Verbal vs. Hand signals

[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

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

[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

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).