Do animals have a dominant paw (hand)?

Answer 1

Yes they do!! as was mentioned above whatever paw they prefer to give you first is usually the dominant side. Also I have noticed that when I taught my dog to spin he only likes to do it in one direction and is awkward doing it the other way but his brother knows the same trick and favors the opposite direction. It is kind of like how people prefer to step with right or left foot first..etc etc

Answer 2

Watch your cat play with a toy...which paw does it always use or use first? That is dominant paw.

If you ask your dog for a paw or a shake....the paw the dog hands first is dominant paw.

No different than humans. We write, hand shake, drive with our dominant appendage

Answer 3

I think they do. But I think if you train them to use a certain paw for tricks they will use that paw since they were rewarded for it.
I would have to observe an animal in play to see if which one was dominate.

Answer 4

My son did this as a science fair project. Put a piece of weiner in a jar, where the cat has to reach in and get it. Watch which paw he uses. My son found that most of our barn cats were right pawed, but there was one lefty out of about 8.

Answer 5

It depends on the animal. Cats, like humans, seem to be dominantly right handed. My cats both favor this paw while playing with toys.

Polar bears are dominantly left handed.

Answer 6

When you teach the command "Paw" to a dog,
99.9% of dogs will give you their Left paw.

Answer 7

It seems like they would. Although my dog knows how to wave and high five and it seems like she switches about 50/ 50

Answer 8

I guess they do it you see them using one more than the other.