#Hand signals for dog commands how to#
#Hand signals for dog commands professional#

“Targeting is where the human holds out their hand or fist, and the dog is taught to 'target' (or bop, usually with nose) the hand,” says Gore.Īgain, reward your pooch with a dog treat when he targets your hand. Another fun hand signal for this behavior is targeting. Come or “Target”Īccording to Gore, recall cues are sometimes taught with a wave or a hand gesturing inward. Give a treat when he listens to the cue, and shower him with praise. Whichever cue you use, make sure it is consistent and use the general principles as above. Gore notes that sometimes a closed fist is used to indicate down. To teach a dog the hand signal for down, start with your dog sitting in front of you. When your pup sits, give him one or two dog treats and praise him. “It’s almost as if you are holding an imaginary plate of food over your dog,” says Gore. For sit, hold your hand with your palm up, above the dog's head. With the other hand, you’ll use your hand signal. Hold a tasty treat, such as Wellness WellBites grain-free beef and turkey recipe soft and chewy dog treats, in one hand. Start with your dog standing in front of you.

#Hand signals for dog commands how to#

Ready to learn how to train your dog to respond to hand signals? Here are easy four hand signals for dogs that you can teach your pup today: 1. Cues You Can Teach Your Dog Using Hand Signals Other forms of training-like shaping with a clicker, for example-require skill and finesse not always possessed by the average dog person (or trainer, for that matter).” Dog hand signals are easier for you to execute and for your dog to understand. According to Jessica Gore, CPDT-KA, animal behaviorist and founder of Competent Pup, “For the average person, hand signals may be the way to go, and will definitely offer results.

Using hand signals for dogs during training also helps to minimize user error. It only makes sense that dogs learn and respond so well to body cues. From saying they are ready to play or expressing they aren’t comfortable with something, they can do it all with body positioning,” says dog trainer and founder of Fun Paw Care, Russell Hartstein, CDBC. Yes, they use vocal cues too, but their body cues are more dominant. “Dogs communicate with each other primarily through body language. Using dog hand signals for training is effective because of a dog’s innate nature and propensity for understanding body language. They’re especially useful when teaching deaf or hard-of-hearing dogs or when training in a noisy environment. Hand signals for dogs are easy to teach and use. In fact, they’re one of the most effective cues you can use to train your dog. Many pet parents use voice cues, but hand signals for dogs are completely underrated as cues. A “cue” is a stimulus used to get your dog to do a particular action or trick, like sitting or giving you his paw. When it comes to training your dog, there are a variety of “cues” you can use.

#Hand signals for dog commands professional#

That’s exactly why the Association of Professional Dog Trainers created the National Train Your Dog Month in 2010-to remind pet owners to make training a part of everyday life with their dogs. January is National Train Your Dog Month, and there’s no better way to celebrate the bond you have with your pup than by teaching him a few tricks in an exciting, new way.