Test and Verify - How to Ask Your Dog a Question

Even though we’d like to think that dogs inherently understand our spoken language, this just isn’t the case. Saying "touch" to a 10-week-old puppy is meaningless when the action of touching his nose to your hand hasn't been taught. Behaviors are initially taught without words. After we get the behavior just so, we name the behavior with a verbal cue. But how do we verify that they really understand the verbal cue? We ask them a multiple choice question. No, not with words, but with distractions.

For example, when I say my dog’s name, I want her to give me her attention. The answer is A for attention. If I bounce a ball or the cat runs by as I say her name, will she get the answer right? She can choose B for ball, C for cat, or A for attention. There is only one right answer: look at me as soon as I say your name. That is the path to reward. If she gets the answer right, she is rewarded with the opportunity to go outside, the opportunity to answer another question, or a verbal or food reward.

Adding competing choices is how we ask dogs questions. If a dog can touch his nose to my hand without distractions, will he do it while I make kissy noises? Can he do it while I offer him a treat with the opposite hand? Can he "touch" while I squeak a toy? Will he wait for the word "touch" and not offer the behavior if I say "touch"?

We don’t want to overface the dog by making the choices too difficult too soon. Give your dog a cue while adding mild distractions. If your dog gets the answer right, reward and systematically add in more difficult distractions. 

But what if your dog gets the answer wrong? 

If your dog answers incorrectly, ask again. If he gets the answer wrong twice, stop the pop quiz. Get closer to your dog, decrease the distractions, and ask again. If he gets the answer right, reward him before adding more competing choices. 

Remember, life is one big multiple choice test for your dog. Don't leave him guessing. Remember to test and verify his understanding of your cues. Since they are your cues, it's up to you to teach him how to ace every exam.

This is George in my Skills Solutions Series Come Here class. George runs to his person when cued even though he is eating meatballs out of my hand!

Jackie Moyano#dogsspeaksenglish, #dogtrainin, #silverspringdogtrainer, #silverspringmd, #dogtrainingsilverspringmd, #kennsingtonmddogtrainer, #takomaparkdogtraining, #howtoaskyourdogaquestion, #behaviorunited, #unitedwetrain, #washingtondcdogtrainer, #dogtrainingwashingtondc, #capitalhilldogtraining, #dogtrainercapitalhill, #nwdcdogtraining, #laurelmddogtrainer, #laurelmddogtraining, #puppytrainingsilverspringmd, #behaviorscience, #behavior, #behaviormodification, #behaviorgoals, #reliabledogbehavior, #goals2020, #trainingwithdistracions, #proofingdogbehavior, #skillssolutionsseries, #proofingdogbehaviors, #askingdogsquestions, #forcefreetraining, #forcefreedogtraining, #topdogtrainerdc, #topdogtrainersilverspringmd, #groupdogtrainingclasses, #2020goals, #doggoals2020