Paws Up is a valuable trick for taking photos since it requires the dog to maintain a position. And if you’ve taught your dog to look at the camera, you’ve got the potential for a great shot.
By Laura Pakis, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and Cynologist.
Teaching your dog they can put their front paws up on something is a handy and entertaining trick to teach. Paws up is also a fantastic way to build your dog’s confidence and a trick anyone can teach, young or old. All photos are courtesy of McSquare Doodles.
What you need
To teach this trick, you will be using targeting. This means you need somewhere for your dog to learn to place his feet on command. You can use your arm, a chair, the wall–something sturdy that won’t tip.
Also, make sure to do this trick on a non-slip surface, so when the dog goes onto his back feet to put his paws up, he doesn’t slide. A cut-up yoga mat piece that’s in a 12-inch by 12-inch square or foam pad works well.
Steps to accomplish Paws Up
Step 1
Lure your dog with a treat to put his front feet up onto the surface. You can tap whatever you want your dog to put their paws upon.
Step 2
Once their paws are up on the surface, immediately reward and tell your dog how good they are.
Step 3
Give your dog the release cue, lure your dog’s paws off and repeat. Practice 5-10 minutes each session, always ending positively with your dog accomplishing the task.
Step 4
Once your dog begins to understand, add a verbal cue. Say the verbal cue ‘Paws Up,’ wait, then lure your dog into putting his paws up.
Go very slowly if you find your dog is jumping entirely up, and be sure to reward immediately as its front paws touch the surface.
If your pet is still struggling, try feet up on a step or somewhere they can’t jump up and transition back to other situations such as a wall later.
Irene McHugh of McSquare Doodles offers this tip, “We started with larger/wider/lower objects to put our paws on. Like benches and curbs.
I also had them practice wall stands, including on empty playgrounds. 
As the pups got better and wanted to refine the trick, I started asking them to put their paws on narrower bars, like the exercise bars on the sit-up stand at the park or pieces of a fire hydrant.
The narrower objects also helped them distinguish the difference between “paws” and “up” because I ask them to jump on many things. But when I want them just putting their paws on something, it’s easier if they know the difference.”
To get the best shot, dog parents should always have at least a few high-value treats with them on walks. I always have my treat pouch with me, but if I’ve run out of the super high-value treats that Bernie likes, sometimes he’ll take his paws off the object before I can get the shot. But if he smells the yummiest treats rather than just our normal dog walking snacks, he’s suddenly much more engaged with the process.
Step 5
As your dog improves and becomes more reliable with Paws Up, you can start proofing the behavior by adding duration, distance, and distraction.
Increase the time your dog has his paws up before you give him a treat. Also, make the time between treats longer and longer for having his feet up.
Teach your dog that when you are at a distance, the object you point towards is the one to put its paws upon.
Add a twist to Paws Up
Paws up on your arm
Paws up on your leg
Paws on the page (for reading dog)
Say your prayers
Paws up on your back as you walk forward
Paws up on a shopping cart to push it
Paws up on tree limbs or branches
Paws up on fire hydrants
Paws up on curbs, rocks, exercise bars in the park
A cute act asks the dog to “spread ’em” against a wall and then pat down the dog.
Another extension would be perch work for rear-end awareness.
Benefits of Paws Up
Your dog will gain balance and work on its core strength using the paw targeting skills! Besides, since this trick shifts the dog’s body weight onto the opposite set of limbs, it increases strength in those limbs.
So get started teaching this cool trick and enjoy the benefits of great photos of your dogs.
About the author
Laura Pakis, is the owner and founder of Acme Canine, a canine resource website. She’s also a veteran professional dog trainer who is a member of the Dog Writer’s Association, BlogPaws, and the International Association of Canine Professionals. Laura reaches thousands of dog enthusiasts looking to improve their canine relationship by sharing her knowledge through social media channels. Follow Acme Canine on Instagram.
About McSquare Doodles
Bernie and Lizzie are Labradoodle siblings on a journey to become therapy dogs. Check out their blog to learn more about their journey as well as their Instagram account to keep up with their adventures.
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I love looking at dog photos because I thought they were amusing. I thought they just knew how to pose well, turned out there are tricks to get the perfect dog shots. Haha.
Cute! These are some great ideas. I wish I could get my cats to pose. Sometimes I do get some fun shots of them.
Although I don’t have a dog yet, I believe this will come in handy when I eventually come around with getting one
That photo with the bus is so cute. It is amazing that the dogs stood still for the photo.
I am going to try these tips with my dogs. They are little Shih tzus so they have short legs. I will look for things they can put their paws up on. Hopefully they would learn this trick. They are very calm dogs and all they do is eat and sleep. Haha.
Training dogs looks a lot more fun than I imagined, These two are having so much fun (can’t you tell?) and yes, I can see it makes taking a super cute photo so much easier 🙂
This post is really informative. Thanks for sharing these tips.
My dogs don’t do a lot of tricks but they love having their photo taken, so I think they would do this!
Nice shots! I don’t have dogs but I will definitely share these ideas to my friends!
wow! These photos are amazing. They are so so sweet. Now I can understand how much work is behind a dog picture!
I think dogs quite enjoy learning tricks. Looks like it works well for pictures too!!! Loving all these gorgeous images they are so cute.
You capture some amazing photos with those dogs! My dog is extremely antsy when I try to take a pic of him, I will have to try these tips.
My goodness these are so adorable! Those dogs are so cute too. I love how well animals can do with photos.
These are such adorable photos. It’s quite impressive how your dog tricks worked so well. I don’t have a dog, but these are great to keep in mind if I ever get one in the future.
Super adorable pictures. And the views are amazing. But my favorite is the one with the school bus.
They look so amazing in the photos! This is a very cool trick you’ve taught them.
These are really cute and great photos I learned about them. They are best friends for the family.
What a fun idea to take the dogs to the playground! I love these photos and your tips.
Amazing shots! I can look over the pictures all day and still wanting to see it over and over again! Love them all!
Love the photos! The paws up trick makes each photo stand out way more than if they were just standing. I will need to teach it to my pup.
Thanks for sharing
The photos are so cute! My dog knows something similar, but I’ll have to see if he can do this because it’d be great for photos.
Wow, Bernie & Lizzie are gorgeous & such pro’s at Paws Up! I taught my dogs to do it as well, but we have yet to accomplish good hold time. I love the point about it increasing the dog’s core strength and strength in the back limbs. I think I’ll spend a bit more time on getting them to hold their position! These photos are amazing, love them.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Wow, you are certainly a professional! I’m so impressed with how well you got these dogs to pose!
Great tips and I love the photos especially of the school bus, I need to try some of these tips with Layla, thanks
Layla and Me
These photos are fantastic. Some dogs are natural stars; some seem camera-shy. Great tips to set up wonderful dog photos.
Your fur babies are very sweet and well-behaved.
Great shots!
I love McSquare Doodles’ pics! What great tips on learning Paw Up. While have/do use high-value treats to get my Huskies posing for great pics, I love the paw-up trick! Pinning this to share! Excellent post!
Wow, this is so interesting! I really love the creativity here with this “paws up” trick and how many different ways you can apply it in photography. I love them at the playground lol. The photos are gorgeous!
These pictures are absolutely adorable, and the dogs really do look like professionals with their paws up on everything. I basically have to tease my dogs with treats to get any good photos of them, so I will be trying out this trick for sure!
Great tips and great photos! It’s almost impossible to get my two cats to pose unless they want to!
Beautiful photos! I’ve never thought about doing paws up for a photo with Henry. He does know this command. Although, it’s not his favorite. I should practice it more with him. It definitely can yield some adorable photos! Thanks for the idea!