The importance of Hand Signals

It's important to remember that puppies don't come to us speaking English! Start teaching them gradually, single syllable words are best.

If you think about how they communicate with each other, dogs use body language and vocalisation (barking). Therefore, using visual cues in the form of hand signals can be a very effective technique in training. A lot of dogs respond better to visual cues, so try introducing a simple hand signal once the verbal cue has been learnt, importantly a different hand signal for each cue so as not to confuse them.

We pair the visual cue with the verbal cue and reward with a treat every time while you teach your puppy or dog something new.

Hand signals are used for training deaf dogs so they really work!

Repetition is so important just like humans it takes time and practice learning new skills. And remember, have fun together. Food treats can be fazed out and swapped for real life rewards, such as playing fetch.