# hand vs verbal commands - which one does your dog follow first?



## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

I'm hoping to teach our puppy both a verbal and hand cue because I want to do obedience. I really like the idea of hand cues because you don't have to necessarily be within ear shot (off leash @ park)! I'm interested in hearing what others do.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

My dogs would normally follow signals before verbal. Dogs are designed to be readers of body language.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Dogs will generally learn hand signals first, especially if you do any lure training. 

Since they aren't a verbal species, verbal cues take longer to master.

As far as dogs out of earshot responding better to hand signals, I'd have to disagree. If they're out of earshot, they're pretty darn far away (remember that their hearing is better than ours) and if they're that far away, they likely aren't looking in your direction to even *see* your signal! JMO.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Here's a fun experiment. Say the word "sit" but bend at the waist and point to the ground. I bet good money that your dog lies down.

Body language trumps verbals!


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Hand signals are definately more reliable with my guys. I have never tried giving them one hand signal and saying a different command.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Oaklys Dad said:


> Hand signals are definately more reliable with my guys. I have never tried giving them one hand signal and saying a different command.


unfortunately I have, in the obedience ring. On a recall I once said "Colby Heel!" Luckily I train hands at sides always means to do a front, left hand at waist always means go to heel. So he saw me in "front" position and came to front despite my mistake.


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## momtoMax (Apr 21, 2009)

I use the verbal and a signal when I teach Max a behavior. Sometimes I just use the word and sometimes I just use the signal. He seems to understand both.


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## Faith's mommy (Feb 26, 2007)

clearly, when she's getting conflicting commands from a stranger, Faith is going to follow hand cues (if she pays them any attention at all).

i wonder how she'd do it if it was me, but i don't want to try it b/c i don't want to mess up her understanding of the commands we've already got!


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

Kirby is visual and will respond to my hand command before a verbal. I always train with both, they get a signal and a verbal command. Kirby learns very quickly with in a couple tries she will catch on. I started working with a clicker and that is going well.

Darby is a totally different guy, he responds to verbal commands before and better then visual. Last night in class he wouldn't go down until I gave him a verbal, the hand wasn't getting through. He also responds to praise more then a treat for a reward. I train him at home the same as Kirby but it takes him much longer because he is constantly "thinking" and not listening or paying attention. Darby will also respond to the clicker but it's less likely to work in a distracted area.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

It's great to see all the different responses.

Typically dogs will respond to the visual cue. One thing to look at is the history of reinforcement.... if given conflicting cues, there are several verbals my dogs would follow over any other hand signals because we've practiced more on those verbal cues.

For strangers, my dogs should sit regardless of what the person does. but when they start doing weird hand things and sitsitsit my young dog just gets silly


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

LOL - I think Darby responds to verbal because he is so busy looking around he never sees the visual command.


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## Mighty Casey and Samson's Mom (Jul 16, 2008)

My ADHD dog also responds best to verbal commands...he can hear even when he is looking elsewhere!! I find that because I have taught both, he is getting better with the visual as he matures and develops better attention on me. However, in the ring I rely on verbal commands (drop on recall, Casey looking at the other ring but drops automatically when he hears my command). I am training utility now and the signal exercise is a bitch--at home w/o distractions he is a star--anyplace else is terrible!
Hopefully by the time he is old and deaf he will have great attention on me and the signals will work wonderfully.


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

My dogs learn both signals and verbal and are reliable with either. I use them interchangeably for specific reasons in the obedience ring. For example I really don't like the sound of those handlers that yell "DOWN" on the drop on recall like they are angry. Also, my voice cracks when I get nervous so I use a hand signal for the drop command.
I, also, teach my dogs to respond on only verbal, eliminating the body languge component by sitting on the couch and speaking various words for them to respond. 
I do think signals for the most part are easier for the dogs to learn so I usually start with a non verbal command when I am teaching something new.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

A tip for getting your dog to pay attention to you when working on signals: very often instead of giving a signal throw a treat at the dog. Dog will be much more likely to watch you and your hand movements if he's waiting for you to throw him a treat (or toy).


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Hmm that's tricky. Lots of my commands are one or the other. Like sit is just a verbal command when he's off leash. When he's on leash, I never say it anymore - he just sits when I stop. I find he usually stares at me when he's "waiting" for a command and he's more apt to follow a hand sign. If he's playing or relaxing, he'll respond to a verbal cue faster.


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## zephyr (Sep 29, 2009)

I think Oscar will follow your hand signal vs. the verbal if you say the wrong thing, because I've done it in exactly that same context (pointed to "lie down" when I was saying "sit"... oops!)

However, he is obviously listening to what you say too, because he also knows "go to your ____" (bed, crate, etc.), and once when I was putting him in his crate for the evening, I pointed to his crate but said something like "okay, time for bed" first -- and he went over to his dog BED instead, even though he could see me pointing at the crate. I just said "sorry! I meant crate"  

I've noticed he will occasionally act like he didn't hear you (*ahem*... :doh on a verbal "SIT," but he will always sit when you snap your fingers (even though that's not even the hand signal we started "sit" with, go figure?) We learned in puppy class to make a little fingers-together-pointing-up-fist (LOL!) like you are holding a treat up as the "sit" signal, but that only works if he is looking at you. I'm not sure if I've confused him somewhere along the line... but since the snap seems to be working, I'm just going with that for now.


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## Joanne & Asia (Jul 23, 2007)

We taught verbal and hand signals at the same time but I do find that she responds to hand signals instantly and there always seems to be a pause before she responds to the verbal signals. I tend to use the hand signals more which may be why so have been going back to the verbal to reinforce them. When she is at a distance and looking my way and I use the non verbal come command she comes more reliably than with the verbal command. I guess they do read body language better.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Yep, hand signals would win out.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Then throw in a whistle! Yikes! I did that once while DH and my son were training with my two. I don't know what I was thinking, I whistled from across the room, and suddenly I had to Golden Retrievers sitting before me. My two follow MY hand signals. I guess I've made up my own over the years.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

zephyr - that's funny about the finger snap. Ranger's come to learn my finger snap doesn't mean a specific command; it means do the command I told you to do NOW. If I say go lie down and he pretends he's deaf - one finger snap and he scurries off to obey. I'm not really sure how he learned that but it works really well.


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## zephyr (Sep 29, 2009)

Ranger said:


> zephyr - that's funny about the finger snap. Ranger's come to learn my finger snap doesn't mean a specific command; it means do the command I told you to do NOW. If I say go lie down and he pretends he's deaf - one finger snap and he scurries off to obey. I'm not really sure how he learned that but it works really well.


Haha actually that's probably exactly how it started for Oscar too, he ignored me the 1st time and then I snapped my fingers! I'm usually asking for a "sit" I suppose, like when I'm trying to put on his collar or trying to pick up a poo while we're on the side of the road... and he's staring off somewhere... :doh:


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

If you're trying to clean up the response to the verbal only, here's an easy way to do it:

Get in the habit of giving the visual (gestural) cue, followed by the verbal. BUT *not* at the same time.

So, it would be "Sit" (word) - 1 second pause - Hand Signal for Sit.

This only works if your hand signals are truly visual cues and not lures, so if you need a cookie in your hand to make the hand signal work, that needs to be addressed first.

Often, we get in the habit of giving compound cues (saying "sit" while pointing) so it's harder for the dogs to make since of either/or b/c they get used to both.


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## esSJay (Apr 13, 2009)

We taught hand signals and verbal commands since Molson was a pup and I would say his response to hand signals is reliable 99% of the time, and his verbal commands are only around 80% (when he is within ear-shot).

I was noticing this weekend at the in-laws house, my BIL was trying to get Molson to sit but was pointing to the floor and he was getting so frustrated because he kept lying down. I tried telling him to not point to the floor and just say "Sit" if he wanted him to do that, but BIL didn't get it, and it was a lost cause... Molson was totally confused and gave up on getting the treat! lol


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