In this paper, we consider a variable coefficient Calogero-Degasperis equation, a variable coefficient potential Kadomstev-Petviashvili equation and the generalized (3+1)-dimensional variable coefficient Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation with time-dependent coefficients. Shock wave solutions for the considered models are obtained by using ansatz method in the form of tanhp function. The physical parameters in the soliton solutions are obtained as functions of the dependent coefficients. Copyright (c) 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.