Effectively Communicate Commands with your Dog
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but dog’s DO NOT understand English…or Spanish…or any other language besides well- DOG! However, we do know how dogs learn and that is through seeing patterns in our behavior especially if it is linked to something that causes them to have a strong emotional response- be it very excited because food or a toy is coming, or be it very scared or anxious because something they do not like is about to happen- like the dreaded bath time.
When I teach commands, we first shape a predictable behavior by luring the dog into position using a tasty treat, or “capturing” the behavior by putting the dog in the environment where they are most likely to do the behavior and then “marking” (SAY “YES!”) and rewarding when they do it.- for example if I wanted a dog to bark, I would knock on the door or ring a door bell as most dogs will bark when that happens. Or if I wanted the dog to lie down I would put a bed or some blankets on the floor near the dog. The most important part is when teaching any command- we do not use punishment, and we try to get the dog to volunteer the behavior with as little pressure as possible and rewarding the dog with things that it values. (Treats, toys, affection, excitement, & exercise) Thus increasing the dog’s confidence in repeating the behavior in the future.
Dogs learn best with repetition and consistency of our patterns. If we are not consistent, it becomes very difficult for them to understand what we are trying to communicate. For example, it's ok for the dog to jump up on my lap and climb all over me when I sit down- I may even share affection; but when I come through the door with groceries in hand I will be quite upset if the dog jumps. The inconsistent message is very confusing from the dog's perspective. Instead when the dog is most likely to jump let's ask for a sit instead and reward the good choice repeatedly until the dog learns to default to sitting for attention no matter the scenerio.
I suggest everyone follow the structure of the “The 3 Parts of Every Command”
3 PARTS OF EVERY COMMAND
1. Verbal Command
a. Only use once pattern of behavior becomes predictable (80% success rate)
b. Only use Verbal Command 1 TIME
c. Use Proud/Commanding Voice- Not Yelling but not too soft either.
2. Hand Signal/Gesture or Environmental Que
a. Make clear distinguishable hand signals & ques
3. Marker Word “YES!”
a. Mark the moment with your voice at the exact time the dog meets your criteria and immediately follow it up with a reward R+
b. If you want to follow up your marker word with celebration- “Good Boy” “Great Job!” “Excellent!” feel free, just make sure your marker word comes first.
FOR EXAMPLE-
“SIT”
VERBAL- “SIT!”
HAND SIGNAL- “Upwards motion- palm facing the sky developed from luring with a treat
MARKER- “YES!” as soon as the dog sits and then reward