Our Dogs develop an ability to respond on cue when we have taught them what each of the cues mean. Dog training would be better referred to as Communication Training as the quality of the relationship and communication skills we have with our dogs becomes most evident when we are attempting to direct them.
The following are basic cues. As we discussed in our previous post (“Teach Your Dog the “Down” Command”) beginning is a process of watching for behaviors you want and teaching the cue when you see the behavior. For example:
Scenario: You have been watching your dog playing for awhile, but, now she is lying down. Depending on the level of your dog’s training one of the following examples would be your immediate response.
- You will click/reward (Novice)
- You will click/reward/voice “Down” (Beginner)
- You will click/voice (Intermediate)
Important Note: These are examples to provide an understanding of how to build upon the Clicker Training process. The level of your dog’s training may not look exactly like this example. In general the goal is to move to the most desired cue. These include but are not limited to:
- Rewards (treats, toys, activity)
- Verbal Cues (saying the command out loud)
- Motion (hand and/or body signals)
- Facial Expressions (eyes looking in direction desired)
It is important to know the cues you will be using for each desired behavior. When you know them then you can gradually communicate them with your dog by watching for opportunities to teach.
On Cue approach We Prefer
Explore our training guides and use this approach. Rather than show your dog what you want, watch for what you want to happen, and then provide the cue correlating with the behaviors immediately as they happen.
Remember English Cream Golden Retrievers naturally want to please us. When you are
- Clear about the behaviors you want,
- Take the time to practice daily training the cues of communication,
- Be consistent (practice time, cues used, behavior you want), and
- You will find your dog is motivated to learn.
Think things through: Today you may celebrate your puppy has come to you when you arrive home, and he has jumped up on you to say hello. His front paws are just above your ankles now, but, in a few months that same behavior may knock you off balance.
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