The signal exercise is done entirely from hand signals. No verbal commands may be given. The exercise begins with heeling off leash. The judge will order a Left Turn, Right Turn, About Turn and Halt, slow, normal and fast. Special emphasis will be placed on how you and your dog work as a team. In the process of heeling, the judge will maneuver you to one end of the ring. While heeling, the judge will order, “Stand your dog” and then “Leave your dog”. You should then signal your dog to stand and stay and walk to the far end of the ring (about 50 feet). The judge will then signalyou to “Drop your dog”, “Sit your dog”, “Call your dog”, and “Finish”, in that order.

Begin teaching these exercises with the signal to heel. Place your dog in the heel position, give him the heel signal (the left hand held open, passed smartly above and forward beside your dog’s head). Step off with your left foot and heel at a brisk pace. If your dog fails to get the idea of the hand signal, place him on leash so you can give a corrective jerk forward with the right hand.

Teach the stand signal when heeling by bringing the right hand down in front of his nose.

Then bring the left hand across his face as a signal to stay. At first you may need to use the voice command a few times to help him recognize the signal.

Teach your dog to drop on your signal by leaving him in the standing position at a distance of about 25 feet. The sudden raising of your hand is the signal to drop.

Lower it as soon as your dog starts to go down. You may at first need to give a voice command along with the hand signal. As he learns the hand signal, increase the distance to about 50 feet.

With your dog in the down position at the end of the leash to your front, give the hand signal to sit (quickly bringing your left hand upward from your waist). Reach toward your dog and say, “Sit”, lifting him with the leash in your left hand. Be quick with the praise when he sits. As you repeat the exercise the following several days, discontinue using the voice command and leash to lift him. Remove the leash as soon as possible and increase your distance from him.

The signal to call your dog is done by sweeping your right hand out sideways and then to your chest. Your dog should come smartly to you upon signal and sit directly to your front. Teach this signal by standing about 25 feet in front of your dog. Use the voice command “Come” if necessary the first several days. A piece of light rope may also prove useful to correct your dog should he not come smartly on your signal. Increase your distance from him as soon as you can.

The signal to finish is done by using your left hand as shown. You may speed up his reaction to your hand signal by using your right hand to reach forward and giving a jerk on the training collar. Some dogs, after learning the exercises, will anticipate your signals. You can sometimes break this habit by doing the exercises out of sequence.

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