Comments on: Use the Right Words to Talk To Your Dog

By: Pamela

Pamela — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 12:49:23 +0000

In reply to Meagan & Merlin. And that's why it's worth having a smart dog!

By: 24 Paws of Love

24 Paws of Love — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 21:59:03 +0000

I learned early with Brut the value of hand signals and body language, my words meant nothing to him without a physical signal. I am guilty of using the same word for many things but with a body cue, they know exactly what I’m saying.

By: Meagan & Merlin

Meagan & Merlin — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 11:16:31 +0000

I’m guilty with using one word for about five different things, but weirdly Merlin understands the context of what i want him to do.

By: Maria

Maria — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 02:06:03 +0000

I always talk to my dogs in a complete words, gladly they understand me. 🙂

By: AngelCallie, Shadow, and Ducky's Mom

AngelCallie, Shadow, and Ducky's Mom — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 18:52:12 +0000

In reply to AngelCallie, Shadow, and Ducky’s Mom.

PS. I also use wait but sometimes by accident – instead of stay – so, as long as she doesn’t go anywhere, I let her slide if she gets up. Or I tell her sit again and then stay. She is very tuned into me. Sam is something else again.

By: AngelCallie, Shadow, and Ducky's Mom

AngelCallie, Shadow, and Ducky's Mom — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 18:44:13 +0000

OMD, Ducky is the same way! Especially with Sam. With me, though, she knows by my body language and eyes when I mean “stay”, whether I say it or not. And 9 times out of 10, she’ll sit at the back door and wait for me to say “ok” before bowling me over to get outside. And I’ve taught her that pointing at one of the dog beds means a combination of “down/stay” and “quiet”. Most of the time I don’t even have to say “place” any more. ? Sam, on the other hand, says “place” a couple of hundred times before she’ll even get on the bed, and then she pops right up again as soon as he turns around. ? She knows exactly who’s wrapped around her little paws. ?

By: Monika & Sam

Monika & Sam — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 16:40:31 +0000

In reply to Pamela. Sometime a bit too literally. Heh, heh.

By: Jan K

Jan K — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 12:59:45 +0000

Luke is the same way with “sit”. If I don’t put a “stay” immediately at the end, that butt is going to pop right back up again. For some reason he doesn’t like to eat sitting down. 🙂
I am careful to use different words for different commands. But the truth is, Luke is not that good with words. But he figures things out. Sometimes “lie down” gets a sit, but if he doesn’t get the reward, he knows I was looking for something more, and immediately lies down. I almost always use gestures as well, he does much better with those.

By: Pamela

Pamela — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 10:17:26 +0000

In reply to Kara. Wait is the best (and most underused) cue ever. Scientists believe the average dog knows under 20o words. But I've also seen articles estimating their intelligence as comparable to a two-year old human. Maybe you need to match Gwen with your grand baby and see how she does? :)

By: Pamela

Pamela — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 10:15:19 +0000

In reply to Beth. OMD, body language is everything! Dogs are so smart at following it. It sounds like to really improve my training chops, Honey and I should be working on some agility.