Just like humans, dogs also have a dominant paw. But unlike humans, it’s not as easy to tell.
Humans are between 70-95% right handed, and about 30% left handed. But pups have a much more even split. According to a 2006 study conducted by the University of Manchester, about 50% of pups are left pawed, and 50% are right.
Finding out which is their dominant paw is a lot trickier than finding out a hooman’s dominant hand. It’s not as simple as seeing which paw they reach with. In order to determine the dominant paw, you have to conduct a few different tests which need to be performed several dozen times. If you’ve a very curious pawrent, or just have a lot of time to kill, here is an easy four-part test:
1. If you put your hand out, which paw does your dog shake with?
2. Which paw do they reach with when they are laying on their back?
3. Put a treat or a toy slightly out of reach and see which one they reach with.
4. See which paw they reach with when they want to go in or outside.
