As you may have noticed reading any of my posts, they're long. I use too many words. I'm the same with my training. So having read another post, Merla another poster has said they use body cues rather than verbal cues. I have been trying to do this but unsure of what is the correct cues. Does anyone that trains this way use their own body cues or is there a universal language, maybe a book that could be recommended.
Re: Using body language Ooh, hello again! I just made my body language cues up to suit me! I think that's the fun of it- with words we tend to go for things which 'make sense' to other people, but with silent cues you don't have that restraint. If you do it subtly people think your dog is reading your mind ;D ;D I think it needs to be clear to the dog, but dogs watch us much more carefully than we give them credit for!
Re: Using body language Same as Merla. My body cues are usually remnants of more obvious cues though. For example, if Charlie is recalling towards me, and I lean slightly to my left, he'll end his recall by swinging round to sit at heel on my left. This is left over from a much more obvious cue of me moving my left shoulder down to pat my left thigh. If I want him to sit in front, I lean forward slightly - left over from when the cue was the back of my hand as a target in front.
Re: Using body language Dogs will get information your body language whether you realise it or not. They 'read' you all day long ;D The thing is, we are descended from apes, so we chatter chatter chatter. Canines don't communicate like this with each other, all is in body language and facial expressions.
Re: Using body language Oh I'm glad everyone else just uses their own signals. I have been using a couple of hand cues of my own for a few years but I did wonder if there was a universal sign language. Cupar watches me constantly, all accidentally I may add. I've been rewarding him since I got him for looking at me, it really wasn't a conscious decision, just something that he picked up on .
Re: Using body language I think we subconsciously train our dogs to do many things. I made a conscious decision to use hand gestures as well as commands when training my last dog because she was a terrier WITH ATTITUDE. It worked, so it seemed natural to do it with Molly. My gestures were natural to me so easy to remember. I point at the floor with crooked forefinger for a sit. Make a sweeping downwards gesture with my hand for a lay. Tap the top of my chest for 'Come''. This all went pear shaped when a piece of food went down the wrong way and I was beating the top of my chest only to be rewarded by a dog capering around my feet If you use what is logical to you and it is easy. My three year old Granddaughter points imperiously at the floor for Molly to sit and sit she does!
