Dog Sign Language

Has anyone ever heard of this? There's a woman named Sean Senechal who's taught her dog to communicate with her using a form of sign language. I've just ordered her book because it's really interesting and it'd be cool to see if I could try it with Loki. Imagine how great it'd be to have a higher form of communication like that and it shows just how intelligent dogs really are.

This is where I first read about it:
http://www.dogbehaviorblog.com/2011/10/your-dog-can-talk-to-you.html

And this is the site for it:
http://www.animalsign.org/

What do you think? Probably not for everyone, but I think it's really interesting.

I'll maybe have a look when I get home , could be interesting thanks for sharing that

I knew it had been done with monkeys and a similar method with a dolphin but not a dog. Very interesting.

Very interesting. You will have to do a review for other members if you get it

I think it's fascinating, absolutely amazing what a dog can be trained to do if only the time is put in.

Please let us know how you get on with the book.

One of the ladies at the rescue I foster for does doggy sign language.
She has posted quite a bit about it on a blog. I'll ask her for some info.

When we teach our dogs to do something by hand signals it is the first communication by sign language but we don't follow it through. Understanding a dogs body language and communicating with dogs is very fashionable now and many owners understand their dogs better now they have learnt more about their body language.

The more we teach our dogs the better, it builds the bond stronger and we communcate with them more.

I'm afraid it isn't sign language as we know it - not like has been taught to gorillas for example. It's hand & body signals instead of word commands. So a finger pointing up means sit for example, but don't expect the dog to start answering back!

Years ago I taught my border collies distant control with hand signals only - it's clever, but not new.

Caryll wrote:I'm afraid it isn't sign language as we know it - not like has been taught to gorillas for example. It's hand & body signals instead of word commands. So a finger pointing up means sit for example, but don't expect the dog to start answering back!

Years ago I taught my border collies distant control with hand signals only - it's clever, but not new.

It is more or less sign language like that. Obviously all dog owners use signals with their dogs, but I'm talking about a higher form of communication by teaching your dog what certain signs mean, and them being able to answer you. The book arrived a little while ago and it sounds like hard work, which I expected, but it's definitely doable. I reckon I'll start it when Loki's general behaviour is trained up a bit more.

My dogs often reply to me in their own way, it is quite funny at times especially when I am trying to work out what they are saying. My problem is having 5 dogs, they all communicate differently which can be confusing to me, they are very clear what they are trying to say.

Oh, dear. We're going to have to disagree about this. Yes, your dog communicates with you, but it isn't sign language. You cannot have a conversation with a dog even in the most basic way.

I don't think I have been putting it across very well because I am trying not to upset people. What I am trying to say is, we don't need to teach our dogs sign language because we can understand what they are saying anyway. By watching our dogs we learn how to understand what they are telling us, going out to toilet, a dog works out their own way to communcate to us that is what they want. If they think it is past their walkies time they have their own way of telling us. If their water bowl is empty, they can tell us.

Personally I don't see any point in teaching a dog sign language, they can't talk like we can which is why those that need sign language can do. If you watch a program which also has sign language in they follow what is being said, dogs cannot talk or think the same way.

There are people who can talk to animals and they get responses back but it is not how we talk.

Yes, dogs respond to us, but it's a basic response, not language on any level.