How to Train Your Dog to Understand Your Hand Signals!

While training your dog can be a challenge, you can make rapid progress with the right resources and approach. This article will discuss how to use hand signals to teach and train your dog to perform specific tasks.

You can use hand signals to teach your pet everything from the most fundamental commands like “sit” to more advanced skills like walking on a leash.

Many dogs raised as pets go through training to learn obedience commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “lie down” so that their owners can have a more positive experience with them. These fundamentals of dog training are essential to your pet’s well-being despite their simplicity.

My dog knows a handful of basic commands, “Stop” being one of them. It seems to me that this is a very important directive. The safety of my dogs is my top priority, so I insist that they obey the “stop” command at all times.

Dogs naturally want to follow things that are in motion. To sum up, they have a lot of fun with it. If this occurs, I hope to be able to give an immediate command that will stop them fast.

The word “Stop” appeared to be the appropriate one. My worries that they might chase onto the road and be run over have been allayed.

Even though it is not optional, it is crucial that you train your dog to obey basic commands like sit, stay, come, and come here. You should train your dog to understand hand gestures in addition to verbal commands.

A dog, like a human, can learn new things from both visual and auditory cues. The steps to teaching your dog sign language are simple.

It is necessary to train your dog to associate a specific hand gesture with a specific verbal command before you can communicate with him.

Make sure your dog understands the verbal commands before moving on to the hand signals.

Let’s check out the fundamental commands:

It is crucial that your dog has impeccable stay obedience. You’re ready to get started if your dog responds to its name from a distance and stays when ordered to.

You should use the “stay” hand signal at the same time you tell your dog to stay. To do this, I thrust my arm out in a straight line from my torso and point my forefinger upward.

Keep working with your dog to get him to reliably respond to this hand gesture as well as the spoken command.

Make sure your dog is gazing at you before teaching him the “sit” hand command. At the same moment you tell them to sit, you might use the proper hand gesture.

I make a pointing motion with my forefinger, only I bend it downward slightly. At the same moment as I issue the verbal instruction, my hand moves downward.

Always do this before telling your dog to “sit” with his voice, and keep doing it until he sits when you only use your hand. After your dog has learned the hand signal and is reacting effectively, it’s important to use it on a regular basis to keep him or her alert.

Whenever I need to lay down, I just say, “Down,” which triggers the appropriate voice command. You may use a hand gesture to teach your dog basic commands by extending your arm downward. Once more, make sure the dog is staring in your direction.

As you give the verbal order, bring your arm down to the floor, palm facing down. The same principle applies as with the sit command; your dog should respond to the hand gesture without any verbal cues.

I’ve already explained why the “stop” command is so crucial to me. When given the “down” order, a well-trained dog will immediately come to a complete halt. Potentially preventing your dog’s death from otherwise imminent danger.

One of the first things you should do is teach your dog the “stop” command. Call your dog from a good distance, just like you would with the stay order. You should give the dog an order to “stay” as he approaches.

If this is a completely new command, it will take some time to implement. Say “STOP!” in a loud, stern voice. That frequently causes the dog to halt and look about in surprise.

For this reason, it is crucial to immediately shower the dog with praise following any correction, lest he mistakenly conclude that he has done something wrong. By doing this, you’re showing your dog that he’s done what was asked of him and that you’re not disappointed in him.

The dog may need to go through this practice for several days before it understands what it means when you give him a command. When your dog has mastered this activity and is responding to your instruction, you may go on to more advanced training.

It is best to use the “stop” command while the dog’s attention is elsewhere. If the dog promptly freezes when he sees the hand signal, you’re ready to advance to the next step.

To do so, I put my hand out in front of me and extend my arm so that my palm is towards the dog. A traffic officer may use this signal to temporarily halt traffic.

In the same vein as the previous instructions, call the dog to you while standing some distance away. Giving the dog the “stop” order verbally and visually at the same time is an effective way to prevent him from approaching you.

It’s possible that a lot of repetition is required, as is the case with any form of hand signal instruction. Make him so your dog always comes when you wave your hand.

You don’t have to use the same hand signals that I do if you don’t want to. Basically, you should always use the same signal to do the same action.

Benefits of using hand signals:

Hand signals can be helpful in a variety of settings. Here are a handful such instances from my own experience.

I had tonsillitis once and completely lost my voice. I was unable to offer my dogs any verbal cues. Not being able to take my dogs outdoors to play with me because they aren’t taught to respond to hand signals would be a major bummer. Just from a safety standpoint, it was never an option for the canine companions.

All I needed was a means to capture their attention after all the signal training. Clapping my hands was all I did to express my approval. When I had their undivided attention, I signaled for them to do what I instructed.

When I take my dogs for a walk around the block, a neighbor often comes over to say hello and chat. The last thing I want to do is interrupt them rudely to yell at my pets.

Instead of using words, I can just clap my hands and make the appropriate hand gestures. I can go for hours without looking at them. It’s inevitable that once I clap, all eyes will be on me.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many situations where using hand signals might be helpful. In my opinion, strengthening your relationship with your dog is an extra benefit of this training. Your dog will start to pick up on your nonverbal cues. Your bond with your dog will strengthen as a consequence.

Watch this video: How to Train Your Dog to UNDERSTAND HAND SIGNALS and WORDS!