Rent safe and private dog parks hosted by locals

Dog Training Dog Reactivity Dog Enrichment Sniffspot Community Top Dog Trainers City Dog Parks Dog Breeds Dog Names Dog Rescues & Shelters

Home

Blog

Dog Training

Essential Hand Signals for Dogs: A Training Guide

Essential Hand Signals for Dogs: A Training Guide

David Adams

January 21, 2025

Dog Training

Essential Hand Signals for Dogs: A Training Guide thumbnail

Have you ever wondered whether you should teach your dog with verbal cues or with hand signals? Does it make a difference?

While for most pet parents it may just be a personal preference, there are a lot of great reasons to consider training hand signals with our canine friends — and scientific studies to back them up. Per Sniffspot's own proprietary research, 89% of dog guardians report having attempted to teach their dog hand signals!

Why use hand signals for training your dog?

The most obvious reason visual signals work so well is that dogs are themselves body language communicators, and readily read body cues. Because of this, dogs will usually respond more reliably to visual prompts, and will have a tougher time with verbal cues. One study looked at a group of dogs that had been taught standard cues with both visual and auditory signals. It was found that the hand-only cues reached up to 99% reliability while voice cues only reached 82% reliability.

In addition, hand signals are useful in a noisy environment. It is much easier for a dog to focus on their handler’s body positioning amongst these types of distractions. It can also be easier for your dog to read gestures during times they are a distance away from you. And if your dog loses their hearing as they get older you will still have a way to communicate with them.

If another person is with your dog, they can also use your dog’s visual signals with more reliability than with an auditory dog cue. Dogs may get confused by different intonations, accents or even tones of voice. Research shows that hand signals are much easier for dogs to understand when given by different people.

Many professional dog trainers teach their companions both verbal cues and hand signals.

Hand signal training is usually successful

Of people that have tried to teach hand signals to their dog, 91% report via Sniffspot's research that they've been successful.

Per our proprietary survey, the breeds with the highest success rates are:
- Border Collie
- Australian Cattle Dog
And the breed with the lowest success rate is:
- Beagle

Keep in mind that every dog is an individual, though — so even if you have an adorable Beagle, don't count them out! All our training journeys look different. Regardless of your pup's breed, basic hand signals paired with verbal communication can be an invaluable training technique.

Get safe exercise for your dog by renting a private dog park near you

How to add hand signals to already-trained behaviors

If your dog already responds to an auditory cue for basic obedience behaviors, the training process for teaching hand signals is easy! And because dogs respond more reliably to body language, teaching hand signals can actually help you build a better response to your verbal cues.

Anytime you want to build a new prompt for a behavior, you can use the same training process. First, perform the new visual signal, then follow up with the known verbal cue. With enough repetition, your dog will start to see your physical gesture as a predictor that the verbal cue is coming. You should start to pause for longer periods of time to give the dog a chance to start responding before you give the verbal cue.

When this happens you will now have two ways to ask your dog for a behavior: both a visual and a verbal cue.

Training hand signals for new behaviors

When you are teaching a new behavior cue with your furry friend’s favorite treats as a lure as in lure-and-reward training, then you can turn that lure right into a hand signal!

Hold the treat in your hand while luring for the behavior that you would like. The trick here is to hide the treat with your fingers in your hand so it does not become a visual part of the cue.
Mark and reward your dog when they perform the behavior you'd like!
Then you want to start trying repetitions without the treat in your hand.
Does your dog respond? If not, try luring again and take note to make sure your hand looks exactly the same. Is the treat visible? Is your dog’s nose busily sniffing to see if there is a treat? If so it will be better to keep the lure until you notice your pup responding faster.

Important: The training process for new skills should always begin in a distraction-free environment. Keep training sessions short and fun to accommodate our furry friend’s short attention span. Training without distractions is key in the beginning. As behavior becomes more fluent, you will want to practice with your dogs in a variety of situations, including stimulating situations, like outside or at the park. This will help to proof behaviors.

Dogs can learn these body cues at any age. So you can start training with hand signal non-verbal cues to puppies as well as your adult dogs!

You can read more about training in general in our Dog Training 101 guide!

Get your dog the safe enrichment they need by renting a Sniffspot

Mistakes to avoid when using dog training hand signals

Of people that have not yet tried to teach their dog hand signals, 59% report through Sniffspot's survey that they're confident that they would be successful and 41% are not confident that they would be successful.

If you're in that latter number, knowing what mistakes to watch for can make you more confident!

Be sure to separate out verbal and visual cues

One of the most common mistakes people make when teaching hand signals is that they will give the verbal and visual cues together. If you give them simultaneously your dog won’t be able to separate them and will focus on the more salient — obvious — prompt. For dogs, that will always be the physical cue. What happens then is they learn the words you keep saying to them have no meaning... and it all becomes background noise.

So when training the new cues, wait a second or two in between the known and new prompts. Keep them separate in order for your dog to respond to them separately!

Be sure to fade your treat lure

The other mistake people make is that they keep the food tucked in their hand. Make sure to fade the treat from the hand so you are truly teaching your dog hand-only cues — and not just rewarding them for following the treat.

Do mark (click or say “yes”) and treat the behavior with a snack from your pocket! You are still rewarding the behavior — but your dog will learn to perform without seeing, or smelling, the treat.

By teaching hand prompts to your dog, you are avoiding one of the biggest mistakes humans make while teaching basic obedience: Talking too much to your dog. Humans like to talk a lot, and when we do that, our dogs start to zone us out. We become nothing more than background noise. So avoid that mistake by teaching a visual prompt!

What are the common hand signals for dogs?

Here are a couple of steps for teaching your dog hand signals for some basic obedience cues.

Attention cue hand signal

You may also hear this cue called “watch me” or “look”. You are teaching the dog to look at you, or give you attention.

The physical gesture is your index finger pointing to the outside side of your eye. You can use either your right or your left hand and eye, but once you pick a side, stay consistent. This will help your dog make the connection between your body movement and what you are asking them to do.

When your dog looks toward you, mark and follow up with a tasty treat.

Release: You’re free hand signal

This releases your dog from any position your dog is in. Start with your hands in front of you, palms down, right over left. In a sweeping motion, move the right hand to the right, and the left hand to the left to tell your dog they are “all done”.

As your dog is learning what this means, you may need to encourage him to move from the position he is in.

Sit hand signal

With your palm up, start with your arm in a natural position and sweep it in an upward motion over your dog’s head. As your dog watches your body movement, their head will naturally look up, which will make many dogs sit naturally.

If you are luring this behavior, hide the treat in the hand, but cover it with your thumb so it does not become part of the visual cue for your dog. Remove the food after just a few successful repetitions.

Down hand signal

The hand signal for down is almost the exact opposite of the sit. Hold your hand at your dog’s nose, palm down, and sweep your hand in a downward motion, almost between your dog’s feet. Imagine there is a string from your fingers to your dog’s nose, and you are guiding him to the down.

If the down is new to your dog, tuck a treat under your palm out of sight and slowly lure the dog into a down position.

Stand hand signal

Imagine that string from your dog’s nose to your fingers again! Hold your hand with your palm facing his face. Move it out a few inches, so if your dog follows it they have to get up from the position they are in. The moment your dog stands up and has four still feet, mark and treat!

Stay hand signal

The physical gesture for stay is a hand brought forward toward your dog’s face (without touching him) and immediately pull back and relax your hand. Think of how you would gesture at a person to tell them to stop.

The most common mistake the average person makes when teaching the stay is that they want to hold their hand in their dog’s face for the duration of the stay. This will hinder the dog’s performance because he will become dependent on that hand being in his face, making it hard for the handler to move away or go out of sight while building the stay. So making this cue short and sweet can help you build a better stay.

Come hand signal

Coming when called is the most important cue for your dog to know, and you will want to teach both a verbal cue (in case your dog is running the other way) and a visual cue (in case he can’t hear you). Be sure to read our full post on Reliable Recall Training for more thorough info.

With your hand open at your side, sweep it in a diagonal motion until your hand is on your opposite shoulder. When your dog gets to you, throw a party with treats and praise.

Target hand signal

A target is almost always initially taught as a hand signal. You present your hand, and when your dog sniffs your hand, you will mark and treat. The hand signal will simply be your open hand.

So what is the point of teaching this? It can become an alternative to the come cue. But you can also use the target to get your dog into a position (such as on the scale at the vet’s office). Or you can use the hand target to get them to greet people. This makes a fun cue to start with when first getting started in teaching hand signals to your dog.

Heel hand signal

The hand signal for the heel tells the dog where his starting position is. You tap your left hip. When your dog goes to that side to investigate you will mark and treat. While on a walk, if your dog gets out of position you can use this body language to get your dog back in the right position again.

Some handlers pair a circular motion to help their dog rotate their hind legs — but ultimately, the exact hand signal cue you choose to use is up to you.

Place hand signal

Place teaches the dog to position himself on a target. This can be a bed, a crate or a platform. Point to the object. Studies show that dogs actually have a rough understanding of what the gesture means. So when they go to investigate where you are pointing, mark and treat their interaction with the object. Eventually you will tighten up criteria, and they will need to have all four feet on the target. But start easy to keep the game fun, motivating them to keep playing.

Quiet hand signal

You can probably guess the hand signal for quiet. It is a body language cue even humans respond to! Your index finger in front of your nose. Practice using this hand signal with your dog in low distraction areas. Give the physical gesture and the moment your dog is quiet, even if just for a second, mark and treat.

Get safe exercise for your dog by renting a private dog park near you

Here's to hand signals!

Dogs are tapped into our body positions, so it makes sense that they respond well to body signals. By taking just a couple of steps, your canine buddy will be looking to you for visual direction with hand signals and you can take your obedience training to the next level.

Make sure that while beginning these steps, train in an area free of distractions. Give your dog your undivided attention and use the power of positive reinforcement. Before long you will have a whole new way to communicate with your dog. Then let us know how this training method works for you.

Trainer that reviewed this article

There is so much misinformation out there, and we want to make sure we only provide the highest quality information to our community. We have our articles reviewed by qualified trainers. The trainers that review our content are reviewed by other trainers to ensure that we have the best quality filters on our content.

This is the trainer that reviewed this article:

Olivia Peterson, CCS
Owner - Sound Connection Dog Training WSU Bachelors in Animal Science Business Management. Northwest School of Canine Studies (NWSCS) Certification

Sniffspot's Proprietary Survey Statistics

Sniffspot Research 2023, n = 4,092

This infographic about dog training hand signals is in a green and white color scheme. It features graphics illustrating that 89 percent of dog guardians have attempted to teach their dog hand signal cues.

Get your dog the safe enrichment they need by renting a Sniffspot

David Adams

January 21, 2025

Dog Training

David Adams

About the author

David Adams is a man of many passions, but his love for dogs stands above all. He is not only a dog lover, but also the founder of an innovative platform called Sniffspot. This unique platform connects dog owners with private property owners who are willing to rent out their space for off-leash playtime. While the idea of Sniffspot was initially conceived by his wife, Rebecca, David has been the driving force behind its remarkable success, tirelessly overseeing its growth and development. David's dedication to providing safe and enjoyable spaces for dogs to play, explore, and socialize is evident in his unwavering commitment to Sniffspot. He strongly believes that dogs need ample space and opportunities to stretch their legs and have fun. As a result, he has worked tirelessly to build a network of private property owners across the country who share his vision and are willing to offer their space for the benefit of dogs and their owners. Despite his busy schedule, David always finds time to indulge in his passion for the great outdoors. He loves nothing more than exploring new hiking trails and embarking on thrilling outdoor adventures. Whenever he is not working on Sniffspot, he can often be found hiking or visiting multi-acre fenced sniffspots with his two beloved dogs, Soba and Toshii. He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys the fresh air, breathtaking scenery, and the sense of freedom that comes with being in nature. David is based in Salem, MA.

About Sniffspot

Sniffspot is a community marketplace that enables anyone to rent land by-the-hour as a safe and private dog park.

Find Sniffspot on your favorite social media

Puppy Training: How to Stop Leash Aggression

Kenapa Anjing Menggigit Ekornya? Ini Alasannya

American Staffordshire Terrier: Your Complete Guide

All categories

10 Unconventional Ways to Exercise Your Dog

Dog Parent's Guide to Separation Anxiety

Most recent articles

Puppy Training: How to Stop Leash Aggression

Kenapa Anjing Menggigit Ekornya? Ini Alasannya

American Staffordshire Terrier: Your Complete Guide

Top Airlines That Allow Large Dogs in Cabin (2024)

Big Dog Runs in Philadelphia: Public & Private Options

Portland Dog Parks: Sniffspot vs. Public Options

Puppy Training: How to Stop Leash Aggression

Kenapa Anjing Menggigit Ekornya? Ini Alasannya

American Staffordshire Terrier: Your Complete Guide

Top dog guides per area

Dog training guides

My Dog Is Food Aggressive With Other Dogs: What To Do
Does your dog ever growl when you walk by their food dish? Maybe they get possessive of treats, carrying them far away and giving you side-eye when you start to approach — or snarling at your other pets or children if they get too close.
Scent Training for Dogs: A Beginner's Guide
As almost every dog owner is aware, the nose of a dog is an amazing thing. Just as they can pick up sounds we can’t hear, their sense of smell and ability to pick up scents is well beyond ours. In fact, dogs have 40 times the number of olfactory receptors as humans.
Service Dog Training Costs: DIY vs. Pro
More than 80 million Americans rely on their service dogs to help them navigate the world. Task-trained assistance animals perform a huge range of life-changing—in many cases, life-saving—services: These dogs act as eyes for visually impaired handlers, provide mobility support, alert to seizures and blood sugar crashes, interrupt anxiety attacks, remind their people to take medications, and so much more.
What is and How to Handle Potty Training Regression
You thought your dog was house trained. Your home was clean from puddles of pee, those dreaded middle-of-the-night bathroom breaks were behind you, and you loved every minute of dog ownership… until your four-legged best friend started using the bathroom inside again. What’s going on?
Coprophagia: Why Does Your Dog Eat Poop?
Ah, poop. We humans think it’s disgusting… but many of our dogs seem to love the stuff. If you’re wondering why your canine companion tries to eat feces (either their own or that of other animals) you’re not alone!

Dog enrichment guides

Top 10 Dog Water Parks in the US
Do you have a water-loving dog looking to burn some energy? There are countless dog parks to visit throughout our country — but some of them become far too hot in the midday sun to be safe for your pets to play. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the best dog water parks throughout the United States! At these locations, your pup can frolic, splash, and swim to their heart’s content.
Best Toys for Herding Dogs: A Trainer's Guide
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Ultimate Guide: Dog Toys for Aggressive Chewers
Does your dog destroy every toy you give them? Is your house littered with remnants of fabric and stuffing of all different sizes? Are you tired of investing in “indestructible” toys only for your pup to still dismantle—or worse, get bored of—them in just a few days?
Daily Exercise Calculator: How Much Exercise Does Your Dog Need?
Everyone knows dogs need exercise, but how much is enough? Walks are great, but creating a truly balanced fitness plan means understanding your dog's specific needs. This post helps you develop a daily exercise calculator for your dog, considering breed, age, and lifestyle. We'll cover fun activities, understanding exercise intensity, and recognizing when your pup has had enough. Let's create a plan that keeps your dog happy and healthy!
Complete Guide To Herding With Dogs
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *

Dog reactivity guides

Rottweiler Aggression: Truth vs. Myth
Many dogs have gotten a bad reputation over the years for being "dangerous breeds." Rottweilers are among them. Like pit bulls and other large, blocky-headed types of dogs, these powerful and beautiful animals are often assumed to be aggressive.
What Is a Reactive Dog? A Practical Guide for Owners
Does your dog suddenly transform into a barking, lunging Tasmanian devil on walks? It's stressful for both of you. If this sounds familiar, you might have a reactive dog. Understanding what is a reactive dog is the first step to calmer walks. We'll explore the common triggers and give you actionable strategies to manage and modify this behavior. Let's turn those stressful walks into enjoyable outings.
How to Socialize a Reactive Dog: A Step-by-Step Guide
Does your dog display reactivity to other pets or people? Maybe they’re a new rescue pup and are still settling into your home. Or they were sick growing up, so you missed their critical socialization period. Possibly they’ve had a bad experience after being raised as a normal puppy.
What Is a Reactive Dog? A Comprehensive Guide
Do you have a reactive dog or suspect you may have one? You’re not alone!
The 9 Best Online Communities for Reactive Dog Parents
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *

Sniffspot community guides

Top dog trainers in the US

The Best Dog Trainers in the United States of 2025
This is a list of the top dog trainers in the United States, based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public.
The Best Dog Trainers in Seattle, WA of 2025
This is a list of the top dog trainers in Seattle, WA, based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public.
The Best Dog Trainers in Portland, OR of 2025
This is a list of the top dog trainers in Portland, OR, based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public.
The Best Dog Trainers in Los Angeles, CA of 2025
This is a list of the top dog trainers in Los Angeles, CA, based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public.
The Best Dog Trainers in New York, NY of 2025
This is a list of the top dog trainers in New York, NY, based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public.

City dog parks guides

Dogs breeds

Top dog names in the US

Top 1,000 Most Popular Dog Names
Looking for the perfect dog name for your new pup? We have created filterable lists of dog names from our database of hundreds of thousands of Sniffspot users. You can filter by gender, breed and state to find the most cute, unique and creative dog names.
Most Popular Male Dog Names
Looking for the perfect dog name for your new male pup? We have created filterable lists of male dog names from our database of hundreds of thousands of Sniffspot users. You can filter by gender, breed and state to find the most cute, unique and creative male dog names.
Most Popular Female Dog Names
Looking for the perfect dog name for your new female pup? We have created filterable lists of female dog names from our database of hundreds of thousands of Sniffspot users. You can filter by gender, breed and state to find the most cute, unique and creative female dog names.
Most Popular Golden Retriever Names
Welcome to our comprehensive list of Golden Retriever dog names, curated from our vast database of Sniffspot users. Filter through hundreds of thousands of options by gender, breed, and state to discover the most adorable, original, and imaginative names for your beloved Golden Retriever.
Most Popular Labrador Retriever Names
Welcome to our Labrador Retriever dog names page! Here you can browse through filterable lists of names for your beloved furry friend, ranging from cute and classic to unique and creative options. Our database of hundreds of thousands of Sniffspot users ensures you'll find the perfect name for your Labrador Retriever, whether you're seeking a name for a male or female, based on breed or state.

Top dog rescues in the US

The Best Washington Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2025
This list showcases the top dog rescues & shelters in Washington. These remarkable organizations have been recognized for their unwavering dedication to the well-being of countless dogs.
The Best Oregon Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2025
This list showcases the top dog rescues & shelters in Oregon. These remarkable organizations have been recognized for their unwavering dedication to the well-being of countless dogs.
The Best California Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2025
This list showcases the top dog rescues & shelters in California. These remarkable organizations have been recognized for their unwavering dedication to the well-being of countless dogs.
The Best Florida Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2025
This list showcases the top dog rescues & shelters in Florida. These remarkable organizations have been recognized for their unwavering dedication to the well-being of countless dogs.
The Best New York Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2025
This list showcases the top dog rescues & shelters in New York. These remarkable organizations have been recognized for their unwavering dedication to the well-being of countless dogs.

About Sniffspot

Sniffspot provides the best experiences and fun for you and your dog. Our dog parks are designed for the ultimate dog exercise. Our private spaces help you minimize distractions or triggers and maximize time with your dog. We provide off leash enrichment - exploration and activities you can't get anywhere else; wear your dog out for days. We make it easy to have playdates. Socialize your pup in a controlled, private spot - it's great exercise and it's fun for you and your dog.

Essential Hand Signals for Dogs: A Training Guide

Why use hand signals for training your dog?

Hand signal training is usually successful

How to add hand signals to already-trained behaviors

Training hand signals for new behaviors

Mistakes to avoid when using dog training hand signals

Be sure to separate out verbal and visual cues

Be sure to fade your treat lure

What are the common hand signals for dogs?

Attention cue hand signal

Release: You’re free hand signal

Sit hand signal

Down hand signal

Stand hand signal

Stay hand signal

Come hand signal

Target hand signal

Heel hand signal

Place hand signal

Quiet hand signal

Here's to hand signals!

Trainer that reviewed this article

Sniffspot's Proprietary Survey Statistics

David Adams

About Sniffspot

Follow us

Related articles

All categories

Most recent articles

Related articles

Top dog guides per area

Dog training guides

Dog enrichment guides

Dog reactivity guides

Sniffspot community guides

Top dog trainers in the US

City dog parks guides

Dogs breeds

Top dog names in the US

Top dog rescues in the US

About Sniffspot

Browse by top cities

Atlanta

Austin

Boston

Calgary

Chicago

Columbus

Dallas

Denver

Edmonton

Houston

Las Vegas

Logan

Los Angeles

Milwaukee

Minneapolis

Nashville

New York

Old Toronto

Omaha

Ottawa

Philadelphia

Phoenix

Portland

San Antonio

San Diego

San Francisco

Seattle

Tampa

Washington

Westminster

Browse by top states

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut