Directing to an obstacle

Caro

Caro

Moderator
On the weekend Tully did two really beautiful agility runs, but on each we had a refusal (NQs but still got 3rds).

I watched back the video and each time I didnt point to the obstacle (a jump in one run and the other a tunnel) she went around. I didnt point because she was ahead of me and I called out the obstacle, so it surprised me . She must be watching me even though she was way ahead (and have good peripheral vision).

Watching other people run (esp those with good distance work) they still use hand signals, but I dont know if thats just habit or the dog really works off the hand signals. I've noticed with some BC the dogs go off if the owner doesnt yell out what to do next quick enough.


So I have a few questions:
  • Do you always use the same method to direct a dog to an obstacle, do you always point or use a mixture. Do you know which your dog is actually reacting to?
  • Is a dog that respond well to hand signals always going to respond to hand signals?
  • Should I focus on directing Tully with just my voice so she can do both or should I learn to always use hand signals myself?
Thanks
 
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Not quite specific to your questions, but generally dogs do tend to read body language far better and really young pups learn hand signals quickly and respond to them faster than voice cues. Might be an inherent preference?
 
I can't answer your question from experience because Bentley is honestly very rarely in front of me. However, I think voice command is essential when a dog is in front of you. I always try to think back to Stuart Mah because he's the best handler that I've seen run, and he does use hand signals when the dog is ahead of him--if the dog is to take an obstacle that isn't directly in front. When the dog is in front of him, I've found that his hand signals are more dramatic (a full arm motion for example) so that his dog can see them when he is farther out.
 
*Caro said:
So I have a few questions:
  • Do you always use the same method to direct a dog to an obstacle, do you always point or use a mixture. Do you know which your dog is actually reacting to?
  • Is a dog that respond well to hand signals always going to respond to hand signals?
  • Should I focus on directing Tully with just my voice so she can do both or should I learn to always use hand signals myself?
Thanks
Click to expand...

1 - I use a mixture of voice and hand signals. In practice, Edan will sometimes go around an entire course on just hand signals alone. Other times the verbal will redirect him if he's focused on something else.

Which is he reacting to? 90% of the time, he's reacting to my body language; both intentional and non-intentional signals that I give him. This is why I have to be VERY careful with when I start to move between obstacles because I can pull him off an obstacle very easily by moving too soon.

2 - Dogs will react to motion (hand signals, movement of your body, etc.) before they react to your voice. Perhaps the BEST thing I learned from Donna Rohaus was "keep moving in the direction you want your dog to go in" they WILL move with you.

This doesn't mean you verbal cues are worthless. A timely "here" can be the difference between an off course and a clean run when there are "traps" on the course. However, that timely "here" combined with turning toward your dog (a reverse flow pivot) will have more impact that just the word "here".

3 - BOTH! While dogs will be more likely to respond to hand signals and body language, your voice can (1) help motivate; (2) help direct them through tricky parts of the course - like calling out the next obstacle when they are in a tunnel so they turn the right way or mid-jump so they land effectively; (3) can help clear up confusion through tricky 'trap filled' sections of a course; (4) distance work relies on: a - hand signals, b - voice command, and c - obstacle discrimination (the dog being able to tell a Tunnel from an A-frame, especially when they are next to one another, and take the tunnel every time).
 
I use both all the time and generally Cadbury is working ahead of me.

I think it goes like this;
Cadbury is ahead,
I shout the name of the next obstacle,
If the obstacle is dead ahead he works from the verbal command,
If the obstacle is at the side, or there are two close together, he 'checks in' for a hand signal,
If there's no hand signal he gets confused as to 'where' exactly I want him to go, then he will either refuse an obstacle or run the wrong way.

Plus if I mess up and give the hand signal on the wrong side that throws him too.

So to answer your question, verbal and hand signals all the time. You would be amazed how quickly a dog can 'check in' to confirm what you want and if the hand signal isn't there that can cause confusion.
 
Driecting To An Obstacle

I use both verbal and hand signals to let my dogs know what I want.Shadow works away from me and if he is ahead of me I will tell him where to go. That is where my directionals come in handy. If I want him to take a left tunnel or right he knows wich end to go in.Shelties work on motion.I learn that the hard way. You stop they stop and they look at you what is next.
 
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