10 Hand Signals for Training Dogs. Dogs have a keen sense of body language. The majority of cues may be taught to your dog naturally using hand signals as they constantly scan our signals. Research has also shown that hand signals have a higher accuracy rate than verbal cues in getting a dog’s attention.
According to studies, dogs’ comprehension of human pointing motions may be natural, or they may be inclined to comprehend our pointing more so than other gestures. As a result, with training and experience, similar hand gestures may be recognized.
Are there universal hand signals for teaching dogs?
The hand signals used in dog training don’t have an established standard. But for you and your dog, it’s more important to be consistent with the signs you select than it is to follow specific cues. All dog training must be consistent, especially when teaching and sustaining communication. Although there are some things that all trainers have in common, you should choose the signals that seem the most natural to you and your dog.
Why hand gestures are useful when teaching dogs
- It’s more frequent than you may believe for people to use hand gestures, as they:
- come in helpful in several circumstances where you are unable to utilise voice
- dog with hearing loss
- training deaf dogs
- When a baby is sleeping, you’re on a video or phone call, or whenever you want to be silent.
- Boost concentration by teaching your dog to look to you for advice and direction.
- improve mental faculties
- To combat boredom, offer stimulus and enrichment.
- support positive behaviour development while having fun
Tutoring a dog in hand signals
Add the hand gesture to the verbal cue if your dog already understands it.
- Start in a distraction-free setting if possible.
- Have your dog’s attention by keeping their eyes on you while delivering the verbal cue and the hand gesture.
Be careful and unambiguous while giving your signal, and mark or click when the appropriate cue is given. - Repeat a number of times.
- Use the hand signal and the verbal prompt in turn.
- Use simply the hand signal and stop using the verbal cue. Naturally, your dog must be focusing on you! To gain his attention, call his name before giving the cue or hand gesture.
- Sessions should be targeted and brief.
- Start routinely incorporating hand gestures into daily interactions.
If your dog doesn’t already understand the vocal cue, concurrently teach the hand signal and the verbal cue using lure and reward.
10 Hand Signals for Training Dogs
Come.
elbow at your ribs and fist over your heart (much like if you were saying the pledge of allegiance)
Sit.
Bend your fingers’ tips in the direction of the palm of your hand with your palm facing upward.
Down.
Use all four fingers collectively, or place your first finger perpendicular to the ground.
Stay/Wait.
Open palm in the shape of a “stop” gesture.
Watch/Look at Me.
Pointing your index finger or your index and middle fingers together
Go to or place Mat.
Similar to down, you may achieve a simultaneous down by pointing your index finger in the direction of your dog’s mat since you generally ask him to lie down there.
Drop.
fist closed, pointing downward
Speak.
Keep your four fingers near to your thumb and open and shut your palm repeatedly while facing your dog.
Move Paw.
Use a palm-up, extended hand.
Rollover.
If your dog will roll both directions, train him to roll clockwise for the right and anticlockwise for the left using his index finger in a circular motion.
Consistency is key in any dog training, as it always should be. In order to effectively communicate, be as explicit as you can. Consider the many subtleties in our textual communication: There (location), their (possessive), and they’re (they are), for instance, all denote completely distinct concepts. To make the right point, be clear.
