Are Hand Signals Outdated?

[Star and Goldie]

We had our first training session with our trainer today. I'm just getting to know her and how the program works so there isn't much to speak of just yet but one thing that really stuck out to me is that she doesn't use hand signals. I told her that I use hand signals and that Goldie already knows several. I just wanted to be sure that I wasn't going to have to unteach those hand signals and she said "well we don't use hand signals here"

I saw past discussions on hand signals and found several resources online about how/why they are so great. Most of the discussions on here were at least 2 years old so my questions is... are hand signals outdated? Should I stop that method? I still do the verbal cue, of course, but I've always accompanied it with a hand signal.

[Star and Goldie]

I like all these links but man I guess I'm such a visual person that I've got to see it in video format or I feel completely stupid trying to figure it out... I swear I'm intelligent though HAHA!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

We never learned a stand hand signal.  I'm going to teach my old dog a new trick today. 

Kyoko has always been a wealth of training information.   So glad she has come back recently  :)  Missed you LOTS.

But, now you have a new baby to teach.   Hope you include him here. I'm in love with that boy

Okay, off to watch the video

[Kyoko]

:-) He is awesome. Perfect brother for Charlie girl.

[F, Calla & Luca]

You got a new dog, Kyoko. Conratulations and enjoy.

[Kyoko]

Thank you. He came to us about 1 1/2 month ago. He is now 6 months, standard poodle.

 I am very happy that we were introduced to him and worked out well with Charlie because of her serious reactiveness and difficulties with others. It is actually amazing how laid back he is with her. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

He is beautiful. I am so glad he and Charlie get along.

[Kyoko]

Thanks. He plays and chases Charlie, but never takes her toy!!! He knows not to mess with that princess girl!! LOL!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Congratulations, Kyoko....what a handsome guy!

[Kyoko]

We had a excellent trainer for Charlie. I really liked the approaches and the philothophy she had. It was just too bad the trainer is not much of a people person. I am glad that I kept every sngle hand out she gave us!!

[Kathy]

I use a mixture of hand signals I have seen my trainer use, and sign language, and what works with Tia.  I guess again it all depends on what you are going to do.  Are you going on in training that uses hand signals then I would say find out what they use.  If you are working your dog as a service dog I personally would want some signals to be known esp. if I was in need of emergency help.  If I am afraid and need Tia I want her to only answer to me.  Good luck.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

We used both verbal and hand signals with our Doods.  I think different trainers have different views on this, and neither is totally "right or wrong" as long as you're consistent.  We've been "at it" so long now with our boys that I rarely use both hand and vocal signals to give a command anymore.  Actually for the most part at this point they know what we're going to tell them to do anyway.  I really think they are so "in tune" with our body language and routine that they usually know what we want them to do.  For example, I can now just say "Murphy go lie down" and he'll go to his bed.  It took weeks of bringing him to the bed and giving both a hand and verbal down signal, and then bringing him right back every time he left that bed.  Good for you for getting Star started in a training program already....please keep us posted as you move through the process.

[Jen and Annie]

I have not used a trainer, I've trained Annie all by myself (which could be why her 'enthusiastic greeting' of jumping all over people is still ingrained into her!) but I have always thought - What if she goes deaf later on in life?  The hand signals will come in handy. I say tell your trainer that you would like to incorporate hand signals, or you could do subtle hand signals yourself - our dogs are really in tune and can pick up subtleties really well.  I mean, you're paying her - so if the customer wants to incorporate hand signals along with the voice commands, I dont see why that would be an issue.  Especially if you outline why you would like to do it.  If you end up with a dog that is hard of hearing in old age, you would need the hand signals to communicate...