Glossary

Targeting

Teaching a dog to touch its nose to a hand or object on cue, a building block for many other skills.

Also called: hand target, nose touch, touch cue, target stick

Targeting teaches a dog to touch its nose or paw to a chosen object, such as a hand, a lid, a stick or a mat, when asked. Most dogs learn a nose touch to the palm within minutes, using a click or marker when the nose bumps the hand.

It is a flexible tool. A hand target can move a dog into position without a food lure, help with walking beside the owner, move a shy dog toward a person and guide a dog onto a scale or into a car. Paw targets and stick targets lead to behaviors such as closing a door or turning on a light.

Targeting is a skill used to build other behaviors, not a trick to keep for its own sake. It differs from luring because the dog moves toward an object it knows, not a treat.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

In the index now

Related terms

Shaping Building a new behavior in small steps by rewarding each step that gets closer to the final goal. Luring A teaching method in which a treat held near the dog's nose guides it into a position, such as sit or down, which is then rewarded. Clicker training A reward-based method in which a small device makes a click at the instant a dog does the right thing, followed by a treat. Recall A dog's trained response to turn and come straight to its owner when called, one of the most important safety behaviors.