Rethinking My Use of Certain Verbal and Silent Commands

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Recently I have begun to question a word and  hand signal I use for Tara's training.

 

In particular the word "okay" for a release word and the hand signal I use for "come" which is my arm straight up with fingers pointing straight up too (palm flat).

 

The use of "okay' has come into question because several times Tara has been under a "stay" command and  heard the word "okay" and released herself prematurely from the command.  If I remember correctly this is also how Gracie Doodle ended up in the fountain during her photo shoot!! So I don't think I am alone in this particular issue.

 

What do others of you use for a release word and are they working well for you? If you use "okay" have you encountered any problems with it?

 

The hand signal I use for "come" actually works well  but I guess I am looking for something more subtle. Okay, this is probably vanity on my part but I don't always feel comfortable walking around with my arm over my head LOL!! So I tend to keep it lower and this confuses her.  I know, I know I just need to GET OVER IT. I started using it because I read that if your dog is far away from you or it is very noisy that they can easily see this particular signal. So it is probably a good one.  I'm just curious what others of you use as a silent/hand signal for "come"?

 

I'm interested in hearing any other problem or issues  you may have experienced with certain commands. Perhaps it will help others of us to avoid them in the future.

 

[Carol Brand]

I use OKAY as a release word and have not had problems with it. This may be because I usually come back into heel position before I release my dogs. I don't release them at a distance. I have seen people add distraction to a release. The release command is usually said in a happy unbeat voice. Try saying other two syllable words just like you say OKAY: POTROAST, BEEHIVE, DOORKNOB. Correct your dog if it breaks off for anything other than OKAY. Also have friends help you. Have them say OKAY. Correct your dog if she breaks off for anything other than you saying OKAY. If you saying OKAY just randomly, well that is a handler mistake that you will need to work on.

As far as hand signals go, do you have any intention of doing competitive obedience? A hand up is generally a DROP command (doesn't have to be but most people use it as one). A hand up waving back and forth over your head is used as a COME. If you want a more subtle COME signal, how about left hand out to side and drawn into center like you were gathering in someone for a hug.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I think I can probably help things by being more consistant with my tone with the OKAY command. I'm going to try your exercise using other words and other people. That sounds like a good one. I must say Okay a lot in conversation.., maybe I shouldn't be so agreeable all the time! That might help! LOL!

We won't be doing any competitive obedience. I started training her with hand signals for fun and then discovered that she really responds better to them then to verbal commands which is probably a statement on my lack of consistent tone with verbal commands! Boy, the hand up waving over my head would be even LESS subtle!!! I like the gathering in signal though...I might consider switching to that one.

[Adina P]

I use the "OKAY" release and haven't run into much trouble with it. I AM trying to make myself be more formal about it the way obedience competitors do it and actually walk back to Rosco's right side, heel him a step or two and THEN release him. This really helps tremendously to keep the dog from being confused because he'll expect you to return to him and go through a couple steps before he's released. Even just returning to his same side each time before a release is useful. Then it's crystal clear what's going on.

As to 'come' I don't usually use a hand signal but I think they are useful for recalls from a greater distance...in which case an arm straight up is a good one because it's unmistakeable from afar vs. a hand shyly raised in front of you.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Adina, why do you make life so hard for yourself. My view is KISS. There are so many things with so many rules and so much to remember. If your release works, even if only 99% of the time, isn't that good enough.

[Adina P]

No, it's not good enough. At least I am not happy aiming for 99% because aiming for 99% gets you far less. Aiming for 100% at least you might get 99% -- seriously it's NOT that hard. It takes an extra 10 seconds to return to my dog and make him heel a step before releasing him. Some things I let go...like barking at the door (once I can get my dogs to stop and hold a stay...who cares if they bark most of the time?).

It's not just that it prevents them from hearing a random 'okay' and thinking it's for them...it's that they are less likely to break their STAY if they are conditioned to wait until I return to them. And THAT is worth it for me at least trying to do it more often.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Okay. And barking at the door has it's advantages. Would have missed my new Apple laptop, since I was running the mini vac the other day, I didn't hear a thing but the dogs went nuts. Macoun (a favorite kind of apple for me) Apple Parker, I decided to name her, was a few day premature in her delivery. She has colic--I need to run partly on Windows since all my programs are for a PC, and each day I am trying to accomplish at least some of the process. Life isn't simple and sometimes we, meaning me, complicate it even more.

[Adina P]

Any time you have a goal, you have a more complicated life to live.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I use "okay" as my release, and it has never been a problem. After reading this, I am going to remember to always bring them back to the heel position before I release them. That sure seems like it adds additional clarity for the dog. As for the "come" command, I haven't used a hand signal for that. I think it's because I trained "come" with a 30 foot lead and I really needed my hands to react if they didn't respond immediately. My guys don't even look for a hand signal for that one. Guinness actually doesn't look for a hand signal for anything any more. What's cool with him is that he's starting to figure out what my command is going to be before I give it (related to the situation). If I keep my mouth shut and wait, he'll usually figure out what I want him to do. He knows I'll never throw his ball unless he's sitting first, so if I pick up a ball he'll immediately sit. If I go to his "cookie jar", he'll immediately sit. If I go get his leash, he'll go to the door and sit and wait. It's like these behaviors have become "instinctive" because of the consistent expectations. I need to keep working to get him to the same point with some other things, like going into a sit/stay with a person at the door. With Murph we're still using both verbal and hand signals for most things, although he now knows to automatically sit for ball throwing or "treats".

[Bentley, Michelle & David]

I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but we've used "okay, go" as a release and it's worked well for us. I don't know that Bentley would actually differentiate between "okay" and "okay, go" or if he'd decide that "okay" is close enough and release himself. No problems yet, though.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

If you wanted to test it you could try using just the okay and see how Bentley response :)

DH tried using Karen's idea of "free" the other day and of course Tara just looked at him because it was jibberish to her! LOL! Like I said DH is one of my training challenges!! Then he tried "okay free"and she release but I'm sure in this case it was just because she heard the okay word.

I am thinking of trying to be more consistant about the tone with the work "okay". I think someone suggested this earlier in this discussiion. If I use a tone with her "okay" that I don't use ordinarily I wouldn't have to be concerned about duplicating it in converstion.

[BG and Gavin]

Gavin releases on "okay" as well. However, alot of it I think is tone and cadence. I don't say "ok," I say "oh-kaaay." Although I am sure that my husband does not use the same tone as I do, but he releases him as well. Hmmmm maybe he knows our two tones. Experiment brewing. Get a stranger to release him with "okay" and see how he does. lol

As for hand signals, does clapping count? I use that alot for come from a distance, or from out of sight, or at the dog park. I started doing it as well I think, because it generated excitement making "coming" much more appealing.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Yup, I do the "clapping" at long distances too, and I turn around like I'm about to run away. That gets both of my guys running to me...they don't want me leaving without them.