# Body cue's



## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

I was just working my friends dog. We were heeling nicely and she just dropped into a down. It was almost as if I gave a command, but I didn't. My only explanation is that she picked up on a body cue. I don't know what it was in this case, but it got me thinking. Do you use body cues? I have seen some people use things like a slight dip of the inside corner for turns or turning your head just before a turn, only doing motion exercises on a specific foot and so on. For the most part, I try to not use body cue's. However I have noticed as I progress in training I found that I sometimes do things I didn't even realize I was doing. Like I must have this morning. So, do you ever use body cue's? Do they ever get you in trouble? I know at higher levels, they ding you hard if the judge notices, but I also know you can get away with a lot in a trial.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I try to "get taller" when making an about turn. I don't usually try to use any body language when training, except for the about turn...it helps me more than my dog!


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

When trialing Darcey(my pit) I used lots of cue's. I needed to with him to prep him for what was coming. He gets so stressed he stops thinking. So I break down my stride before a turn or slight speed change to keep him focused and so on. I only trial him at entry level, so even if a judge notices, it's just a remark not points. With the others I try to do nothing and let them work. 

I feel like when asking this question, I'm asking people to give away top secret info haha.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I've had that happen with Keeta a number of times. What I realized is that in an effort to NOT give any body cues for an upcoming in-motion exercise, I would sub-consciously stiffen ever so slightly, take a few steps looking straight ahead, then give a command. She read that to the tee - if I was just heeling in a straight line and started to think about walking straight and not looking down at her, she picked up the body cue as I straightened out as an up-coming in-motion exercise. 

I started purposely stiffening-straightening during heeling and throwing in random commands to stop her from anticipating.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Record your training sessions whenever possible and try to catch stuff like that. You'd be amazed what you could go back and see that you had no idea you did or that you didn't catch the dog do.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

yeah I have intentional cues and unintentional ones


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

My trainer teaches body cues like turning your head before a corner. I can't think what one would be for a down though. Did you raise your hand? That might be it.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Jax08 said:


> My trainer teaches body cues like turning your head before a corner. I can't think what one would be for a down though. Did you raise your hand? That might be it.


Hand movement... Stutter step... Change of pace... Inhale distinctly... Could be many


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Dogs are very visual creatures. They are far more aware of what we do with our bodies than we are. Verbal commands are not normal for them. I had problems with Vala starting to finish before asked. She was cuing on my inhaling. I had to work on getting her to wait and then getting her to go when I said the word (the normal process of learning with some confusion). 

I tend to use my footwork and my upper body in turns. I try not to use any body language at other times though I have gotten hit for it when I didn't even know what I did (not intentional so I actually had to ask what I did). On Deja's 3 I got hit for handler help on her running stand. I honestly had no idea what I did. Some people said I dropped my shoulders, but the judge said I put my hand out. That is not even a cue I usually use in training, totally accidental, so not something I will stress about. 

One of the places I see the most handler help is in the finish.


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

I don't trial or compete at any level. My dogs are well behaved companions/watchdogs. I use a whole bunch of visual cues. It's handy when you only want to alert one animal at a time.

A wave from me means I see you and you are alright in what you are doing
A rolling motion means hurry it up and get over here
A wagging finger means knock it off
If I pat my chest the dog(s) know I am going to inspect, pick up feet, check ears etc. It's a combo come to me and let me see command.
A smile means if you wanna rub now is a good time as I'm in a rubbin mood.


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## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

I have a ton of body cues, which I'm working on fading but will probably never be able to totally eliminate because Pongu is a nervous wreck and needs a ton of handler help to get through the simplest heeling patterns.

Big shoulder tilts forward before we do "fast," specific stutter steps before halts, shoulder tilts and head turns before right, left, and about turns, and hand signals for Front and finishes -- those are the ones I know for sure, and there are probably a lot of others that I'm not aware of because I haven't built them in intentionally. Other than starting with the left foot when I want Pongu to heel with me, and starting with the right foot when I want him to Stay, though, I don't do a lot of footwork cues.

If I have to choose between them, I will opt to dispense with the verbal cue and go with a gesture instead. In the venues we do, you're allowed to pick one or the other (except, obviously, for stuff like the Utility signal exercise), and sometimes are permitted both a signal and a verbal cue if they're given simultaneously.

I love watching teams where the dog is so attuned to the handler that no obvious cues are necessary at all, and aspire to reach that level someday. I can do it sometimes with Pongu when he's at home and relaxed, but I haven't yet been able to duplicate it anywhere else, and I don't know that we'll ever get there in the stress of an actual trial.

Mostly I just file that notion away in "daydreams about Imaginary Future Dog." Someday. SOMEDAY.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

Thanks for the responses everyone. These are great! I know most or at least it seems most people use them. As Lisa said, the dogs pick up on that stuff a lot easier than verbal commands. I like watching other teams and try and see their cues. 

For turns, I have also seen people use their arm swing as a cue. For a sit in motion, I used how I carried/swung my arm as a cue for Darcey. I always do my motion exercises on the same foot and I always leave my dog on the same foot. Making that like a "stay" cue.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I think everyone has them intentionally or not. Of course for competition we do our best to avoid them but I think often there are still hints. The most I see are during military left turns and flip finishes so I have my dogs do their left turns and finishes around the back (I actually teach both, but don't use both).


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