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Good topic, Peake. I'm very interested in others' takes on this.
I have always believed in having a routine. There are many times I know my dog "knows" where she is going. That being said, my routine at the line needs consistency, and the hand signifies the final step. I used to think it looked cool to have my dog wheel around, look straight out and fire correctly, but this fed into her excitement. What's the rush? The hand seems to be a calming force which slows her down while increasing her focus. It ques three things - slow down, we are working together on this and that's a good line. Her line manners and delivery have improved a great deal since developing this routine.
I have always believed in having a routine. There are many times I know my dog "knows" where she is going. That being said, my routine at the line needs consistency, and the hand signifies the final step. I used to think it looked cool to have my dog wheel around, look straight out and fire correctly, but this fed into her excitement. What's the rush? The hand seems to be a calming force which slows her down while increasing her focus. It ques three things - slow down, we are working together on this and that's a good line. Her line manners and delivery have improved a great deal since developing this routine.
