Many people train their dogs to shake hands, and it might not take long for your dog to pick up this habit. There's little debate that shaking hands with your dog can be fun — it may seem as though you're forming a bond with the animal. However, as cute as this behavior may be, it's also something that you should seek to curb. If you have trouble getting your dog to stop this behavior, a professional dog trainer can be the perfect person to help you. He or she can work with the dog for a short amount of time until the dog is no longer tempted to lift its front paw. Here are some reasons to curb this behavior.

It May Scare Some Children

If you have kids, they might be fine with shaking hands with your family dog. This won't necessarily be the case for every child, though. If you have nieces and nephews, neighborhood kids, or friends of your children over to visit, it's possible that some of these individuals are afraid of dogs. When your dog lifts its paw in the direction of a child, the child may view this behavior as threatening and become upset. This can especially be true in the case of a big dog.

It Could Lead To Clothing Damage

Even if you don't mind this behavior, for the most part, a few instances of your dog's paw damaging your clothing could change your mind. For example, if you were to wear nylons when your dog approaches and lifts its paw, its claws could easily slice through the thin nylon fabric. Such an instance would be a hassle, especially if you were on your way out the door. A dog's muddy paw could also leave a mess on clothing, prompting you to change clothes.

It Might Damage Items Around The House

It's possible that your dog will be keen on lifting its front paw as often as possible. This may be because when it has offered to shake hands with you, you've given it a considerable amount of praise. The dog may start to lift its paw toward pieces of furniture or other objects around the house, which could be problematic. A large dog's paw could cause damage to items on a coffee table, for example, or perhaps leave scratch marks on the cushion of a leather sofa. When you can hire a dog trainer to correct this behavior, you'll be able to avoid all of these unwanted issues.

To curb these and other bad habits, contact a company like David's Dog Training.

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