Verbal vs. Hand signals

[Giselle]

So I mainly teach through hand signals, but it's getting to the point where one signal is starting to look like the other and I know it's going to confuse Ivy later on. I've always been advised to use hand signals because it's clearer to the dog so I've never actually used 100% complete verbal commands. Even for commands like Sit, I can phase out my hands, but I still use a lot of body language to send the right message. My question is, do the rest of you tend to use hand signals or verbal commands more? And if you use the latter, how do you phase out your hands while ensuring that the dog completely understands the verbal cue? And, in your experience, is the verbal cue near 100% reliable?

[Husky_mom]

my dogs don´t follow to many commands....... but I use both verbal and signal........ once learned I´ve been able to use either one and they comply

I can imagine teaching zillion commanda you get to that point youmentioned but you can still be like a baseball coach....haha.......

[cali]

my dogs know hand signals but I usually use verbal commands, they are 100% reliable, easier for me, less confusing for them, and I have never had an issue. as for phasing the hand out? I start with the verbal command right off the bat, and constinue with the hand signal until they have both down solid(so when I can say "sit" without the hand signal and they respond, out comes the treat)

[catnapper]

Both. You use both to reinforce each other and make it a stronger command.

You shouldn't rely solely on one or the other unless the dog is deaf or blind.

[Husky_mom]

I teach both at same time, so when learned I can use either one.... but i teach them hand by hand, i mean at the same time........

[binka_nugget]

I teach both. My guys are 100% reliable with both verbal commands and hand signals. It's alot easier getting my boys to do a command when I'm across the field by moving my arm, than it is to yell out a command. They learn that they need to focus at all times too.

It's funny cause sometimes I will give the hand signal for down (arm straight up) while Kai's looking the other way. He'll plop right on down. Amazing peripheral vision :p

I'm still teaching Keeva some obedience commands.. in the beginning I use just verbal commands (I usually have one hand busy with the leash and the other getting her into the position). After she starts catching on, I introduce the hand signal while still saying the verbal command. Once I'm really sure she understands what I want, I go back and forth until she understands both the hand signal and verbal command.

[Giselle]

Mmm, I think I'm going to have to a lot clearer with my words then. I taught Ivy using my hand as a guide, and I only added the verbal cue when she understood the behavior. I don't think she completely understands that the verbal cue is the same as the hand signal. *sigh* Yay, even more reteaching to do :rolleyes:

[catnapper]

Mmm, I think I'm going to have to a lot clearer with my words then. I taught Ivy using my hand as a guide, and I only added the verbal cue when she understood the behavior. I don't think she completely understands that the verbal cue is the same as the hand signal. *sigh* Yay, even more reteaching to do :rolleyes:
You're supposed to teach the hand signal first, then the word.

We're basically teaching them english so its absurd to expect them to understand what we want simply by saying the words over and over again without first showing them what we want. It'll take a while once they learn what the hand signal means before they connect the word to the hand motion. They'll get it, be patient.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

In every dog class I've ever attended, we were supposed to teach the verbal and then the hand signal because otherwise the dog gets too focused on the hand signal (as they focus more on body language naturally) and never are 100% with verbal commands. I'm not sure how much truth there is to that, but it's just what we've been taught for years and what we've done.

That being said, I use hand signals at home a lot more than I do in public and when I'm in public, verbal commands are used more often. All in all, I'd say I use both about equally though depending on the situation. When we're at the dog park or somewhere where they'e allowed to run around unleashed, the only choice I have is to use a verbal command unless they're looking at me (in which case I'll use a hand signal).

[crow_noir]

I tend to use verbal more (I mean humans are naturally verbal creatures,) but i do try to do a combination of verbal and hand. Doesn't do much good though if the dog's not looking at me.

Rather than worring about how to teach the dog, let the dog teach you what hand signal works best. That's how i figured out the difference between give paw and lay down. I had to modify a hand signal that worked before, but had been starting to create confusion and frustration. (I prefer a palm to the sky down low for paw. I had been using the same, but palm down for lay down. Somehow this always eventually got re-translated in the dogs heads to mean give paw. S.O. was the one who finally cracked the problem... which i feel great. He said it was my training that taught him. *humph*... go figure. So he came up with the new signal. It's pretty much the same. Palm facing downward but instead of going straight down, you go straight down and slide forward. Thinking about it, it mimics a dog laying down. Works like a charm. Might have gotten the paw twice since switching over.)

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You know, i just read through your post a third time and realized just now that you said phase out, not phRase out.

My reply is that i NEVER plan on phasing out hand signals. I'd appreciate if I'm in a strange land that someone attempts to talk to me some in my native language. I'd try to learn their too, but of course I'd be much more comfortable speaking my own. Dogs make a HUGE effort to learn human, i don't see why we can't learn dog. While speaking is more natural and comfortable for me I see the value for hand signals.

Not only do i use verbal and hand signals, i also try to incorporate whistles for basic commands.


So I mainly teach through hand signals, but it's getting to the point where one signal is starting to look like the other and I know it's going to confuse Ivy later on. I've always been advised to use hand signals because it's clearer to the dog so I've never actually used 100% complete verbal commands. Even for commands like Sit, I can phase out my hands, but I still use a lot of body language to send the right message. My question is, do the rest of you tend to use hand signals or verbal commands more? And if you use the latter, how do you phase out your hands while ensuring that the dog completely understands the verbal cue? And, in your experience, is the verbal cue near 100% reliable?

[Giselle]

Thanks all. I was always taught to do hand signals before verbal commands so as to avoid repeating verbal commands and lessening their 'value'. I tried phasing out hand/body signals completely with Sit today and it worked well when she was on my side. Face to face, she focused far too much on my body (I lean forward when I command a sit). I think I'll just keep coupling them together, and hopefully, it'll one day click for her. Sit is coming along nicely, so there's hope!

I'd love to continue using hand signals more because I don't feel as "solid" with verbal commands. The thing is, my command for Bow, Down, Give Paw, Sit Pretty, and Wave all look pretty much the same. Unless you're really good at reading body language, you'd have trouble deciphering them. It took Ivy a little while to separate Paw and Wave, so I had to add some movement into the hand signal. Otherwise, we'd both be confused as heck :D. Thanks for the insight everybody!