You Can Teach An Old Dog New Tricks: Senior Dog Learns Sign Language to Keep Her Herding Job

Peggy at the shore

All the way from England, here’s a tale of a rescued senior dog who learned sign language so she could keep doing what she loves best – herding sheep.

Peggy, an eight-year-old Border Collie, was surrendered to the RSPCA in Norfolk, UK, after she lost her hearing and could no longer perform her job on the farm (yes, the R does stand for Royal).

This sweet girl was supposed to be temporarily fostered by animal welfare manager Chloe Shorten and her shepherd husband, Jason, until a more permanent placement could be found – but Peggy quickly won their hearts.

As Chloe said, “We completely fell in love with her almost immediately, and it soon became clear that she wouldn’t be going anywhere!”

The couple realized Peggy still loved being on the farm and missed her old job herding, so they decided to teach her sign language. This was no small task as herding dogs are usually trained with voice commands, but it was obvious that Peggy longed to be back in the field rounding up sheep.

The couple worked with a trainer to teach Peggy hand signals for herding.

“We started by teaching her to look at us for hand signals. We used repetitive and positive reinforcement and instead of pairing a verbal command with an action, we’d use a physical hand gesture,” explained Chloe. “She reads our hand signals and body language as a way of telling what we’re asking for. For example, thumbs up means ‘good girl.” 

These days Peggy still enjoys herding sheep, though she’s got her eye on retirement. When not herding, she spends her days happily running around the farm alongside the couple’s other herding dogs, Sid and Nora.

The most rewarding part for Chloe and Jason is to see Peggy enjoying life and understanding she is loved.

Peggy and her pack

“The main thing for us was being able to tell her that she’s a good girl and reassure her she’s going to be okay. It took her a while to learn that we loved her and to gain her trust, but it’s been so rewarding knowing that she now understands our praise,” said Chloe.

Peggy is living proof that you can teach old dogs new tricks, and Chloe hopes her story will persuade more people to consider adopting senior and/or deaf dogs.

“We wouldn’t be without her, and everyone who meets her loves her gentle personality. Having a deaf dog is a learning curve, but one we are thoroughly enjoying - seeing her coming out of herself and zooming around the garden, barking with joy!”

Want to see Peggy in action? Just click on the video link here to watch her as she rounds up sheep following hand signals.