# Hand Signals



## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

I use hand signals all the time (dogs talk with body language, and so do we, why not talk to THEM with body language!!??!) but I do also have voice cues for the primary things too. She knows them both, but does work better if she can read my body properly too.

Personally I think our jabber can be confusing to them. As much as we try to make clear commands, they're still not always as clear to dogs as body language. Hence I use both.


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

^agreed! we do both as well


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

I have never had trouble with Riley confusing the commands. I use voice and hand signals and i love them both. I like to be able to give a command from accross the room without yelling sit. Or ive had a few instances where i wanted him to sit infront of other people without them knowing (you had to be there), so i gave him a sly hand signal. 
Riley knows 2 different hand signals for sit and down each, one for stand and say, and English, French, and German for sit and down. I find it fun and we enjoy showing them off.  He knows hand signals for different tricks too.


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

We teach hand and voice signals - you should be able to use both. That way if one is not appropriate, you can use the other (for example: in the case of a loud building or somewhere that you don't want to speak out loud, use a hand signal)


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

I think most "beings" are more stimulated by visual movement in a lot of situations then noise or us speaking. (classes I had taken on body language lol... it makes sense to me when I am working with the dogs)

I use both. A very WELL trained dog who has had very thorough intense training should know both I would think; but the average trained dog responds to what stimulates them most and if it's visual I would likely use that.


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## cerulia (Jan 7, 2010)

We use hand signals as well as verbal for Vilka. It's nice to sometimes not use verbal signals becaue they can be obnoxious. When we have company and we're all talking it is nice to not have to interrupt someone in mid-sentence with "SIT!" haha


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