Episode 325: When To Add A Verbal Cue… Don’t Make These Mistakes

If your dog has ever “known” a verbal cue but didn’t respond the first time you asked, it may be that your cue has been poisoned. In this episode, you’ll discover why that happens, the most common reasons cues lose their power, and how to set your dog up for success before you ever add a word. I’m sharing the system I use to build consistent, confident behavior first, so when you finally add the cue, it simply reflects a rich history of reinforcement. The result is powerful, clean, and effective verbal cues your dog responds to anywhere with clarity and confidence.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why a cue doesn’t create the behavior but rather reveals the training that came before it.
The reasons cues lose their power and become “poisoned.”
The ideal timing for adding a verbal cue (and when not to add one).
The four ways behavior is created.
How antecedent arrangements create success before a cue is ever added.
Why using cues as praise weakens their effectiveness.
The danger of repeating cues or pairing them with your dog’s name.
How to rebrand a cue if you’ve added it too early.
How clean cues create confident dogs who listen anywhere.