what different hand signals do you use?
- Thread starter Puppy
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Oh gee...that's hard to describe. I use a small (getting smaller and more subtle as we go) wrist action, moving palm toward me for "come." (I always practice, while he's staying... touching my nose or scratching my head so he learns that those are not meant for coming...kind of get him use to fine tuning the recognition of the come signal)
Hand out, palm out for wait
Hand out, palm out with a horizontal motion for stay
Hand out, closed fingers, a little up and over his head for sit
Downward motion with forarm, palm down for down.
Palm up and from forearm a raising up to mean sit if he's in a down.
If he's sitting or down and I want a stand, I make my fingers closed like I'm pulling him by a string into the place I want him while saying the word, "stand" or "sit."
Forearm action, hand going down to my side for heel. (like if he is sitting in front, this means he is to come around behind me and sit at heel position) I use my right hand to show him to go toward my right side and he's to go all the way around my body to my left side.
He's just now learning his left and right so I use the words but also point using my whole arm with a sweeping motion from my center all the way to the left or right.
For when he is behind me...way back in a "wait" and I call him up to "heel" while I'm continuing to walk, I use my left arm, palm down, arm back behind my thigh and I swoop it up to my side for him to resume heeling.
Take a bow, it's like down, but I bow too, sort of. I mean I really put the bend in my body too. But of course, with that one, we're still using the word, "bow." It's kind of a new trick.
Back up: short little, repeated jabbing movements with my index finger pointing out, like I'm poking someone. LOL. I use "back, back, back, back" for each step backwards.
Most of these hand signals are automatically learned because they're sort of used when luring with a treat in a lot of cases. If you use the hand signals with the verbal command, there will come a time where just one or the other can be used. Use both while they're learning a skill and they'll catch right on.
I can't think of anything else right now. There are the signals for use in agility but I use the verbal too at this point. A lot of times he can't see me because he's way ahead of me, so the verbal is needed.
Hand out, palm out for wait
Hand out, palm out with a horizontal motion for stay
Hand out, closed fingers, a little up and over his head for sit
Downward motion with forarm, palm down for down.
Palm up and from forearm a raising up to mean sit if he's in a down.
If he's sitting or down and I want a stand, I make my fingers closed like I'm pulling him by a string into the place I want him while saying the word, "stand" or "sit."
Forearm action, hand going down to my side for heel. (like if he is sitting in front, this means he is to come around behind me and sit at heel position) I use my right hand to show him to go toward my right side and he's to go all the way around my body to my left side.
He's just now learning his left and right so I use the words but also point using my whole arm with a sweeping motion from my center all the way to the left or right.
For when he is behind me...way back in a "wait" and I call him up to "heel" while I'm continuing to walk, I use my left arm, palm down, arm back behind my thigh and I swoop it up to my side for him to resume heeling.
Take a bow, it's like down, but I bow too, sort of. I mean I really put the bend in my body too. But of course, with that one, we're still using the word, "bow." It's kind of a new trick.
Back up: short little, repeated jabbing movements with my index finger pointing out, like I'm poking someone. LOL. I use "back, back, back, back" for each step backwards.
Most of these hand signals are automatically learned because they're sort of used when luring with a treat in a lot of cases. If you use the hand signals with the verbal command, there will come a time where just one or the other can be used. Use both while they're learning a skill and they'll catch right on.
I can't think of anything else right now. There are the signals for use in agility but I use the verbal too at this point. A lot of times he can't see me because he's way ahead of me, so the verbal is needed.
Fist with index finger pointing up/out = Sit
Downwards flick of the wrist with an open hand = Lie down (Swing entire arm down if he's far away)
Hand out in front of him = stay
"Come here" motion with index finger = Come towards me (not formal recall)
Pointing in front of me = Short-distance recall/front
Arm fully extended, bringing it in to my chest = Long-distance recall/front
Flick of the index finger, in a circular motion = Spin
Hand in a circular motion = Rollover
Point at something = Get it
Arm going out in front of me, pointing = Go out
Flick of the wrist behind my right leg = Heel, normal finish
Flick of the wrist in front of my left leg = Heel, back-up finish.
Hand facing down and flipping upwards = Stand up
Arm thrown upwards, open palm = Release/Okay
Right arm out = Come bye
Left arm out = Away to me
Wrists in front of me, crossed with palms facing out = Leave it/no jump/behave yourself
Back up = Little flicks of the wrist in the direction I want him to go
Gimme kisses = kissy face
Slitting-throat motion = STOP IT NOW/You've done something bad
Whistle commands:
One long blast = Down (As far as we've gotten. LOL!)
Jeeze. Hard to describe!
Downwards flick of the wrist with an open hand = Lie down (Swing entire arm down if he's far away)
Hand out in front of him = stay
"Come here" motion with index finger = Come towards me (not formal recall)
Pointing in front of me = Short-distance recall/front
Arm fully extended, bringing it in to my chest = Long-distance recall/front
Flick of the index finger, in a circular motion = Spin
Hand in a circular motion = Rollover
Point at something = Get it
Arm going out in front of me, pointing = Go out
Flick of the wrist behind my right leg = Heel, normal finish
Flick of the wrist in front of my left leg = Heel, back-up finish.
Hand facing down and flipping upwards = Stand up
Arm thrown upwards, open palm = Release/Okay
Right arm out = Come bye
Left arm out = Away to me
Wrists in front of me, crossed with palms facing out = Leave it/no jump/behave yourself
Back up = Little flicks of the wrist in the direction I want him to go
Gimme kisses = kissy face
Slitting-throat motion = STOP IT NOW/You've done something bad
Whistle commands:
One long blast = Down (As far as we've gotten. LOL!)
Jeeze. Hard to describe!
Y
Yikes that is hard to describe but I will try.
Sit is a level hand, palm down, chest height moved out over the dogs head. Like they would follow the hand with their eyes and then sit in order to continue following it.
Down is flat palm facing down, pushing towards the ground.
Stay is flat palm in front of face
Come is flat palm facing towards my body and almost like you are waving someone to come
Heel is a flat, full arm length slap on outside of my leg.
Take It is a throw, just like you are throwing a ball.
Off is the same as down because we always put him in the down after, we never do the actually off.
We have dropped the stay from the commands because we now have a release word of OK or the hand signal is a tap on our head. Yes it sounds funny but it works and they follow verbal or hand. They know if we say sit they must stay in the sit until they are released so we no longer require stay.
Sit is a level hand, palm down, chest height moved out over the dogs head. Like they would follow the hand with their eyes and then sit in order to continue following it.
Down is flat palm facing down, pushing towards the ground.
Stay is flat palm in front of face
Come is flat palm facing towards my body and almost like you are waving someone to come
Heel is a flat, full arm length slap on outside of my leg.
Take It is a throw, just like you are throwing a ball.
Off is the same as down because we always put him in the down after, we never do the actually off.
We have dropped the stay from the commands because we now have a release word of OK or the hand signal is a tap on our head. Yes it sounds funny but it works and they follow verbal or hand. They know if we say sit they must stay in the sit until they are released so we no longer require stay.
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Hand up = Stay
Index finger pointing towards dog = Wait
Index finger pointing down = Lay Down
And then I use some American Sign Language....some of them are hard to explain but I'll try...
Hands in fist, all except the index fingers. Pull hands back and "close" index fingers = Come
Hands in fist, all except thumbs. Put right thumb on top of left thumb and push both hands down = Stay
Hands in "H" sign for ASL (sorry can't describe it), put right fingers on left fingers = Sit
And I am going to use hand signals for their new commands also.
Index finger pointing towards dog = Wait
Index finger pointing down = Lay Down
And then I use some American Sign Language....some of them are hard to explain but I'll try...
Hands in fist, all except the index fingers. Pull hands back and "close" index fingers = Come
Hands in fist, all except thumbs. Put right thumb on top of left thumb and push both hands down = Stay
Hands in "H" sign for ASL (sorry can't describe it), put right fingers on left fingers = Sit
And I am going to use hand signals for their new commands also.
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I know a couple of signs...I'm not really fluent in it. Right now I'm just learning from some books. I'm really interested in it though, and would like to become fluent in it someday. I decided to teach them the signs for their basic commands and am going to start teaching them tricks using ASL too. 
Hand out palm up for stay
Hand out palm down for down
Hand out palm up with a upwards motion for up from a down
Arm up and palm toward dog with a down motion for a down from a distance
Arm bent at the elbow and pulling toward me for a come
Left leg forward first for a heal at the take off
Pointer finger pointing down and twirling around for a finish
Arm out for an over or jump
Pointer finger pointing forward for a through tunnel
Hand sideways palm facing forward in a forward motion for dog walk
All other comands I use words
Weave- "weave"
Teeter Totter- "teeter"
Table- "table"
etc.....
As far as I know and when I have shown it has been ok to use any signal you want for any command as long as your dog knows what you are asking
Hand out palm down for down
Hand out palm up with a upwards motion for up from a down
Arm up and palm toward dog with a down motion for a down from a distance
Arm bent at the elbow and pulling toward me for a come
Left leg forward first for a heal at the take off
Pointer finger pointing down and twirling around for a finish
Arm out for an over or jump
Pointer finger pointing forward for a through tunnel
Hand sideways palm facing forward in a forward motion for dog walk
All other comands I use words
Weave- "weave"
Teeter Totter- "teeter"
Table- "table"
etc.....
As far as I know and when I have shown it has been ok to use any signal you want for any command as long as your dog knows what you are asking