Do you wish your furry friend to impress with good manners such as politely greeting guests, closing doors, and letting you know when it’s time for a potty break? If so, you may want to teach your dog a skill called hand targeting!

Hand Targeting for Dogs P2 dog training, Classroom, dog class

1.What is Hand-Targeting

A successful hand target is defined as a dog making contact between his nose and his owner’s hand on cue. This behavior can be used to redirect the dog’s attention, teach them new behaviors, and increase their focus and coordination. Hand targeting can also be useful in agility and obedience training, and can help build a strong bond between the dog and his owner.

2.What Are the Benefits of Hand Targeting for Dogs

1)Redirecting Attention: Hand targeting can be used to redirect a dog’s attention away from distractions.

2)Teaching New Behaviors: Hand targeting can be used to teach a dog new behaviors, such as jumping over obstacles or staying in a specific position.

3)Increasing Focus and Coordination: Hand-targeting exercises can help increase a dog’s focus and coordination, making them more aware of their body and movements.

4)Useful in Agility and Obedience Training: Hand targeting is a useful technique in agility and obedience training, as it can help dogs follow a specific path or stay on command.

5)Building a Strong Bond: Hand targeting can help build a strong bond between the dog and his owner, as it is a positive and rewarding training method.

3.How to Teach Your Dog to Hand Target

Hand Targeting for Dogs 企业微信截图 1686821452120 dog training, Classroom, dog class

Teaching your dog to hand target is a simple and easy process that can be done with just a few steps:

Step 1. Choose a hand that you will use consistently as the target. This can be either your left or right hand.

Step 2. Hold your hand out with your palm facing the dog’s nose and say the command “touch”.

Step 3. When your dog sniffs or touches your hand with their nose, praise them and give them a treat.

Step 4. Repeat the process several times until your dog is consistently touching your hand on command.

Step 5. Once your dog has mastered touching your hand with their nose, you can begin to move your hand around to different positions and heights, gradually increasing the difficulty level.

Hand Targeting for Dogs P3 dog training, Classroom, dog class

Step 6. You can also use the hand targeting command to teach your dog new behaviors, such as jumping over obstacles or staying in a specific position.

Overall, hand targeting for dogs is a useful and fun training technique that can benefit both you and your furry friend.

Hand Targeting for Dogs P4 dog training, Classroom, dog class