Teach your dog to cross their paws
Crossing the paws is the most elegant trick in the repertoire, and one of the gentlest: lying down, your dog rests one front paw over the other and holds it there. You work entirely with a target, never by taking hold of the paw. Perfect for a senior dog, with zero impact.
Why this trick is so gentle
The whole exercise rests on the fine motor control of a single front paw, with no jumping or twisting: it is left/right dissociation, unusual for a dog, tiring for the mind but not for the body. The hold phase adds a layer of self-control: staying crossed means staying settled.
What you need before you begin.
0 / 5The method
Start on their easy side: most dogs have one. Here we describe the right paw over the left, so reverse everything if it is the other way round for your dog.
Get the paw to tap the target
With your dog lying down and relaxed, place the target just in front of their front paw. As soon as they tap it, mark with a "yes!" and give the treat on the floor, between their paws.
Move the target to the other side
Shift the target a few centimetres towards the other paw, in tiny steps. Their paw has to pass over to reach it: mark right at the moment of the cross. If they wriggle or get up, you have gone too far, so ease back a notch.
Fade the target and add the word
Slide the target under their paw, then remove it altogether. At the same time, add the cue: a small crossing gesture of the finger, and the word "cross", said just once, right before the gesture.
Teach them to hold it
Reward in position, on the floor: first two seconds, then five, then ten, with a clear release ("ok!"). It is this held cross that gives the trick all its charm.
This is the trick to favour for an older or arthritic dog: fine motor control, zero impact, big mental workout (field consensus). Bonus: asked of a dog already lying down, the held cross often extends their calm.
To go further
- AVSAB — Position Statement on Humane Dog Training (2021)
Frequently asked questions
How do I teach my dog to cross their paws?
Teach it with a target, never by taking hold of the paw. With your dog lying down, get them to tap a piece of sticky paper, move it a few centimetres towards the other paw so that it has to pass over, mark the cross with a "yes!", then remove the target and add the word "cross". Finish with the hold: they keep the cross for two, five, then ten seconds.
Is crossing the paws a good trick for a senior dog?
Yes, it is even one of the best: fine motor control, no jumping or twisting, and a real mental workout, exactly what an older or arthritic dog needs (field consensus). Work on a rug to spare their elbows. And if they always refuse to cross on one side while the other comes well, have it checked by the vet: it can signal discomfort.
How do I teach this trick for a lovely photo?
The winning combo is the held cross, plus a slightly tilted head or the chin resting on the paws. Ask for the cross once your dog is well settled and calm, then reward gently at intervals. It is that elegant stillness that makes the portrait.
Do I need a clicker to teach this trick?
No, no accessory is needed. A simple short marker word ("yes!"), said right at the moment the paw passes over the other, does the job perfectly and leaves your hands free for the target and the treat.
How long does it take for a dog to learn to cross their paws?
It depends on the dog and on your session rhythm, there is no guaranteed timeline. The rule that works: very short sessions, a single criterion raised at a time, and you move to the next step only once the previous one is fluent. Three successful minutes beat twenty laborious ones.
My dog gets up instead of crossing, what should I do?
It is almost always the target moved too far, too fast: they crawl or get up to reach it instead of crossing. Ease back a notch, advance in centimetres, and check that they are starting from a nicely relaxed down, hip rolled over, not from a tense down ready to spring up.
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