Teaching your dog to cross their paws is a fun and impressive trick that adds charm to your training sessions. It helps reinforce calm behavior and deepens your dog’s focus and confidence. Let’s take a look at how to make it happen.

How to Teach Cross Paws & Why It Helps

It builds patience and focus

This trick requires your dog to hold a still position for a longer period of time than many other tricks. That means they’ll need to use self-control and stay mentally engaged. Practicing this helps reinforce calmness in other areas of their behavior.

It encourages good body awareness

Crossing paws helps your dog become more aware of their limbs and movements. This can improve coordination and control. It also teaches your dog how to do more precise and subtle actions, which makes learning future tricks easier.

How to teach a dog to cross paws in 5 steps

1. Start with your dog in a down position on a non-slip surface. Hold a treat in one hand just past their opposite paw.
2. Slowly guide their paw across the other using the lure. Mark and reward as soon as the paw crosses or even touches over slightly.
3. Repeat this until your dog reliably shifts their paw when the treat moves. Then add a cue like “cross.”
4. Phase out the lure by using your hand gesture alone while still rewarding successful crosses.
5. Gradually build duration and encourage both paws crossing, alternating which side is on top. Practice short sessions regularly.

These steps will help teach your dog to cross their paws, but it’s important to know that hesitation or refusal to learn this trick often stems from leadership issues, a lack of focus, poor coordination, inadequate body awareness, stress in the environment, or difficulty understanding what you’re asking.

And until any behavioral problems are addressed directly at the root, they’ll continue to cause you trouble in other areas.

“Okay, so how do I do that then?”

By developing your dog’s intelligence, that’s how! When they get the mental stimulation they desperately need in a loving, fun, and instructional way, all their behavioral problems start to disappear fast.

To make this happen, you’ll play 21 “brain” games created by Adrienne, a CPDT-KA certified dog trainer whose work has been featured in USA Today and Every Dog magazine. See her amazing results in this video with a dog named Maggie (scroll down).

Adrienne’s training games will end bad behavior while also teaching your dog to sit, lie down, stay, heel, drop, and walk calmly by your side. It’s simple, and it will be an absolute blast for you both. She explains exactly how her system works here, go take a look!

Common Mistakes When Teaching Cross Paws

Rushing the luring phase

Many people expect their dog to cross their paws fully right away, but it’s more realistic to mark any small movement in the right direction. Building up from partial movements creates confidence and clarity. If your dog gets confused, break it down into easier steps.

Inconsistent cues and gestures

If you’re using different hand movements or verbal cues each time, your dog won’t know what you want. Choose a single phrase like “cross” and use a consistent gesture with your hand. Repetition and clarity are the keys to success here.

Overtraining in one session

Dogs can lose focus quickly if sessions go too long. Keep your training short and upbeat, 5 to 10 minutes is plenty. Always end on a win so your dog stays motivated for next time.

Helpful Prerequisite Skills

Your dog should be comfortable lying down on cue

This trick starts from a down position, so your dog needs to know and respond to that cue reliably. Practice in a calm setting first. Make sure your dog stays in the down long enough to complete the paw movement.

Touch targeting can help speed up learning

If your dog already knows how to follow a hand target or touch their nose to your hand, you can apply that same idea to luring the paw. It builds on familiar skills and lowers confusion. Consider shaping this with a clicker or clear verbal marker.

Use a non-slip mat or towel for comfort

Hardwood, tile, or other slippery floors can make this trick harder for your dog to perform. Use a yoga mat, towel, or rubber surface so they can stay balanced. This keeps your dog more confident and willing to try the movement.

Teach Dog to Cross Paws FAQs

Can I teach this to a large or senior dog?

Yes, but take your time. Larger or older dogs may take longer to build coordination and comfort with the motion. Keep the sessions low-pressure and reward even small effort. If your dog has joint issues, talk to your vet first.

Should I use a clicker for this trick?

Clickers can help mark the exact moment your dog does the right movement, especially since crossing paws is subtle. If your dog is already clicker-trained, go ahead and use it. Otherwise, a clear “yes!” or other marker word works just fine.

What if my dog only crosses one paw?

That’s totally normal at first. Most dogs have a dominant paw and will favor one side. After they learn to cross in one direction, begin rewarding the opposite side to encourage balance. You can even name the different directions if you want to get fancy!

Conclusion

Teaching your dog to cross paws is a fun way to boost obedience, coordination, and bonding. Stay positive, reward generously, and keep it playful. They’ll be striking a pose in no time. Have fun!

P.S. Be sure to pin this so you can refer back to the instructions!