Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 5:15 pm Post subject: Hand Signals stop/stay command
Just wondering those of you who use hand signals do you use separate hand signals for stop and stay and separate commands?
I use stay and lift my hand up palm facing him, if say i get him to do a down and walk away and i want him to stay there till i come back.
I use stop if he's running towards me and i want him to stop where he is, i use the same hand signal but put my hand out and one leg forward.
Is this right? I've just started whistle training (that's so much fun ) just wanted to check whether my hand signals and commands are correct before i whistle train stop.
Use the same hand signal for both. remember if the dog is at a distance to you it won't be noticing details like 'if your left legs in, or your lefts legs out..' grin... (in, out, in, out, shake it all about...)
Remember also importantly, if you were on a walk or doing gundog training you might be waist deep in bracken or behind a fence or something so legs don't come into distance control for practical work, maybe it does for bona fide obedience, i don't take part in that so not sure.
Your stay hand signal is right. Start close, back off, using the raised hand with palm flat for the dog to see. Remember to THINK hard about where your hand is. From a distance and with lotys of background behind you (not just a plain wall in a hall) your dog needs to be able to see your hand. You need to hold it HIGH not level with your body.
Ditto the stop command. But to be honest, there isn't a stop handsignal. There is a stop WHISTLE, but stop is used because the dog is travelling away from you so it can't SEE a hand signal, sit, stop, whatever, it is one and the same, the whistle is blown in a long burst and the hand raised so the dog turns and sits to await the next instruction. If its to stay where he is the hand just stays raised whilst you walk out and get him.
Hope that helps, ask if anything is unclear
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
we use the same as you for stay. We are still practicing stop (which we plan as a command for emergencies ) so that it's very distraction proof.
I don't plan to use any hand signal.
I have started using the stay hand signal but saying the word stop when he comes towards me to introduce the command. I am gradually eliminating the hand signal.
Reason being that this is likely to be used (or unlikely hopefully) in a dangerous situation ie running to a road, chasing a cat etc and he probably wont be looking. I am also using a much stronger, longer, and higher tone of voice (a bit like an emergency stop in your driving test)
I make sure he waits until i get to him.
I was thinking of using a whistle for this command only.
I want it to stand out as important and different.
I'm sure there is a proper way for field training, but i usually just read up and adapt to suit myself
" I was thinking of using a whistle for this command only. "
It is best to. Shouting stop is unusual and won't really carry very well if he is some distance from you. For some reason the piercing insistance of a whistle tends to break through a running dogs head better than just 'another' bellow from mum.
So train it by using it for him to sit by your side. the stop whistle, stay whistle, sit whistle they are one and the same, they just mean, 'look at me I am going to tell you something else', so that is when he is sitting by your side or running 250 yards away towards a road...
A real stop whistle / command doesn't have to result in a SIT, it can do, and its usually taught to begin with alongside a sit at your side, but it is JUST 'stop and look' before being followed by wait there (keep the raised hand signal), come in (call the dog or whistle him in with three short sharp pips), go back (that raised hand puches up and back to push the dog in that direction), or whatever is your next command... (all stuff for later, for now, its getting the sit in the whsitle at your side, then as he comes in on a recall half way to you (keep the distances short) then comes in when stopped nicely half way. Practiose also by letting him toddle along out walking, then, when he knows the whistle as a sit by your side, blow it and raise your hand when he is a few feet away and renforce with 'sit' verbally immediately... gvradually remove the verbal command till you just blow the shistle.
This whistle blow needs to be firm. No mamby pamby 'pewww' but a firm, quick BLAST which is consistant evbery time, alongside a FIRM hard blast verbally of SIT... keep it sharp, snappy, brief and never blow and blow or command aand command. Do it on the lead to begin with so you can reneforce the sit physcially with your hand if the verbal command or/and whistle get ignored, then a long line, then free.
Best ladies!
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
So it's ok to just use the whistle for the stop command then? (and not for recalls etc)
I plan to use it just for a stop stay rather than a stop sit. Can i train it in by just blowing it to get his attention (which i think will happen straight away) with him a few paces away and then giving the stay position (which he already has very strongly). Would that work rather than the stop sit.
Also, what sort of whistle should we get? We bought one of those adjustable pitch ones from PAH when he was a pup but i gave it away as i thought it rubbish ( ) Do i need to buy another or is there a proper tool for the job?!
Finally, and you will think i'm bonkers. I carry an attack alarm in my dog bag and planned to use it to get attention in a dog emergency (as we hadnt whistle/ stop trained him i figured it would at least make him stop and look at me). Would this still work as it's so loud or is it impractical to train using something so loud (or even bad for his ears). I only ask because I can put that in the bag within easy reach but the problem with a whistle around the neck is that OH is bound to foget to carry it or will waste precious time rooting in the bag for it when it's under his nose.
Size matters, he will find the attack alarm easily and it's always kept in the dog bag.
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) just wanted to check whether my hand signals and commands are correct before i whistle train stop.
) so that it's very distraction proof.
can't read after the first paragraph for laughing gonna have to come back and read the rest in a mo!!
) Do i need to buy another or is there a proper tool for the job?!
or will waste precious time rooting in the bag for it when it's under his nose.
