Training your dog

Article - Training your dog with your voice

Training your dog shouldn't be difficult and if you realise how important your voice is in the process you can make training your puppy a lot easier.

Most of us have dogs as pets purely because we want a companion. of course, some dogs are working dogs but they're friends as well and what do we do when we're with friends - we talk!

Dogs - you may have noticed - don't speak the same language as us but they need to learn certain words so that they can understand our instructions.

border collie cross dalmation

Tone

When we talk to our puppies, the tone of our voice is as important - if not more important - than the words themselves.

Praise

When we want to let our dog know that they've been good, we need to use a higher pitched voice which sounds warm and friendly. This is in much the same way as if we were encouraging young children.

Correcting your dog

If we want to tell our dog off, our voice needs to sound serious, regardless of the words. A lower pitch is required.

Words versus Tone

Try praising yur dog with a high pitched, friendly voice but use the wrong words - such as 'bad dog' - your dog will take more notice of the tone of your voice than of the actual words you say.

Instructing your dog

When we want to instruct our dog to do an action such as sit or stay our tone again needs to be serious.

Consonant sounds

In order to sound serious, make sure that you sound the last consonant in the word. For example the 't' - pronounced 'tuh' - in sit. Don't dwell on it though, make it short and snappy.

Inflection

A downward inflection is needed for giving your dog instructions. Your instruction has to be short and firm with your voice either staying on the same note or falling at the end of the word. If it rises at the end of the word, your dog will think that there's either more to come or that you're asking a question!

Dogs have a habit of not listening to us - they'll hear their name and then shut off as we ramble on about how naughty they've been! Don't confuse your dog with mixed signals - sound friendly and positive when you say your dogs name and when you're praising it. Be firm and sound serious when you want to instruct or tell your dog off.

Training your dog was written by Serena Greenslade October 2005

If you would like more information about using your voice please click here.

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