Are you doing some dog obedience training to fix your dog’s behavior problems? If you are, then you must use hand signals in addition to verbal commands that you want your pet to follow. The hand signals work most of the time, especially when your pet cannot hear you. Actually, these are more effective ways to ensure your dog pays close attention to you even from a couple of meters away, as long as it can see you.

And these are what trainers of agility dogs and hunting dogs use to control the actions of these dogs while in the field. By using the right hand signals during dog training, they can make the dogs turn left or right, go fast, stop, or stay put. Now, you can also do these to your pet without using verbal commands. Learn these first three hand signals and teach them to your dog while doing dog obedience training.

1. For the “sit” command, here’s the hand signal: bend your arm upwards at the elbow and then raise your hand with fist closed up to your head’s side while you command your dog to sit simultaneously. Keep on doing these hand movements while commanding your dog to sit. Later on, your pet will soon learn how to associate the hand signal with your vocal command. Now, if you are not able to get your dog’s attention the first time you try the hand signal, don’t punish it. Instead, keep trying or better yet, make sure you have a leash in your left hand.

2. For the “down” command, the hand signal is just like when you are asking someone to sit down at the same time saying, “Have a seat.” To teach your dog the hand signal for down, you need to hold your arm out towards your pet and then lower your hand, on which your palm faces down towards the floor. While doing this, give the “down” command, and your dog will follow your hand signal into the down position. Just like in the sit hand signal, keep repeating this until your dog learns to associate the lowering of your hand towards the floor as part of the “down” command.

3. For the “stay” command, first, put your dog into the sit or down position. Afterwards, hold out your arm towards your pet, with your palm’s position similar to that of a policeman who’s using hand signal to stop traffic. And just like in the previous two commands, do this at the same time command your dog to “stay”, with your firm tone of voice. If at first, your dog does not follow, try it again until he recognizes that hand signal means “down”.

Using hand signals can really do a lot when training your dog. Although you may find it difficult to make your dog obey at first, don’t give up, but instead keep repeating the signals until it understands what you are trying to communicate. Take note that if you are consistent and thorough in showing your pet those hand signals, the faster it will respond.

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Don’t fret, my friend! You could probably use a little jazz.  Specific command words are not that difficult and important. The thing here should be the consistency of its usage. My friend, Wiki, here can give you a bit of a blast. Some of these certain commands are accepted as standard, while others are commonly used.

Here is a list you might find quite interesting:

Let us start off with the basic commands

1.) Sit – it is a mono-syllabic word that requires a bit of an authentic tone that would require for your dog to be in a sitting position.

2.) Down – just like #1, this also requires an abrupt tone for the dog to be typically down when its elbows (front feet) and hocks (rear legs) are touching the ground or floor.

3.) Heel – The dog’s head or shoulder is parallel to the handler’s leg on the left side of the handler.

4.) Come or Here – (referred to as the recall) you just really got to call your dog which equates the whole command.

5.) Stay – another command that requires another snap for the dog to remain in the sitting position (sit, down, stand), and location under which the command was given until it is released by the handler

Those were just some of the basic ones, but wait! Here is something for those who are too hungry to actually stop.  The advanced commands are the following (which may need more patience and dedication):

1.) Stop – Wiki says that the dog commanded will simply stop whatever it is doing, and lie down on command no matter how far it is from its keeper is a dog that can be taken anywhere. Some handlers use the German word PLATZ (related to place, i.e. stay in position) for this action.  A little bit demanding, but who knows when your dogs needs it.

2.) Back up – keepers of large dogs or dogs with reputation (a must quote!) for aggressiveness can make strangers more comfortable by teaching the dog to back up on command. This command might probably be very useful for police dogs.

3.) Growl – now this is what you guys should be talking about. In case you are bullied, this is the inverse of backing up. Some owners teach non-aggressive dogs to growl on a subtle command –not the word “growl”, just usually a small hand gesture –as a way of letting strangers know that you and your dog value being left alone.

4.) Steady – to keep near by. The dog can walk free, but not dash off. This can be very valuable to sport dogs, and/or during competitions.

5.) Stand – on this command, the dog stands still. Funny how this is seems so advanced; it is very valuable for “grooming”. Many dogs are groomed frequently, that they need to stand quietly during the process. You can also use this when you want your dog to wait for you at the park, while lining up for an espresso at Starbucks seven in the morning.

6.) Go to bed, kennel, or get in – this command directs the dog to go to its bed, and remain there unreleased. This is somehow useful to keep a dog out from underfoot, and safe in a busy or complicated situation.

7.) Drop or Drop it – to release something they just picked up; very useful when they’re about to chew your sandals off.

8.) Leave it – an adjunction to Drop, directing the dog NOT to touch an item.

9.) Take it – the dog leaves a desired object untouched until given this command.

10.) Give – a command teaching the dog to be generous, and/or releasing something your pet has placed in his mouth on your hand.

11.) Speak – another way of saying “to bark ONLY when I say so”.

12.) Roll over – can be one of the basic commands; this is when the dog lies down, roll over, and stand back up. Quite a bit of an exercise.

13.) Attack – if partnered with the command “Growl”, you (the owner) will be the king of your neighborhood, though mostly used only on Police Dogs. Common commands are either “Attack” or “Sick’em”.

14.) Fetch – can also be one of the basic commands where the dog retrieves a thrown object, bringing it back to the one who threw it, a nice strategy for luring guard dogs (especially when they’re obsessed with balls).

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Dog Obedience Training Defined

The human-dog relationship is something that needs to be enhanced. You should have a healthy relationship in the household so that both of you will feel secured. This training covers a lot of techniques and among them are positive reinforcement, clicker training, dog whispering, collar and leash, marker training, reward training, and a lot others. Whether you plan to do it yourself or hire a professional, the main goals should be achieved.

The main goals that have to be attained during the training include a clear line of communication between you and your pet, strengthen your ties, and spend more quality time with each other. Most behavioral problems such as digging, chewing, excessive barking, jumping up, and many others are likewise resolved through proper training.

The training itself is composed of boundaries or rules which aim to educate your dog to become a responsible member of your household and be in control of his behavior. Basically, he will not be solely confined at home. There will be times when he will be taken out for a walk and it will not help if he will be unruly. Like human beings, dogs should be taught good manners. He should know how to properly behave in certain situations, at any given place, and at any given time.

The Benefits of Obedience Training

Training the dog to be obedient is one prime way to enjoy the company of your dog and one that will surely benefit you in the years to come. Here are a couple of advantages that you will definitely be happy about.

The training will make life simple for your dog. It means his confusions will be eliminated and he will be more aware of his good and bad behavior.

It is a rewarding experience. During the training, your dog will have fun learning. If you will do it by yourself, it is likewise your best chance to spend quality time with him.

A trained dog is a confident and happy dog. He is then a pleasurable creature to have around.

The dog will have more freedom. A trained dog can be left alone unsupervised because you are confident he will not be causing nuisance in your place.

A dog that has gone through obedience training is safer. He will not threaten other people and animals around him.

You will be able to respect your dog just like a true family member and companion.

Overall, the dog obedience training process may take time and it requires you to be really patient at all times. So always be consistent and don’t fall short of rewards and praises as well as punishments whenever necessary.

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When crate training your new puppy, it’s very important to first familiarize it with the crate.  It’s a good idea to encourage your puppy to enter the crate with treats and toys and to make this a place of comfort and ease.  You want your puppy to feel that the crate is a place of safety, like a den, and a place that it will want to go to.  For younger puppies, a small water dish may also be included.

The crate should never be a place of punishment.  In accordance with the above rule, making the crate the place that the puppy is dragged to after misbehaving will only create apprehension in your pet.  Effective crate training is all about making the crate like a doghouse for your puppy, so isolating your pet as punishment is always a bad idea. 

Another way to make sure that your puppy feels at home in its new crate is to make sure that it spends time in the crate while you are home.  Never push or pull your new dog into the crate.  It’s necessary to coax your puppy in with treats and praise.  If your puppy is showing reluctance with this, you may find that feeding it in front of the crate, then within the crate, and finally to the back of the crate is effective.  Remember, this is all about comfort.  If your puppy isn’t comfortable with the crate right off the bat, you’re going to have problems.  Also, remember to keep the door open while you’re home so that your puppy may come and go as it pleases. 

After this step, you may begin to lead your puppy into the crate and close the door for short periods of time to acclimate them to this new situation.  Leaving the room and returning is a good way to prevent an association in the dog’s mind between the crate and complete isolation. 

If your puppy has an accident in the crate, it’s important not to punish it upon your return.  Simply clean up the mess.  As mentioned, dogs have an instinctual distaste for eliminating where they sleep, so this problem will correct itself in time.  When cleaning up the accident, remember not to use any ammonia based cleaners.  Ammonia resembles the odor of urine and may actually encourage your puppy to relieve in this space a second time.

Crate training is a process that requires patience and diligence, but such is the case with any new puppy.  If you follow these simple guidelines, your puppy will be ready to be left alone in a crate of amiable size for up to 6 hours by the time it is over 17 weeks old.

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The first key to effectively communicating with your dog is going to be discipline. It is important to remember that dogs are pack animals and that for them, the way that they behave is going to be dependent on their rank in the pack. A dog who thinks he is the alpha and who believes that he is in charge is going to be a dog who is constantly on the look out for pack members that are challenging his authority. He might be aggressive and he will certainly not be interested in listening to you. Things like eating your meals first, nudging your dog out of the way when you want him to move and making sure that he waits for you at the door before going through it are all ways to prove to him that you are the boss.

Another thing that you need to work on is how consistent you are being with your dog. Your dog needs to be able to rely on you to provide consistency. This means that you need to constantly reinforce their good behavior while looking after their bad behavior. Unless you do this on a regular basis, it is going to be far too easy for your dog to become confused as to what you really want him to do. Take some time and make sure that your dog knows what you want from him.

Finally, it is important to make sure that your dog is aware that he is part of your pack. This is where love and fun come in. A dog, much like a human, has needs that encompass being with the people that he perceives as his family and it also means that he needs to feel as though you are taking care of him. Sitting with him, talking with him, and spending time with him are all things that you need to look into when you are thinking about communicating with your dog.

Take some time and consider what your options are going to be when you are thinking how to communicate with the canine members of your family. Remember that the younger they are, the more likely you are going to be able to get through to them, so if you get a puppy, make sure that you are in a good place to get started with training him.

Find out more about Dog Whispering Here

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A common formality in dog training is to praise and reward every time your companion gets it right. Its essential that your dog is aware of when they have done something good or bad. It doesn’t necessary call for an edible treat every time but using the words “good boy/girl” for example, accompanied with a smile will also let them know they have achieved something.

Dog training requires patience from the owner. It can not be expected that your pet will pick up commands and actions straight away. Repetition is the key here and you must be consistent, keeping to the same commands and actions will make things simpler for your dog and lead to a faster understanding. It might be worthwhile to teach other family members the commands which are acceptable to avoid any confusion.

As you advance through training, test your dog in new situations and environments where there might be distractions. This will be a challenge for you both and will really show what level you are at. Your own garden or in the home is a good start but your dog is going to need to remember commands such as “sit”, when they are out on walks. Aim for a day when you can take your dog on the family vacation, in the safe knowledge that they will act responsibly under your supervision.

If your dog does misbehave, a firm “no” and wave of the finger should suffice and remember to do this in the same moment or immediately after. If you challenge him too long after the incident its likely they will not understand what you are referring to.

Training your dog should be incorporated into a daily routine. Take advantage of feeding times when you can refuse to put his food down until he has obeyed the command “sit”, or “lay”. Your dog will understand that when he abides to this simple command he will be rewarded with food. The same can apply before you take them out on a walk. Encourage them to sit before you put the lead on. By doing this you are implying a give and take rule.

The most important thing to remember is that this should be an enjoyable experience for you and your dog and a little obedience training will go along way in helping you to understand each other.

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