Trick of the Week: High Five, Pawlease!

Teach Your Dog the Ultimate Party Trick

Listen up, humans! It’s me, Biscuit, reporting live from the land of squeaky toys and snack negotiations. Today I’m going to teach you how to turn your boring household mutt into the life of the party with one simple trick: the almighty high five.

Yes, the same high five you give when you nail Wordle on the first try, or when Grandma finally remembers the Wi-Fi password. Except this one comes with toe beans, wagging tails, and the possibility of slobber.

Why High Five?

Because it’s dramatic. Because it makes kids squeal with delight. Because your dog looks like a furry little genius when they do it. And if you’re like me (naturally adorable with a flair for theatrics), you can evolve it into the oh-so-classy wave. Imagine greeting the neighbors with your pup cheerfully waving from the porch—instant neighborhood celebrity status.

Plus, let’s be honest: “sit” is polite, but “high five” gets you on TikTok.

Step One: Nail the Foundation

Before we jump straight to paw-slapping glory, your dog needs one skill locked down: “sit.” If your pup can’t sit, teaching a high five is like asking a toddler to do algebra—possible in theory, but you’re going to end up with tears and Goldfish crackers all over the carpet.

So, get your dog comfy with sitting first. Once that’s second nature, we can move on to paw-lifting greatness.

Step Two: The Tempting Treat Trick

Here’s where the magic happens.

1. Grab a treat. A good one. Not the dusty biscuit that’s been in the jar since 2022—something your pup would trade their soul for. Cheese cubes, chicken bits, or my personal favorite, liver treats.

2. Hold it in your closed fist and place it just above your dog’s paw level. Curiosity will take over. Your dog will sniff, lick, and eventually lift a paw to investigate.

3. The moment that paw lifts off the ground—even a tiny shuffle—say your marker word (like “Yes!”) and give them the treat.

Pro tip: Don’t grab their paw like you’re shaking hands at a business conference. Let them move it themselves. The trick is about their choice, not your wrist strength.

Step Three: Shape the High Five

Now comes the fun part.

• As your dog starts offering their paw more, gradually raise your hand into the classic high five position—palm open and facing them.

• When they touch your hand with their paw, jackpot! Treat, praise, maybe even break into a happy dance. (Dogs secretly love when you look ridiculous—it proves you’re part of the pack.)

• Repeat in short, fun sessions. Think “snappy sitcom episode,” not “three-hour tax seminar.”

Pretty soon, your dog will connect pawing your palm with rewards, and voilà—you’ve got yourself a high five champion.

Turning High Five into a Wave

This is where you level up. Ready?

1. Ask for the high five as usual.

2. Right before their paw makes contact, pull your hand back just slightly.

3. Your dog will “miss” and end up waving their paw in the air.

4. Celebrate that air-paw with wild enthusiasm and a treat.

Over time, add a cue like “wave!” and repeat until your pup is practically auditioning for a parade float.

Biscuit’s Golden Rules for Success

• Keep it short. Training should last five minutes or less. We dogs have the attention span of… wait, was that a squirrel?

• Consistency matters. Use the same cue word every time. Don’t switch between “paw,” “high five,” and “slap me, bro.” Pick one.

• Reward big. Don’t skimp on the good stuff. Training is basically a salary negotiation, and we work for snacks.

• Patience, people. Some dogs pick it up fast (like me, obviously), and others need more reps. Celebrate small wins along the way.

When Things Go Wrong

Maybe your dog just stares at you like you’re asking them to solve climate change. That’s okay. Start smaller—reward even the tiniest paw movement. Or maybe your pup keeps trying to lick your hand instead of high fiving. Simple fix: hold the treat in your other hand and keep your “high five” hand empty and clean.

Remember, no scolding. Training is supposed to be fun. If it stops being fun, we’ll simply quit the job, unionize, and demand more belly rubs.

The Encore Trick

Once your dog has high five and wave down, you can string them together into a mini performance. Picture this:

• Dog sits.

• Dog high fives you.

• Dog waves at Grandma.

• Crowd erupts. Applause, squeals, maybe a standing ovation.

That, my friends, is how you turn a simple Sheltie into a certified party trick professional.

Final Thoughts from Biscuit

Teaching high five isn’t just about impressing your friends. It’s about building trust, communication, and a little spark of joy between you and your pup. Plus, it gives us dogs one more way to boss you around—because once we know this trick, we’ll start offering high fives for everything. Dinner? High five. Car ride? High five. You looked at me funny? High five.

So grab your treats, put your palm out, and let the paw-slapping begin. And remember: if anyone asks, tell them Biscuit taught you.

— Biscuit 🐾

Question from “Curious in Calgary”:

Hey Cricket, I’ve always wondered: how do stars actually make light? Like, what’s really happening up there?”

Cricket’s Response: Stars shine because of nuclear fusion in their cores, where hydrogen nuclei combine into helium through the proton-proton chain reaction. This process converts a tiny bit of mass into energy, described by E = mc², releasing photons that slowly travel outward. By the time they escape, we see them as visible light and feel them as heat… Or as Biscuit would say, Stars are like giant ovens that smash atoms together and glow because of the energy that comes out.

Every episode, Biscuit, Cricket or Kevin (you choose) will comment on one short message or question from a reader. Feel free to send in a photo if you’d like. We might be able to use it! So think of a good one and send all questions and comments to [email protected]

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Until next time,

The Dad, the Mom and all the Pups!

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