Senior Dog Comfort & Care

With age, getting up onto places isn’t as easy as it used to be! Training your dog to put their front paws up on a platform is helpful in a few ways. It sets them up to get a nice boost from you to get them into the car or onto a couch when you don’t have a ramp handy. It helps build and maintain muscles in your dog’s core and hind end and builds balance, body awareness, and confidence.

Start with a raised “platform” of just a couple of inches. This could be a sturdy book or block. Make sure it has a non-skid material on top for your dog to place their paws. If your dog sniffs the platform, say yes and toss a treat away from the platform. Repeat, marking with a yes and tossing a treat whenever they interact with it. Once they understand that sniffing the platform gets them a treat, it’s time to up the ante. Only say yes and treat when they put a paw on the platform, and then eventually, only when they put both paws on. Another option is to lure your dog using a treat in your hand so they are standing with both paws up.

Once your dog is standing with both paws up, be aware of how long you ask them to stay there. Start with short durations, just 10 seconds at a time, while they build up their strength.