06/09/2025
This might sound strange, but one of the most powerful ways to improve your dog’s responsiveness is to talk less 🗣️
Many owners talk to their dogs all day, just narrating everything, repeating commands, or filling quiet moments with chatter. Over time, your words can start to feel like background noise to your dog 🎧
Think about it like this: if a child says “Mum? Mum? Mum?” fifty times a day, eventually the parent starts to tune it out. Your dog can do the same. When you’re constantly talking at them without giving clear, actionable information, they stop paying attention. Then, when you really need them to listen, they may ignore you!
Take “sit” as an example. If your dog understands the word, you shouldn’t have to say it ten times. Assuming they don’t have pain, physical limitations, or confusion about what you’re asking, one clear cue should be enough. If it’s not, repeating it over and over just teaches them they don’t have to respond straight away.
✨Try this challenge✨
Spend the next 24 hours not talking to your dog at all. Use body language and gestures to communicate instead.
Then, start reserving your words for when they really count, only asking for a behaviour, praising good choices, or giving important information. You’ll quickly find that your words carry more value, and your dog listens more closely when you speak 🫶
