[nagdu] guide dogs and hand signals

[Julie J.]

I don't know about any of the programs, but I use hand signals with my 
dogs.  I also use my footing and body language to communicate what I 
want.   In the beginning of training I use all three in a pretty obvious 
manner.  As training progresses I scale back the hand signals and body 
movement to very small discrete movements.  By the end of training I 
expect that the dog will respond to a voice request, hand signal or body 
position or any combination.  I rarely will use only body/foot position 
to cue the dog though.  Sometimes I'm talking with someone as I walk or 
need to carry things, but I still want to be able to communicate with my 
dog.  I've never had any problems with the dog understanding what I want 
based on the use of voice vs. hand signal.

Julie


On 9/3/2011 8:16 PM, Criminal Justice Major Extraordinaire wrote:
> Hi, all,
> Do all the guide dog schools have trainies use hand signals or has 
> that fazed out?
> I do remember when I trained with Orleans back in training at GEB May 
> 30/June 24, 2000, I was continuously told to use hand signals.
> When I switched to Pilot Dogs and began doing that again August 
> 22/Septenber 10, 2004, the trainer who prepared Freedom David Berry 
> for training told me that they weren't doing it and Freedom David 
> Berry didn't like how I'd move my hand around.
> Her claim was that he wouldn't work if I kept using the hand motions.
> Truth is that when I arrived home with him, I returned to the hand 
> signal training and he managed just fine.
> upon going back to Pilot Dogs March 27/April 8, 2005, Odie's trainer, 
> Mike Tessmer did suggest using the hand motions because there were 
> times when that would be needed and warranted.
> *Just curious*
> Bibi and Odie
> the happy spirited bounty labra wolf
>
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