Why I Don’t Use Commands in Dog Training
Kai in a down, because the first three times I threw the ball, I asked him to ‘down’ first. And rewarded with a throw. Then it became a fun game to anticipate the ‘down’ cue, for me to throw the ball again.
Nope, I don’t use commands when I’m training my dogs.
But no, my life isn’t overrun with chaotic dogs destroying the house or running away over here. And they know how to walk on a loose leash, to stay close when off leash. They adventure with me hiking in the forest in the desert, they can hang out at a coffee shop, and they share space around valuable toys or bones. They even compete in obedience - where precision, focused heeling, sits, downs and retrieves are judged for speed and precision. So yes, they know plenty of words and hand signals.
Ok, so maybe I’m just being a stickler for semantics here. While I don’t use commands, I do use cues - and lots of them. And maker words, also so many of those.
Cues, though, aren’t commands. A command has a connotation that it *WILL* happen every time. But I’m not a drill sergeant micromanaging my dogs’ lives (wow, that would take way too much energy), and they aren’t computers ready to instantly comply. You can input a command on a computer, and it will execute every time. Because it’s been programmed. It’s a machine.
Dogs, though, aren’t computers. I can’t program a sit during a training session in my living room on Monday, and expect my dog to sit exactly the same on a walk on Wednesday, or at Home Depot next weekend, or even again in my house in a year if we haven’t practiced it.
The word ‘sit’ is just one part of what a dog takes in when they’re learning. It’s the verbal cue. Your dog is also learning where they are, if you have treats in your hand, if you’re standing facing them, and every little detail. Your dog is learning skills in a much bigger context than just the words you’re saying.
One ear up to better listen for cues and markers is ideal.
The word ‘command’ implies that there will be quick compliance. But a dog doesn’t *have* to do something just because a word was said. A computer does the command. My car goes when I push on the gas pedal. Your dog does the skill reliably based on what they understand as potential rewards, consequences, and how much they’re conditioned to enjoy it. My dogs come when I say ‘come!’ because they learned when I say that word, they can chase me for treats or a toy. And that I’m leaving the area - they don’t want to be left behind.
So, nope, I don’t use commands. I don’t assume my dogs will respond to a word itself. I have to take into account the greater picture. Their emotional state. What else is happening in the environment. My tone and body language. Our history of practicing with that word. Our words have a connotation behind them that shapes our views, biases, and behaviors. Semantics matters
As the humans asking our dogs to live in our human world and on our schedule, it’s up to us to think critically about the bigger picture of how our dogs learn and perceive the world.
With some initial semantics out of the way, let’s start out our blog series on cues! The incredible advantage of how much our dogs take in when they learn means we can turn the environment, and even their triggers, into cues to behaviors. Stay tuned and follow along to advance your training to be clearer and more efficient so we can build our best partnerships together.