Signals Classroom

Description of Exercise/Skill:
Exercise Discussion
In this exercise, the dog is to work at heel position in response to signals only, then promptly respond to the handler’s signals from a distance. Heeling is done in the same manner as other heeling exercises except that only a signal can be used (no verbals) to begin heeling. In fact, during the entire signal exercise, only signals can be use for any aspect of the exercise. The handler cannot speak to their dog at any stage of the exercise. On a command from the judge, the handler will signal their dog to stand. On further signal from the Judge, the handler can signal the dog to stay, then move to the opposite end of the ring, and turn to face their dog. On separate and specific signals from the judge, the handler will signal their dog to down, to sit, to come, and to finish.
Besides heeling, your dog needs to know:
Heeling off leash and with signals only.
A stand on a signal command while moving in heel position.
A stay.
A down and sit at a distance and on a signal.
A recall on a signal.
And a finish signal to heel position.
Visualization
When doing this exercise, I look for my dog to maintain an active focus during all of the heeling. Also, my dog should maintain focus while I am leaving, during each signal, while my dog comes into front, and on the finish. In addition, while performing each signal, I expect my dog to maintain his position and not move forward.
Like most of the exercises in Utility, the signal exercise requires a confident, focused dog. If you move too quickly sequencing the skills, you will likely undermine your dog’s confidence. This will take its toll, and will eventually bleed over into your heeling before the signals begin. Dogs who are worried about the signals often show this worry by being unfocused and lagging around the ring. The dog knows what is coming and they don’t like it. Prevent this by teaching solid skill foundations, sequence appropriately, and add games to all training sessions.

________________ Forum – Place to ask questions and post YouTube videos! This is a PRIVATE group only for _______ participants.
Questions will be answered until ———-.

What you will need:
• List of items needed for training

_________ Training Log
PDF Points to remember

Questions? Ask DebbyQ

Games – Getting the most out of Training

Remember to use “Go back, throw back, send back, or release forward” when reinforcing stands, sits, or downs on signals.

• Go back is where I go back and reward my dog while he remains in position. I use the “slow return/reward” that is demonstrated in the “Building Blocks” section under the “Classes” page.
• Throw back is when I throw a toy/treat back to my dog as I leave, turn to face my dog, or after my dog has taken the new signaled position.
• Send back is when I pre-place a toy/treat behind my dog. Hopefully without him knowing that it is there. After a correct response or my dog staying in position, I will send my dog back to the toy/treat with a release “get it”.
• Release forward in the Signals Exercise would be releasing my dog forward to come to me and get toy/treat from my hand.

Dog having a hard time seeing the signal? Put a visible toy/treat in your signal hands. This makes it easy for your dog to SEE your signal hand. So often, I find that dogs have an issue of seeing the signals. Many people even teach their dogs, through games, not to look at their hands. :>0 Put a toy/treat in your hand is an easy way to teach your dog to LOOK at your hand for your signals. When I use this technique, I introduce the concept up close to my dog, give my signal but I do not drop my hand. Instead, I keep my hand up so that my dog can see my signal/hand. When my dog responds, I toss the toy/treat that was in my hand to my dog.

Adding tricks. Keep training interesting is the best way for your dog to stay in an “active” state. I teach my dog different tricks such as spin, back, twirl, sit up and wave. Once my dog is proficient with sit, down, stand and various tricks, I start adding them to my training. Examples: while my dog and I are playing, I ask my dog to back. Then I will signal/verbal a down, followed by a back into a sit. After that, I will add a sit up and beg followed with a stand. When doing this for the first time, keep your dog close to you and only pair 2 skills at a time. Build on success and slowly add more skills to the sequence.

Video Notes: In the first clip, Sly is demonstrating 3 ways I reward my dogs: Throw back, Go back, and Send back. I use these rewards/releases on the stand, sit, or down positions. In the second clip, Sly is doing games added into signals. When he doesn’t do as asked, I mark the incorrect behavior and let him try again. When correct, he gets rewarded.

Challenge

• Video you and your dog doing Signals and add games and tricks to each skill randomly.
• Which game is your dog successful with and which needs more training?
• Do a signal and then a trick. Start close (2-5’) to your dog so he understands the new rules. Keep training interesting and fun.
• Did you have any problems?
• Was your dog staying in an “active” state while on his sit/down/stand?
• What do you see that can be improved?

In this exercise, the dog is to work at heel position in response to signals only, then promptly respond to the handler’s signals from a distance. Heeling is done in the same manner as other heeling exercises except that only a signal can be used (no verbals) to begin heeling. In fact, during the entire signal exercise, only signals can be use for any aspect of the exercise. The handler cannot speak to their dog at any stage of the exercise. On a command from the judge, the handler will signal their dog to stand. On further signal from the Judge, the handler can signal the dog to stay, then move to the opposite end of the ring, and turn to face their dog. On separate and specific signals from the judge, the handler will signal their dog to down, to sit, to come, and to finish.

Besides heeling, your dog needs to know:

• Heeling off leash and with signals only.
• A stand on a signal command while moving in heel position.
• A stay.
• A down and sit at a distance and on a signal.
• A recall on a signal.
• And a finish signal to heel position.

Visualization

When doing this exercise, I look for my dog to maintain an active focus during all of the heeling. Also, my dog should maintain focus while I am leaving, during each signal, while my dog comes into front, and on the finish. In addition, while performing each signal, I expect my dog to maintain his position and not move forward.

Like most of the exercises in Utility, the signal exercise requires a confident, focused dog. If you move too quickly sequencing the skills, you will likely undermine your dog’s confidence. This will take its toll, and will eventually bleed over into your heeling before the signals begin. Dogs who are worried about the signals often show this worry by being unfocused and lagging around the ring. The dog knows what is coming and they don’t like it. Prevent this by teaching solid skill foundations, sequence appropriately, and add games to all training sessions.

When Sequencing signals, your dog should know how to do all signal positions separately. While training, keep your dog energized and focused by adding random games. Put only two (2) skills together at a time and add randomize the skills you use.

Examples:

• Practice heeling and then the stand signal. Praise, reward, and release your dog.
• Place your dog on a sphinx down, leave a short distance, turn and signal your dog for a sit. Toss a treat/toy to your dog.
• Play with your dog, then signal your dog to sit, leave, turn and signal him to come. Praise and reward your dog while he remains in front OR as he is coming to you, turn and run away. Play and reward when he catches you.
• Ask your dog to stand, then leave a short distance, turn and signal your dog to drop. Praise and go to your dog and reward him before releasing.
• Once your dog is consistently meeting your criteria to the combined two (2) skills, start adding an additional skill to the sequence.
• Put your dog on a down and walk a short distance away, 4-6′ feet. Turn and signal for a sit and then a stand. Yes, keep your dog in an active state by randomly changing the order of skills.
• Add random tricks in various places when sequencing. If your dog knows tricks, add a trick randomly to your training sessions. For example, leave your dog in a stand. Ask your dog to spin, and then drop or sit, and then back up. Keep it fun and reward your dog for effort.

Training Tip – When I teach signals, I ALSO teach my dog to “back” on command. Once my dog is backing well, I teach signal skills to him one at a time. I stay close to my dog and add the “back” to the start of each signal. Example: as I give a “down” signal, I will say “back” and give him the signal for “down”. When I drop the verbal, my signal will mean to my dog “back and down”. This will keep him from moving forward.

Video Notes: In this video, we are sequencing Signals. We add games into the heeling to keep heeling fun! We also adds games into all of the training. Always watch and reward effort. When needed, we break up and review the skills as needed. To help a dog that is active or anticipates, we use the slow reward while the dog is in a stationary position. This helps to test his steadiness. During the session, we make sure our dog maintains criteria on each skill BEFORE continuing with the next skill.

Challenge

• Think about, review, and post your visualization and criteria of the Signal exercise.
• Test your dog to see if he has all the different skills needed for this exercise. That is, do each skill separately.
• Sequence two skills together at a time. Does your dog perform to your criteria?
• Add games and random releases to keep your dog engaged and in an “active” state.
• Post a video and note any problems you were experiencing or places you would like to improve.

Signals – Typical problems/solutions

The best way to prevent problems is to take your time and build a solid foundation of all the skills. Do not move on in any progression until your dog is solid at his current level of training and he can do that level in new unfamiliar locations.

Problem
Your dog sits when given the signal to stand during heeling or seems confused.

Solution
When teaching the signal stand, start off by using both a signal and a verbal. As your dog gains understanding and confidence, over many training sessions, wean off the use of the verbal.

In addition, watch when you actually give your signal. Your timing of the signal should be, give your signal/verbal and then stop.

Lastly, make sure you are not leaning back when stopping. This often looks like a “sit” cue to your dog.

Problem
When doing signals, your dog anticipates and doesn’t wait for a signal.

Solution
Anticipation is a GOOD thing. :>)

Check to see how often you are sequencing without breaking off and rewarding your dog. In other words, do a stand, leave your then throw back a toy/treat to your dog. Sequencing is not a bad thing for teaching BUT if you always do the same thing over and over, “conveyor line”, your dog will go into “auto-pilot”. Keep training fun and interesting for both you and your dog. Avoid “conveyor line” training once your dog understands the skills and sequencing.

Problem
When you start getting more distance, your dog seems to become confused or doesn’t do the signal. The “deer in the headlight” look. Your dog is LOOKING at you but no one is home.

Solution
Anytime it appears that your dog is slow or doesn’t respond to your signal, examine the following:

• Is your signal consistent?
• Are you using the same signal constantly all the time? Stand in front of a mirror and make sure that each of your signals look different. Your stand signal should look different from your sit signal and your come signal, etc. Then video your training and make sure that each of your signals is consistent.
• Have you increased the distance too fast? Gaining distance when doing signals should be a foot at a time and simplifying if you go to a new location or are adding proofing and distractions.

One last trick is to make your hands more visible for your dog to see. Many times as I gain distance, I put white toys in my hands OR have white gloves on both hands. Yes, I wean off this extra visual cue but only once my dog is proficient and confident with signals at any distance.

Problem
Your dog moves forward on the sit, down, or stand signals.

Solution
Go back and review your foundation training for the signal with which you are having an issue. Make sure that your dog knows how to change position without moving forward. If all your criteria are met, use a ruler placed on the ground in front of your dog. The ruler is his marker that he should not pass. Always start a new approach up close to your dog.

Challenge

• Video and analyze signal training and your dog’s response.
• Is your criteria being meet?
• What problems do you see?

Signals – Proofing – the last Steps to Success

While proofing signals, make sure you proof each skill separately. Take your time and reward all successes rather then continue with a sequence.

• Heel with your dog for a short distance. Give your stand signal. After your dog stands in place for a brief time, give your heel signal, move forward with your dog, and then give another stand signal. Heel forward again. This time execute a halt. Did your dog stand instead of sit even though you gave him no signal to stand?
• After heeling a short distance with your dog, give him the signal to stand and to stay. Walk a short distance. Very suddenly turn and face your dog. Without any delay, present your dog with a drop signal. Release your dog from the down position. Repeat this sequence two more times. On the fourth time, repeat the sequence but do not give a signal after you turn to face your dog. What did your dog do?
• Test your dog to see if he is paying close attention. Instead of giving your signals in the same manner as you normally do, give more subtle signals. If your signals are not quite as obvious, will your dog still respond to them?
• When practicing signals, vary the amount of time between each one. For example, sometimes give signals very rapidly with no pause between each. At other times, wait an excessive amount of time between signals.
• Take your dog to an area where there is a great deal of activity such as a child’s sports activity or a playground where children are running and playing. Practice signals with your dog facing towards and away from the commotion.
• Take your bag of articles with you to the area where you will practice signals. Stand your dog and walk to where you have placed your article bag. Before you present the drop, sit, or come signal, pick up your bag and toss your articles onto the ground next to you.

Video Notes: This video is all about proofing signals. In the first clip, Doreen and Secret and doing signals closer together to work through NEW proofing ideas. Secret does a great job ignoring the distractor with the toy. Kathy and Dance are in the next clip. Kathy does a great job”marking” good responses. She also releases Dance as he comes to her, which is a great reward for him. Next, Kathy has the distractor sitting on the floor between her and Dance. Again, Kathy does a great job marking appropriate responses from Dance. This is a great way to reassure her dog his effort is appreciated and helps build his confidence in a NEW proofing technique.

Challenge

• Videotape a short training session of doing the signal stand, down, sit and recall.
• Write a list of any problems you feel you had.
• Did you add surprise releases and games when your dog gave effort?
• Was your dog staying in an “active” state while on his sit/down/stand?
• What do you see that can be improved?