Doggy Dictionary

Come! Here! Side! Front! Home! Chicken! These are all words I have heard owners use as a cue for their dogs to come to them from a distance. It's extremely important to be consistent when training your dog-maybe even the most important part! For this reason, at Notre Dog Academy, we always use the same cues. We recommend that you use the same ones at home, too. That doesn't mean you have to change everything; if your dog already knows "avada kedavra" means to lay down on the floor (also an actual cue from a past client) you don't have to stop using that cue. It is perfectly fine to have more than one cue for the same behavior! What you want to avoid, is using one cue to mean multiple things (ie: if "leave-it" means: ignore this object, it cannot also mean: drop the object in your mouth).

To make sure we are all on the same page, our "Doggy Dictionary" is below!

Level 1 Cues

Come: touch your nose to my palm (requires moving)

Down: put your whole body on the floor (lay down)

Drop-it: let go of the object in your mouth

Kennel: go into a kennel

Leave-it: completely disengage with the object you are looking at

Muzzle: put your face into a muzzle

"Name" (your dog's official name): look at my face

Settle: return to a calm state

Sit: put your bottom on the ground

Wait: do not cross this clear designation (usually a doorway)

Yes: you did it right, you are about to receive a reward, and you are done!

Level 2 Cues:

Back: take one step back with all four paws

Good: continue doing exactly what you are doing

Off: place all four paws on the floor

Paws-up: put front paws up on an indicated object or wall

Stand: stand up with all four paws on the floor

Level 3 Cues:

Ball: put a ball in your mouth

Get-it: put this object in your mouth

Jump-on: place all four paws on this object