@CurlsnSunshinetime4tea if you plan to do something specific with your dog then you may need to use certain hand signals, otherwise just pick what works for you. My older GSP does gun dog training where "correct" hand signals are quite important. She also does agility where the hand signals are a bit looser. I rarely use verbal commands for agility, she follows my hands and feet.
@Unluckycat1 it's never too late for whistle training! I have whistles everywhere (glove box, treat pouch, one on my keys, coat pocket). They're all acme 211.5. The whistle cuts through so much noise, I couldn't be without it.
@tizwozliz the mud is really getting to me now. Apart from being covered in it on walks, they have started tearing round a patch of mud in the garden, then smearing it everywhere outside and inside several times a day.
After lots of discussions with DH we have decided to try medication with pup before we speak to anyone about rehoming. I want to feel I've tried everything, this is her home. Pup had her appointment with the vet today after the full behaviourist report came through. The vet agreed with the vet behaviourist that her gait looked a bit bowed and stiff, and ruling out pain should be step one. So she's starting a 2 week pain trial to see if her reactivity improves. She's been given quite a high dose of gabapentin so I think she'll be zonked initially... and it will be hard to make judgements about reactivity if she's wiped out. I didn't know how much she was getting until we were in reception and the vet was already in another consult. They're capsules so difficult to split, I'll try for a few days and then ask for a lower dose if she's too sleepy. I feel quite sad about giving her something that's going to space her out initially, but if she's in pain then we need to work towards making it better.