You talk to your dog all day, so why does it feel like none of it lands? Do "good dog," "okay," and "come on" all get the same blank look, like background noise?
What you'll learn in this edition: the one word to teach before anything else, and the two-minute drill that gets it working by the weekend.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
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What I saw on our first walk together
I walked into a first lesson with a client whose German Shepherd was weaving and pulling on every walk. We went for a walk together so I could see what was actually happening.
He was weaving in front of her and pulling hard enough that she braced with every step, blowing her off completely.
I watched for a few minutes. When he checked in, she said "good boy." When he sat for a treat, she said "yes" once, "good job" the next time, and "there you go" the time after that.
Four different situations. At least five different words. None of them tied to one specific thing.
No knock on her. She'd just never been shown what to say instead.
Without one word that reliably means "that's it, come get paid," your dog is guessing at what worked. Dogs like predictability!
Yes, then food. That's the whole drill.
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Most "listening problems" are communication problems
Think about how many words you say to your dog in a day. "Good dog." "Okay." "Come on." Most come with no reward and no one specific meaning, so they blur into background noise, like the radio in the car.
Here's what's actually happening
Your dog doesn't have one word that means one specific thing yet.
"Good dog," "okay," and "there you go" get used for ten different things, so your dog can't tell which moment earned the reward.
The word isn't charged with anything yet.
A word only matters because of what reliably follows it. Same idea as the price list from the food issue: if what follows "yes" is something your dog likes, the word means something.
Say yes for free first 🎯
A marker is one word that tells your dog: that's it, come collect your reward. "Yes" is the one to start with. It's the same word my Shiba Inu who won't play, my rescue with a bite history, and my competition Dutch Shepherd all learned first. Three completely different dogs. Same starting point.
Loading the word (aka making the word mean something) works a little like Costco employees handing out free samples on the weekends. "Yes", treat. "Yes", treat. No strings attached, nothing asked for. Once your dog is hooked on the game, that's when you start asking for something before the "yes": sit, then yes, then the treat.
But the free samples come first, and this is the part most people skip.
One thing to try this week 👇🏻
Pick food (or whatever you're using) that your dog actually wants. If they'd shrug at it, this won't work. Pull from the top of your dog's price list.
Say "yes," then feed, immediately. No cue first, and don't wait for eye contact or a sit. Just yes, then food.
Do this 5 to 10 times in a row, a couple of times today: once in the kitchen, once in the yard, once mid-walk.
Repeat it across the week in places your dog has never heard it before. The driveway. The mailbox. A different room. Outside the vet's office.
Don't ask your dog for anything yet. This part is only about building what the word means, not testing it.
The clearest thing you can give your dog is one word they can actually trust.
Good dog of the week 🐶
Otis, a Cane Corso, waiting for his favorite treat
Be honest, how many times a day do you wipe your dog's face?
Want your dog here? Reply with a photo, their name, and one line about what makes them a good dog.
Some ways I can help
Send me a video, I'll give you feedback for free.
Reply to any newsletter with a 30 to 60 second clip and a description of what's going on: a bad walk, a behavior you can't figure out, a sport skill you're stuck on. I pick 2 readers a week and answer them properly.
Work with me one on one.
If you're new to working with me, start with my questionnaire. It's free and takes 5 minutes. I read every one, and if I can help, I'll send you the link to book a 30 minute virtual consult, $60, credited toward whatever comes next. If I can't, I'll let you know.
👉🏻 If we've worked together before, email me at [email protected] and we'll get something in the books.
That's all for today folks! 🫶🏻
Let's go train some Good Dogs 🐶
P.S. Join the waitlist for the Home Manners course where you’ll learn the foundations of a raising a well-mannered dog (and a cool title!).