Cleaning It Up

A messy shake — a quick swat, a paw that bounces off — is easy to sharpen. Hold your hand dead still and only mark when the paw rests with gentle weight for a full second. The dog learns to place the paw, not bat at it.

Then offer your other hand and shape the second paw. Label them apart — "shake" for one, "other paw" for the other — and you suddenly look like a pro.