Dog Health Questions: Are there universal hand signals in dog training when it comes to cueing basic obedience commands?

If not universal, what are the most commonly used signals?

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That's a great question. I think it only matters if you are training the dog for someone else, or with the intention to show them. One of our dogs is trained to voice commands as well as hand signals, but originally the hand signals just kind of 'happened'. We realized that every time we told him to sit, we were holding our hand out with front of us with the palm facing him- and we were curious if he responded to the hand signal or the words. Now he can respond to both, and we made up other hand signals for his other commands.

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• Not really, depends on who you talk to. Be consistent and pick signals that are different from each other and your dog will figure it out. The ones I've used and teach: Right arm up then sweep it downward for down, right hand at side and sweep it upward, elbow bending, for sit, stop signal for stay, right arm out to side, sweep hand in to body (elbow bending) for some, palm swept from one side to the other in front of the dog's face for wait... and so it goes.
  
  Decide, repeat, reward - dog will get it. They are amazing that way. :)


• I've seen different signals from different people, but the ones we've always used:
  
  Sit: Closed fist in front of your chest
  Down: Palm open facing downward, make a downward motion
  Stay: Palm open facing the dog
  Come: Beckoning motion with hand
  Wait: One forefinger raised (like you were going to shush someone)
  
  Some people use actual sign language signs, others just use signs they feel comfortable with.