Hand targeting involves teaching a dog to touch their nose to your hand on cue. This method is highly effective because it taps into dogs’ innate instinct to explore and engage with their surroundings. By redirecting their excitement and encouraging them to focus on your hand, hand targeting helps prevent unwanted jumping or excessive enthusiasm during greetings. Moreover, it provides dogs with a sense of predictability when meeting new people, ultimately helping them relax and feel more confident.

To begin, start by gradually teaching your dog to target your hand and the hands of your family members. Once your dog becomes comfortable with this exercise, you can use the hand target cue as a way to greet strangers. It's essential to closely observe your dog's body language throughout the process and never force them to engage in greetings if they display signs of discomfort.

By incorporating hand targeting into a dog's training routine, you can instill good manners and create a positive interaction pattern when meeting new people. For more tips on how dog guardians can increase their dogs’ confidence and reduce unwanted behavior, check out Click to Calm for Instructors with award-winning author and behavior specialist Emma Parsons.   

Happy Training!