Dogs have aptitude for hand signs
Q: While reading some dog training books, I noticed that some recommend hand signs. Others suggest verbal commands. Which type is better? A: There are many types of commands, including verbal, traditional competitive dog obedience signs, sign language and environmental cues. They all have a place in dog training.
Most families gravitate toward spoken commands, as they come easily to the humans. They are especially effective when the dog can’t see the owner, such as when calling a dog at the park. Auditory information is also essential for dogs with vision problems.
Owners should know dogs often struggle with learning verbal commands. That is not to say the dog cannot learn, but rather that there needs to be time invested to ensure the dog understands clearly.
Take care to avoid inadvertently gesturing while teaching. Dogs notice slight hand movements and facial expressions. Owners may think the dog is learning that the word “down” means down, when the dog is in fact notic- ing that the owner is nodding toward the ground.
However, that ability to focus on human body language is why impressive hand signals are easy to teach. Traditional obedience signs get the job done. Pet owners often like the subtle nature of sign language. The movements are less obtrusive when chatting with friends or neighbours.
Hand signals en- sure the doors to communication stay open should a pet lose their hearing. The obvious downside is that pets cannot see hand signals when their backs are turned. The least popular, yet perhaps the most useful command is the environmental cue. This is when the dog learns to behave in a certain manner because something in the environment prompted them to do so For example, dogs can learn to sit when the doorbell rings. The doorbell becomes the command; no further reminders or commands are required from the owner. The main benefit that comes from environmental commands is that it relieves the owner from micromanaging. When training is completed, owners no longer have to supervise every minute aspect of their dog’s behaviour — which can quickly become exhausting. Envi
ronmental com- mands create clever outside-the-box solutions. There is one precaution: owners should think ahead. For example, dogs that learn to sit when strangers pass by may sit and refuse to move in a crowd. Ensure that your dog knows it can break the rules if given permission.
Q: I have been teaching my dog to ignore food that is set on the table. In order to teach this, I put food on the table, point to it and say, “leave it.” If she ignores the food, she gets a treat. She is really struggling to understand what I want. What am I doing wrong? A: Finger pointing is a special gesture for dogs. They learn, seemingly without effort, that it means, “take-it.” For example, if a dog loses a treat on the ground, owners will often point to the food and the dog knows where to look. Reading human body language is one thing that makes a dog a dog.
Problems occur when owners point to objects and say, “leave it.” Body language and verbal commands disagree, confusing the animal. Instead of pointing, just place the food on the table. Initially, reward the dog for leaving boring items for short periods. With practise, their abilities will develop until they can leave human food for extended periods. Yvette Van Veen is an animal behaviour consultant. Write her at advice@awesomedogs.ca.