Touch Commands

Touch commands are going to be your best friend throughout the life of your new blind and deaf dog. Start by grabbing som treats. Next, decide where you want to touch to let the dog know what you want to do. I have trained Youwho that a tap on the rear means sit and a tap between the shoulders means lay down. Those are the first two basic commands to start with. So, it is very simple. Lure your dog into a sit until your dog gets the idea of sitting. Then, tap your dog's rear and then use treats to lure the dog into a sit again. Repeat these actions around 5-10 minutes each time throughout the day(s) until your dog has it. Some dogs may get overwhelmed quickly, others don't, so you can decide how much time you want to spend on repeating. You do the same thing with down. So, lure your dog into lay down until your dog gets the idea. Then, you tap between the shoulders and then lure the dog with treats to a down position.

Here are some ideas for touch commands (but of course you can use your own signals):
SIT- tap on behind
DOWN- flat hand/tap between shoulder blades
STAY- flathand on chest
GET UP/STAND- pet chest up to chin
GOOD BOY/YES- pat on the head
NO- gentle tap twice on nose
PAY ATTENTION- tap on head
TURN RIGHT OR LEFT- touch right or left shoulder
COME FORWARD- rub forward under chin
STEP UP (for stairs, or steps)- hand on back of neck

Other commands/signals:
COME (on a leash)- gentle pull on leash to come back
COME (when inside)- a stomp on the floor
COME (inside/outside)- If wearing a vibration collar, one vibrate signals find you