pboae Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 I'm trying to teach Sully some games to play. At the moment we are working on 'take things out of the box', the idea is we build up to 'put them in another box', 'put them back in the box' and maybe even 'sort them out', but that's a looooooooooooong way off yet. He's just about got the idea about taking things out of the box, and I want to start adding a hand signal (he's better with hand signals than verbal commands). I've automatically been tapping the box to get his attention, but with hindsight I don't really want that to be the hand signal, because I'll never be able to do it at a distance. Can anyone suggest a relevant hand signal, or series of signals? I'm rubbish at stuff like this and I want to make sure I'm giving him clear signals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoC Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 I use a fist, and then opening it really quickly (like I would be splashing water on them if my hand was wet) which is for 'speak'. You can use your arm as well as your hand, like move it to the left or the right, or up or down. Also think about the way your hand faces Sully, how many fingers you hold up (you could do a really rude hand gesture which could the cue for him doing something really cute!) or you can click your fingers, clap your hands. Anything you can think of. Maybe if you mimic tidying away that could work? It would be quite impressive for other people, cos if it looks like a normal gesture rather than a hand signal you can say anything you want at the same time. Mind you, Sully doing anything is pretty impressive!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafrisk Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 How about covering your fist with your other hand for putting things back in and taking the fist out of the other hand for taking stuff out of the box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9Fran Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 If you're using a tapping motion on the box, why not just use a tapping motion away from the box? OK, you'd have to build up the distance gradually, but if it ain't broke ...... For put them in another box, move your hand in an arc from left to right, and for put them back in the box an arc from right to left....Use a pointy finger as emphasis. And for sort them out - a string of arcs..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pboae Posted June 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2006 Thanks guys, I'm going to use an mish mash of them all, I'll have to stick with tapping because he's obviously picked it up before I even realised I was doing it (d'oh), but I'll use the fist and arc ones for the other stages. Jo, teaching him 'speak' is what I plan to do next, so I will save that one for now. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raiye Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Thanks guys, I'm going to use an mish mash of them all, I'll have to stick with tapping because he's obviously picked it up before I even realised I was doing it (d'oh), but I'll use the fist and arc ones for the other stages. Jo, teaching him 'speak' is what I plan to do next, so I will save that one for now. Thanks again That "speak" signal is what we use for a good girl sign with our deaf lurcher. If you did it to her she'd sit and wait for her treat Ive found big signals work better, especially over a distance, then as they get the hang of the signals, you can shorten them down as they learn. Would love to see some vid of him emptying the box Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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