05/09/2024
“What word do you use for that?” Is something I get asked all the time when training.
Whilst having different verbal cues is super important, there’s so much more to it than just that! Physical cues, body language and the environment are all a massive part of training too.
The more I’m asked this question, the more it occurs to me that the most common verbal cue I use for my dogs is ‘go’. We don’t have separate words for each individual trick - the majority of it is based on my body language. If I say ‘go’ and bend over, I know Scout will jump on my back. If I say ‘go’ and kneel on the floor with my arms out, I know he’ll jump over them. Likewise, if we’re running an agility or hoopers course, ‘go’ means take the jumps/hoops in front of you. And if I set him up in front of a flyball lane and say ‘go’, Scout will play the game!
In these scenarios, the verbal cue, ‘go’, is a release word more than anything else. Because my body language and/or the environment are what is actually cueing the behaviour.
Of course this doesn’t mean we don’t use verbal cues, because we do - a lot!! Particularly for tricks where I want my dogs to work independently, directionals when running courses, obstacle discrimination etc. But it’s important to remember that your verbal cue isn’t your only tool. Dogs can pick up on the slightest changes in body language, and your behaviour and the environment become the cue too!
