That Cue is Poison

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In this Issue

• 🐕 Poisoned training cues

• ❓ Poll results - Would you ever consider adopting a stray?

• 💡 Sit & Stay Pro Tip

• 😊The Smile Section — Meet Cleo!

• 👩‍⚕️Vet Recommendations

What is a poisoned cue in dog training?

By nature, dogs see things in black and white. You’ll learn very quickly that if you have a rule against, say, jumping on the sofa, but you let your dog jump up one time, they will take that to mean they can do it whenever they want.

Am I speaking from personal experience? Yes. Is he still the goodest of boys? Yes. But in the wise words of Sheldon Cooper:

Poll Results

We asked, and you answered! We’re excited to see that most of our fellow dog lovers would consider adopting a stray. Scroll down to see one of our reader’s adorable rescues!

Sit & Stay Pro Tip — Identify and Fix Poisoned Cues

If you’re wondering why a command isn’t working with your dog anymore, it could be that the command has lost its meaning. Or, as they say in dog training, the cue has become poisoned.

According to The American Kennel Club, this can happen in one of three ways:

• The dog never fully understood the cue.

• The desired behavior is not clear to the dog.

• The cue has become overused.

Does your dog understand the cue?

You tell your dog to come. You say something like, “Come, Fido! Come here, boy! Fido! Fido! Who wants a treat?”

Which part of that is the cue? You know you’re asking him to respond to come, but your dog might be waiting to hear his name or the word “treat.” Come might not even register as a command in your dog’s brain.

Is the desired behavior clear to your dog?

You’re teaching your dog to sit and stay. He sits for a moment, then stands. You tell him to sit again and then tell him to stay. He gets up; you tell him to stay. Then you say, “Good boy!”

Your dog is going to think everything he did was good. The desired behavior is clear to you, but you must positively reinforce the behavior based on each successful step. If your dog gets up after you tell him to sit, start again from the beginning.

Has the cue become overused?

If you tell your dog, “Down, boy!” to (as a completely unbiased example) get him off the sofa, but he only listens after you say down five times, then the cue has probably lost its meaning.

How do you fix a poisoned cue?

Multiple sources, like the AKC and Whole Dog Journal, say the best way to fix a poisoned cue is to retrain your dog using a different cue. Instead of come, try here. Instead of down, try off.

Dogs are intelligent creatures, but there is no gray area for them. Stay clear and consistent to keep your training cues from becoming poisoned.

The Smile Section — Meet Cleo!

Cleo was tied to a tree and left behind when her owners moved. Luckily, a neighbor found her and posted her picture on Facebook.

Cleo is around seven years old and has some PTSD, but thanks to her new owners, she’s made a lot of improvement.

Thanks to Robin C. for sharing this story that made us smile!

Vet Recommendations

Rewards are an essential part of teaching training cues. Learn more about how to use them by reading this Veterinary Partner article.

Treats

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Want your dog to be featured?

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Think your dog can make us smile? Submit a pic to [email protected] for a chance to see your pet in our Smile Section!