How to Train a Puppy With Hand Signals

Getting your dog to respond to hand signals will help him learn to focus on you when he is distracted or excited.

It's fairly easy to train a puppy using hand signals. You are going to be training him anyway, so you may as well go ahead and teach hand signals as well as verbal commands. However, there are certain things you must do when teaching hand signals that are not necessary in verbal command training.

Things You'll Need

• Kibble
• Puppy treats

Instructions

1. Match the hand signals and the commands. You must be very consistent when teaching hand signals. Therefore, the motions need to be easily repeated and easy for you to remember. It is best if you can choreograph them with your other training movements. For example, if you are trying to teach your puppy to sit by raising kibble over his head, you should use a hand motion that involves an upward movement.

2. Start out in a distraction-free environment. It should be still and quiet. Other than you and your puppy, you need as little movement as possible. This will help you attract your puppy's attention easily, so she sees your hand signal as well as hearing your verbal command.

3. 

   Eliminate the verbal part of the command over time. As your puppy learns what to do in response to a specific verbal command and signal, start whispering the command and then stop saying it at all. When your puppy responds appropriately, continue to reward him with a piece of kibble or other treat.

4. Eliminate the treat over time. Throughout this process, you will have been praising your dog and rewarding her good behavior with food. Once she has figured out what you want, you should start to phase out the treats. Your puppy wants to make you happy and will obey for praise alone.

5. Focus on one command at a time. While you are training your puppy, you also need to focus, just like your dog. This means that if you are working on a "sit command, you cannot also work on "stay." Reward your puppy only for doing precisely what you asked, and do not allow yourself to be "talked" into giving the animal rewards for doing other things you did not ask for. This also means that, if you inadvertently make the "sit" gesture and your dog sits, you must reward him immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• Training classes are always a good idea if you have never before had a dog or tried to train a puppy.