Are you not getting what you’re asking for?

In this episode we compare the casual communication that you have with your dog on a daily basis with formal commands that you use only when you are expecting specific results and actions.

Show Highlights

• Casual communication (or casual commands) that you do on a daily basis
• Formal commands you use only when you are expecting results and actions from your dog.
• The more you think you are giving good signals when really, you are just confusing your dog.
• As these miscommunications start to increase, you get frustrated.
• Here are some common mistakes:
  • You give commands in a casual way yet you expect a formal response from your dog.
• What is the difference between a casual command and a formal command.
  • Casual commands are a way of communicating things that your dog may or may not know.
  • Things your dog may or may not want to do.
  • Things your dog does not have to have an immediate reaction to when you say them.
• Example – you say, “Come on” when you are walking.
  • You may expect your dog to follow you or walk with you, but you are not worried if she does or not.
  • You are just walking.
  • You may even use your dog’s name to get her attention.
  • We try to get our dog’s attention and yet there are very little expectations with those casual phrases or commands.
• A formal command example in this situation would be the PLACE command.
  • A formal command has an expectation and a release.
  • When the Place command is given your dog should be expected:
    •  To go to the mat you point at, lie down on it, and stay there until released.
  • Your dog is now waiting to be released.
• If your dog only listens to you when you are yelling,
• You have taught it that the only time you are serious is when you raise your voice.
• If it’s when she is looking at you, then you have taught her by getting in front of her.
• So if you find yourself repeating commands see if you are being consistent with your causal vs formal commands.
• Teach the commands:
  • Come-On Casual, Heel Formal
  • Go to your Bed Casual, Place Formal
  • Let’s Go Casual, Come Formal

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