, hand targeting can be especially helpful in building confidence, because it provides a predictable way for them to interact with people.

In the video below, animal trainer Mikkel Becker teaches Roxy, a shy rescue dog, to hand target. Like many dogs, Roxy needs help staying relaxed around new people. She also needs a strategy for dealing with household items that scare her, like the vacuum cleaner — and hand targeting has helped with that, too!

Check out Mikkel’s advice for teaching this great skill, which can give your dog the confidence boost she needs when greeting people.
https://cdn-videos.vetstreet.com/Hand_Targeting_Can_Help_Shy_or_Fearful_Dogs_(HD_1080_-_WEB_(H264_4000)).mp4
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