The Hand-Touch Reset

Once the dog feels safe nearby, give it one easy win to rebuild on: the hand touch. Hold out your flat palm. The moment the dog bumps it with its nose, mark it and deliver five treats at once, a jackpot. Repeat in tiny sessions. You are teaching one clear idea: reaching toward your hand makes wonderful things happen. That directly rewires the flinch into a reach. Keep using only top-value treats and the easiest behaviors, and skip anything that still triggers fear, like nail trims, until trust is solid.