Learn to Speak Dog: Essential Dog Training Tips for Clear Communication

Picture this: You give your dog a command, and they just stare back, totally baffled. Or even worse, you're trying to calm them down, and your words somehow make them even more excitable. Sound familiar?

The thing is, getting dog training right isn't just about what you say, but, perhaps even more importantly, how you say it. Our words carry a huge amount of weight, both their actual meaning and all those little vocal hints we give off. And for our furry mates, nailing this is essential. Dogs learn best through clear, short commands and consistent signals that cut through all the background noise.

In this post, we're going to dig into why your word choices matter, how your tone of voice can make all the difference and how to keep things simple for your dog.

At heart, dogs are incredibly switched-on creatures, super sensitive to how we use our voices. They very carefully link certain sounds to specific actions and what happens next. For them, consistency is the absolute bedrock of learning; without it, our instructions are just a jumble of human sounds they simply can't figure out yet.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard owners giving their dog a command in the wrong tone of voice, or using different cues for the same expected outcome.

It just doesn't work! You wouldn't teach a child that "NO" sometimes means "maybe" and other times "definitely not," would you? Dogs need that same clarity and predictability.

Good communication is key to success!

Definitions:

Cue: In dog training, a cue is the signal given to a dog (e.g., a word, hand signal, or body language) that tells them what action you want them to perform.

Marker: A marker word is a specific, consistent signal (like "Yes!" or a click) that tells your dog the exact moment they performed the desired action correctly.

Release word: Is a specific verbal cue (like "Free!") that tells your dog they are finished with a command and are allowed to break position.

Dog Training Tips: Choosing cue words

Let's think about this: when your dog's chilling on the sofa and you want them on the floor, what command do you instinctively use? For many, it's "Down." But here's where it gets tricky: if you also use "Lie Down" to tell your dog to lie on their stomach, you're essentially asking for two completely different actions with the exact same word!

This is where precision in your word choice becomes crucial. It doesn't matter what word you pick for a specific action, but you must use that word consistently every single time. Some trainers use different language cues to reduce the risk of confusion and the ability for others to give their dog a cue.

Keeping things simple and clear will make your dog's life easier.

And just as important: avoid using words that sound similar, or, as we've seen, reusing a single word for multiple different cues. My dog Anayah knows how to "Speak," but I also wanted to teach her "Spin.". The fact that both of these words start with the sp sound caused much confusion, so instead I used the word "Turn".

Each behaviour you want to cue needs to have a unique word specific to that desired result, and you need to teach your dog that cue. If you haven't conditioned them to that word, the cue means nothing.

When teaching cues, it's really important to practise them at different times of day, in various locations, and under different circumstances. This helps your dog to truly understand the cue, no matter the situation. It also helps you avoid creating unwanted, 'poisoned' associations with certain words. For example, if the only time you ever recall your dog is to put them on the lead and end their playtime, they might quickly learn to avoid that 'Come!' cue because it always results in something they don't enjoy.

Additionally, when you're giving your cue word, you need to be crystal clear and avoid adding extra words.

Here's what I mean: Imagine you're trying to recall your dog from across a field.

You might start with, "Toby, come here!" If he's not listening, you might progress to, "Toby, come on, let's go." And if he still ignores you? "I'm going to leave you here if you don't come here! Come on, Toby, come!"

That's a lot of words for a single cue, isn't it? Most of those extra words he won't understand because you haven't specifically taught him what they mean. To him, it's just a load of waffle he doesn't know. Instead, you need a clear, consistent cue.

Just "Toby, come!" will do!

Don't make things complicated for your dog; keep it simple.

Your chosen cues should always be words you don't "accidentally" say throughout the day. This is particularly vital for a release word. Some people opt for "Okay!", which works perfectly, as long as they don't commonly use that word in everyday conversation. I found this out the hard way! My release word for Anayah was "Okay!", and I'd often be confused when she'd suddenly abandon an activity or wander off, even though I hadn't intentionally given her a cue. Then it clicked: it didn't matter if I meant to give the cue; I was still saying the release word, even just to myself!

So, I switched it to "Free," a word I use far less often in normal chat.

Physical cues

Dogs are brilliant at visual communication. They pick up on subtle movements and even the smallest changes in others' body language, meaning they often process visual information first, even before verbal cues.

Because of this, when teaching your dog a cue word, you should always include a consistent visual signal to go alongside it.

Now, obviously, if your dog is in a different room or facing away, they won't be able to see that physical movement. This is why it's important to always teach your dog the verbal command and the physical signal separately at times, to ensure they can respond to both when used together and individually.

Dogs often respond to physical cues better than verbal ones.

Physical cues are also brilliant for helping your dog understand what a verbal cue means. If you want your dog "Off" the sofa, for example, a clear gesture from the sofa towards the floor can be incredibly helpful in guiding their understanding.

Just like with verbal cues, physical cues should be short, sharp, and to the point, and most importantly, used consistently. Make sure you only use one visual cue for a single command.

Here are a few examples of effective physical signals:

• Pointing to the ground when asking your dog to "Lie Down."

• Drawing your finger towards your eyes to encourage your dog's attention to be on you, often paired with a verbal cue like "Look at me."

• A flat hand with your palm facing the dog to ask them to "Stop," "Wait," or "Stay."

• Drawing a circle with your finger to gesture for "Turn."

• Raising both of your arms high in the air for "Come."

  
  

It's generally recommended to issue the physical cue just before the verbal one when you're first teaching a new behaviour. This grabs your dog's attention visually and helps their brain connect the movement to the word. However, as your dog progresses and you want to strengthen their response to verbal cues alone, you can start by using the verbal cue first, only following up with the physical signal if needed.

Markers

Markers are crucial to effective training. This is the specific signal that tells your dog they did something correctly at that exact moment.

My go-to for this is "Yes!", but you could also use "Good!" or even a clicker. The key, as with everything else in training, is to be consistent. You must use your chosen marker at precisely the right time and in the same tone of voice every single time for it to be effective. This consistency is why clickers are often popular – the sound is always identical, though there are mixed opinions about them. Some trainers prefer using a unique sound like a sharp whistle, as these sounds are unlikely to be used in daily conversation and are consistently the same.

When using markers, timing is absolutely crucial. The marker has to be delivered the second the desired behaviour is demonstrated, and not a moment later. Literally. You have roughly a 1-second window to deliver that marker for it to be effective; after that, your dog will have no idea what behaviour you're trying to mark.

The reward you give after the marker word can be slightly slower, as long as that marker is given on time. That's the powerful moment that tells your dog, "Hey, great job! You've earned a reward for that. Do more of it."

To start with, your chosen marker won't mean anything to your dog. You need to "load" it with meaning. To do this, simply sit with your dog and use the marker – whether it's a word, a clicker, or a unique sound – and immediately follow it with a reward (a small treat, a favourite toy, or some enthusiastic verbal praise or fuss). Repeat this multiple times. This process conditions your dog to understand that your marker consistently means a reward is coming.

For more information on rewards, check out this blog post on Positive Reinforcement Training!

Dogs communicate differently to humans, and it's our job to learn their language.

Tone of Voice

The final crucial point to bring to your attention is just how much your tone of voice matters.

Think about it: if you and I are having a conversation, and I tell you that you look lovely today, my tone of voice will completely determine your response.

If I say it in a light, happy voice that's relaxed and almost "singsongy," you'll likely assume I'm being nice and genuinely complimenting you. But if my voice is monotone and flat, you might suspect I'm being sarcastic or simply uncaring. However, if my tone is deeper and sounds angry, you'd probably become defensive and think I was being rude or nasty. The same exact phrase can carry so many different meanings depending purely on how it's said and in what context.

Now, as humans, we have the ability to process all this information and make an educated guess about the true meaning. We might know the person is having a bad day, or understand their sense of humour, or simply know them to be kind and optimistic. We can also just ask if we don't understand.

Dogs, though, don't have that same processing ability. Their understanding is very black and white. What they see and hear is what they get. They live entirely in the moment; what happens in that moment is what's happening. There are no ulterior motives or different angles for them to consider. This fundamental difference means your tone of voice is incredibly important when communicating with your dog.

When giving cues, your voice needs to be clear and firm, but never scary.

When you're praising, you need to sound genuinely happy and proud, a real "singsongy" voice, as if you were praising a young child for their fantastic artwork.

When correcting your dog, your voice should be deeper and stern. In some cases, certain dogs might even require an almost "growling" tone for the importance of your message to truly come across.

Let me give you a common scenario.

Imagine Millie the Collie is jumping up at you for attention. You laugh, smile, and say, "No, Millie, off!" What happens next? Millie's tail might start wagging faster, and she jumps with even more enthusiasm! This is because your laughter and happy tone of voice suggest that you're actually enjoying her behaviour, encouraging her to jump more if she wants more of that positive reaction from you.

If you genuinely want Millie to stop jumping, your command needs to be clear, firm, and deeper: "Millie, off."

The same principle applies when you're praising your dog. Your voice needs to mirror that praise and truly show your dog that you're happy with what they've done.

It truly doesn't just matter what you say; it matters how you say it. Remember, your body language also needs to reflect the emotion! Theres no point in you being stern and commanding yet smiling, waving and acting happy. This will give off mixed signals.

Be clear, concise and consistent.

You should never, ever scare your dog.

Always watch your dog's body language, and gauge off that. If they appear to be afraid of you or their behaviour starts changing around you, your tone of voice might be warning them to stay away.

You need your dog to trust you, to respect you and to want to listen to you and do as you ask, not be afraid of you.

So there you have it! Who knew that something as simple as how we use our voice and the specific words we choose could make such a massive difference in dog training? It really boils down to this: our dogs are listening, but they're listening in their own way. They're not analysing our sentences; they're connecting specific sounds and movements to actions and outcomes.

By being mindful of your word choice – keeping cues short, distinct, and consistent – and by mastering your tone of voice to match your intention, you're not just giving commands. You're building a clear, predictable language that your dog can truly understand. And when that communication clicks, it paves the way for better behaviour, less frustration, and a much deeper, more joyful connection with your best mate.

Go on, give it a try. Start paying attention to how you "talk dog," and prepare to see a brilliant change in your training journey!