Which dogs can learn the chin rest?

This trick is suitable for every dog, regardless of size, health conditions, or impairments. The goal of the chin rest is for the dog to place its head in the flat hand of its human. This can be useful for several reasons. It’s an adorable pose for a photo, with the dog eagerly seeking eye contact with its large eyes. Moreover, the trick can be very helpful in various situations.

For example, during a visit to the vet, the dog can focus on this exercise, making the potentially stressful situation more manageable. Once mastered, the trick provides the dog with a sense of security. To reach this point, the chin rest should be practiced regularly and repeatedly, even under distraction by another person touching the dog during the exercise. Additionally, the chin rest can assist in administering eye drops, removing ticks, or conducting similar health examinations in a relaxed manner.

How do I teach my dog the chin rest?

Target training, especially using a clicker, is highly effective for this trick. This small training tool allows precise reinforcement of briefly demonstrated behaviors. Start by conditioning the clicker if you haven’t used it in training before. The conditioning helps your dog understand that the clicking sound promises a reward and something fantastic is coming. To convey this, take some treats, click once, and immediately give your dog one of the treats. Your dog doesn’t have to do anything for the reward; you click and give the treat right away. He will quickly understand: Click = Treat. Test if he has internalized the principle by clicking once in the next room. If your furry friend comes running joyfully and expectantly, he gets it.

Step 1

Now you can start training the chin rest. In the first step, your dog sits or stands in front of you. You hold your flat hand under his chin and feed a treat with the other hand for confirmation. The clicker is not used in this step; it comes into play in the next step after several repetitions.

Step 2

Now, your dog should independently lower his head slightly and place it in your hand. Hold your empty hand under his head, and as soon as your dog guides his chin toward your hand, click, and give a treat. Refine this gradually. Once you feel the weight of the head correctly, click and reward with the treat.

Step 3

In the final step, your dog will intentionally place his head in your hand when you hold it out invitingly. Now you can associate a verbal cue, such as “Chin” or “Head.” Say this every time you hold out your hand, and your dog subsequently places his head in it.

In the following repetitions, wait a bit longer each time before clicking. This ensures that your dog doesn’t lift his head again shortly because he expects a treat. Extend the moment gradually so that he patiently keeps his head in your hand until you click and praise.