Hand Signals

[Heidi]

I am trying to teach my dog tons of tricks and add a hand signal with each. I feel I am running out of hand signals that are different for each trick so he won't get confused to what I am asking him. I just wrote down in an excel sheet all the tricks and signals and realize there where a few that where very similar. I was wondering what hand signals other people use?

Heidi

[Jillian Gartner]

I've mainly done verbal and am now adding visual cues, so I'm really interested in any responses to this discussion.

My dog is a Poodle and compared to the other breeds I've worked with he responds quickly and easily to any signals - but he really likes to 'synchronize' - do what I do. So the signals that I have started implementing are designed to use that to my advantage. For example, when I wave I want a wave, when I cross my hands I want him to cross his paws, when I 'roll' my hand I want him to roll over (and half a roll tells him to expose his belly). I think it'll be a long time before I run out of signals, but I guess I'll see as I get there.
I've avoided teaching too many signals because I haven't yet decided whether I want him to mirror me or do the opposite. From a training standpoint I'm sure mirroring is easier/less confusing, but for free-style the opposites look cooler.

I would think some signals can be repeated/similar and the dog will figure it out based on what props are around.

-Jillian

[Dawn Goehring]

You don't always have to use hand signals. I use my foot or bent knee for some tricks ( such as on your feet, bow)
since dogs are so sensitive to body movement you can use a variety of postures like leaning forward, tilting your head, moving an arm and shoulder, etc. Just be creative and find something subtle that works for you. If you watch trainers with horses or sea lions they often use their whole body, turns of their head or shoulders to cue the animal. I am working on one behavior right now where the cue is me swinging around in a bent position at the dog. To give you a visual.. he is sneaking (crawling) behind me, then I am trying to teach him to look back to a side. My cue for that would be me turning around and looking that direction. So my body is eventually the cue. Hope that makes sense..

Dawn

[Bryan]

We love using hand signals. It makes for some real funny games when were out playing and entertaining.
But I only use them for the basic commands.
Like; Up, Down, Back, Come, Left, Right, Pray, and a few others that use simple signals. As I agree with you, to many can get real confusing. I found it easiest to teach signals by incorporating the hand signal along with the verbal command frequently then just removing the voice.
I make sure my pup has the new command COMPLETELY MASTERED before trying any signal that is similar.
For me all tricks come easiest when confusion is left out. (did that make sense?)
Also as Dawn stated use the feet!!