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Besides using verbal commands while obedience training your dog, you should also learn the dog training hand signals. The dog training hand signals make it possible to command your dog over distance, as long as you are visible to him-even when he can’t hear you. This is how  hunting dogs or agility dogs  are controlled in the field by their handlers. Whatever the handlers need their dog to do can be done through the hand signals even without using verbal commands.

It is best to teach your dog the hand signals at the same time you are teaching the obedience exercises. Any good dog obedience program of dog training class will teach you the various hand signals. You can even make up your own particular hand signals-just make sure to pick one for each exercise and use it consistently.

Dogs learn the hand signal concept very quickly because they naturally tune in very closely to another dog’s body language as part of the way they communicate with each other. If you are beginning your dog’s training now, be sure to utilize the hand signals as part of your training regimen. Even for a dog that has been obedience trained only with verbal commands, the hand signals will help you over distances, so add them to your training now. Get started by using the hand signals to teach the basic steps-sit, down and stay. This way you are following the usual route of obedience training anyway. Teaching these first 3 hand signals to your dog, prepares him for easily learning all the other hand signals.

• To teach your dog the hand signal that means sit, you should bend your arm at the elbow and quickly raise your hand up to your head’s level, while firmly commanding your dog to sit. Be sure to repeat the same sit hand signal each time you say sit, so your dog can quickly associate the vocal command with the hand signal.
• To teach the hand signal for the down  position you should hold  your arm out straight from the shoulder and then lower your hand with the  palm facing down towards the floor. Do this at the same moment you command your dog down. Your dog should learn to follow your hand’s movement towards the floor right into the down position.
• To teach your dog the hand signal to stay, hold your arm straight out towards your dog  with your palm facing up-the same hand position a policeman uses to stop traffic. Hold your hand out like this at the same moment you command your dog to stay.

If your aren’t already training your dog with hand signals, you should start now. It is a good feeling to be able to signal  your dog over a long distance and still have him respond appropriately.

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