“This is a simple trick you can teach any dog, from a puppy right through to an elderly pet, and then you can expand and extend it to do all sorts of things.
“Teach your dog a paw touch — click or use ‘Yes!’ and reward him for looking at, then moving towards, then putting his paw on your hand, or another specific item.
“I teach my dogs to touch a coaster, then extend the exercise by putting the coaster somewhere so the dog has to ‘send away’, touch the coaster, then race back to get the treat. You can make it a very active behaviour, dependent on your dog’s ability, fitness, and mobility.