When the pup has been trained to retrieve reliably, start tossing out retrieving dummies instead of hiding a treat. Do several of these drills on each walk and your pup will become convinced that you always know where the goods are and it’s in its best interest to follow your direction. If it doesn’t go to treat the first time, walk the pup to the treat with your outstretched arm pointing the way. On your way back along the same route, sit the dog on the roadside near the treat and give it the hand signal toward it, then release the dog to get it. Next, the pup needs to learn to obey you everywhere, not just in the yard, so, on its daily walk, toss treats at marked locations a few steps off the road, without your dog seeing them. When the pup has that down, do the same with each of the side bowls. If the pup goes to the wrong bowl bring it back to the middle and re-do it until the dog gets it right, then reinforce that with a lot of refilling of the back bowl. Give it the signal to go back and release it to get it. When the pup has all three directions down, change the drill by walking to each of the bowls and pretend to place a treat in each one, but only leave one treat in the bowl behind the dog. Practise this command daily for a week or two before switching to the bowls on your left or right, then use the appropriate hand signal while saying “Over.” The next step Bring it back to the pitcher’s mound and repeat several times.Ħ. Raise your arm straight up and say “Back.”ĥ. Go back to home plate and get the dog’s attention. Place a treat the pup really likes in the bowl behind it on second base.ģ. Have the dog sit on what would be the pitcher’s mound, with you at home plate. Place three bowls on the ground in your yard, arranged like a ball field with a first, second, and third base, but just four or five steps apart.Ģ.

When it’s old enough and trained to sit or stay reliably, you’re ready to begin.ġ. Now you know the commands, you’re ready to help your dog learn them. right, hold the right arm straight out and say “Over.” Here’s how you do it.left, hold the left arm straight out and say “Over.”.straight away (from you), hold your arm straight up over your head and give the command “Back.”.The goal: to direct the pup with hand and voice commands So, a short voice command with a hand signal is the surest way to communicate where you want your dog to go. Plus, while hunting you don’t want to scare off incoming ducks with a lot of yelling.

In wind, waves, or at long distances, dogs can’t hear voice commands clearly, and excited dogs don’t respond to them as well as they do to hand signals. It reads your movements and takes direction from them, whether you’re aware of it or not, so you might as well develop this natural tendency into a vital skill.ĭogs can learn short voice commands, but they lock onto hand signals even better. Your dog naturally watches you for visual clues. Upland dogs also need to handle in this way to be directed on retrieve, into birdy cover, or away from roads, thin ice, skunks, and porcupines.

Obeying hand signals is essential for waterfowl retrievers seeking shot birds that they can’t see, before the birds drift off too far or escape wounded into thick cover. That was just one of many times I’ve been glad I taught my dog hand signals. The dog made a U-turn, heading straight away from certain and smelly disaster. I whistle-stopped the dog and raised an outstretched arm, pointing left, away from the skunk. They couldn’t see each other, but I could see them - the skunk and my bird dog - on a collision course on opposite sides of a little rise.

Hand signals for trainig dogs