Teaching your dog/puppy sufficient communication

Dogs are constantly learning how to ask for what they want. No matter what we do, they find ways to communicate with us using communication cues and body language. This could be by nudging their nose against your leg to request a cuddle or barking to signal that they want you to throw the ball.

As owners, caregivers and trainers, we get to negotiate that communication language. When you a struggling to communicate or read your dog’s language and communication cues start work with dog by writing a “translation sheet”:

How does your dog say:

• Please can I have that?

• Please can you touch me?

• Please can I go here?

• Please can you listen to me?

• Please can I meet him?

Instead of relying on a variety of communication cues that your dog uses, focus on teaching just one universal cue: “please.” For me, this cue is “sit.” Teaching your dog to “sit to say please” can be a game-changer. It replaces pushy behaviors with calm requests and provides your dog with a simple, reinforced strategy for asking.

The science is clear: dogs repeat behaviours that get them access to things they want (Skinner, 1938). By making sit the consistent route to reinforcement, we establish it as a default behaviour in that context. Research on functional communication training in both animals and children shows that when an easy, reinforced behaviour is taught as a replacement, more demanding or undesirable behaviours decline (Carr & Durand, 1985; Tiger et al., 2008).

It's important to note that this approach won't solve every issue. If a dog's needs are not being met or their emotional motivations are particularly intense, training focused solely on manners may not be sufficient. However, for common problem behaviors such as barging through doors, counter surfing, mouthing, and jumping up, teaching a simple "please" can be one of the most effective and accessible tools available.

A great example is our recent rescue, Charlie, who struggled with impulse control and had an extreme motivation for food. Before we implemented the “sit to say please” training, it was nearly impossible for me to enter his kennel with anything food-related. He would jump and nibble at my hands, trying to get the food. However, after just a week of learning this new, consistent, and reliable communication cue, he can now calmly express his desire. Just look at him in in the video we recently published on our Facebook page! We are just at the starting point of his impulse control behavioural correction but the his results are impressive.