Hand Signals/Whistles
Prerequisites: Basic, Advanced, and Precision Obedience
Now that your dog is working mainly off leash and at distances of 50 feet or
so, it's a good idea to add hand signals to your commands, in case your dog
can't hear you.
If you are working in a particularly loud area, or from a very great distance,
we recommend the use of a whistle to aid in your dog's responsiveness. The
whistle is used only to get the dog's attention.
Whistle-prep:
1. Blow the whistle and praise or treat your dog anytime it makes eye contact
with you on hearing the sound.
2. Continue until the dog simply immediately looks at you when it hears the
whistle.
Hand Signals:
Sit - the two most common 'sit' signals are a raised fist, knuckled toward the
dog, or a flat hand, palm toward you. Begin giving one of the these signals
each time you give a verbal 'sit' command. Praise. After about a week, try
giving just the hand signal. If the dog responds, praise. If not, keep
giving the verbal command along with the hand signal.
Stay - a flat hand, palm toward the dog. Begin giving one of the these signals
each time you give a verbal 'stay' command. Praise. After about a week, try
giving just the hand signal. If the dog responds, praise. If not, keep
giving the verbal command along with the hand signal.
Down - a flat hand, palm down, moving in a downward motions. Begin giving one
of the these signals each time you give a verbal 'down' command. Praise.
After about a week, try giving just the hand signal. If the dog responds,
praise. If not, keep giving the verbal command along with the hand signal.
Come - hand brought up from the side in an outward motion, then toward the
chest. Palm moves from outward to inward. Begin giving one of the these
signals each time you give a verbal 'come' command. Praise. After about a
week, try giving just the hand signal. If the dog responds, praise. If not,
keep giving the verbal command along with the hand signal.