UPDATE: I'VE SHOT (BY FIRING SQUAD) MOST OF MY "NODS")! -Any suggestions for words other than "nodded?!"

I try not to write about someone having nodded I really do--but are there other words similar to that head motion that someone can perform to denote agreement?! What I keep picturing are those doggie toys that people stick in the back window of their cars that keep shaking their head, DON'T WANT THAT IMAGE.
Anyway, if you can help me, please feel free to HELP me!
thanks guys.

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What, pray, is wrong with "nodded"? It certainly preceeded the invention of certain nodding toys.

One of my pet peeves has been "he shook his head no" or worse, "he shook his head yes."
Shaking the head implies a negative; nodding implies a positive.
no I.J. nothings at all wrong with it. It's just I wanted to use other words and not use "nodded" continually! that's what I meant. I don't like to repeat words too frequently like nodded.
A friend of mine who teaches fiction writing at a local university HATES "nodded." Well, he hates lots of overused words and has termed them "bobble-headisms." He does a workshop on them.

For one thing, if you have any aspirations to be published in foreign languages, not all cultures express a positive response with the nod of a head. So it doesn't translate well.

Can't you just use something like He agreed. Or if its your POV character, use some internal dialogue to show a favorable response. To much usage of body movements start to sound like stage direction.

Using an occasional nod isn't awful. But when you have five or six nods per page, it's time to come up with something more creative and original.
well my wip is a hardboiled story (novel) it's about a Detective who has loads of conversations all over the place. I have him say yes and no. shake his head, reach for a cigarette--swallow some booze--but with all of that, within the conversations I have him use certain mannerisms. see what I mean? that's strictly what I'm referring to and nothing else really.
you hit it on the head. so what's more creative and original? that's my question! and thanks.
I hope to hear some good answers to this, too. No one ever gives me any good examples, either. :-)
I guess I'll go to the Thesaurus, I do that sometimes! it rarely helps, though! but thanks Annette. I thought it was just me fumbling with this wip thingy!
Well, you could say something like, 'He inclined his head in agreement,' but it takes up an awful lot more space than 'he nodded', and some editors would just take it out and stick 'he nodded' in its place anyway.
too right, but it would get me noticed! Not favorably, but still--!
I was just about to advocate "inclined;" Pepper beat me to it. I would fight to the death any editor who argues my word choices at that level of detail.
even if you thought you had too many (nods) in the book? look, I always take your advice Dana. so I'll listen! thanks.
Here we go folks: bobbed, jiggled, dipped and waggled--alternative words for nod. Now how's that for a powerfully written crime novel? "... she told him everything. And I was there that night. You knew that, right--Detective?" "Yes," he said as he bobbed. "I know you were!" (then I could always add for further emphasis he dipped his head. Sorry, I've had a busy day writing--and I needed to get silly. Please excuse me!

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