The spoken word and a hand signal are two important aspects for training your dog.
The value of using both starts when the dog is a puppy. It gives the puppy a visual cue which is paired with a spoken word and will result in the puppy carrying out the action.
For adult dogs, it enables the consistency with training and the understanding that as owners you are using three important parts of communication:
- Verbal – the spoken word
- Visual – the hand signal
- Smell – the tasty treat
For senior dogs, it helps them as owners continue to be patient and consistent with training.
For dogs with a hearing impairment then using hand signals is a vital part of training.