This week Roo has been working on his retrieve over the high jump. He's quite fond of his dumbbell and is enjoying it! But, he gave me a really good reminder that the tone of your voice matters. I tend to give verbal cues in a high pitched voice. I dropped my voice down and Roo sat still looking up at me, waiting for his cue. Smart little devil!
Lessons on tone I give my students!
Sounds happy, and act happy. Your dog is more willing to work with you. This means use a higher pitch for verbal cues. Don't forget to SMILE at your dog. I always tell the story of Soda who wanted to run out to the judge after going over the broad jump in open. We had a moment one day as he went towards the judge where he looked back at me. I gave him my biggest smile. He turned and came to front!
When you want your dog to focus on you, keep your voice quiet. Your dog has to really focus on you when you talk softly. When you talk while heeling you should always use your quiet voice. I use the comparison of human kids. When mom or dad yells, magically the kid's ears close up. When you whisper to them, they quiet down and listen intently.
Silence speaks volumes. Turning away from my dog and saying absolutely nothing (no feedback) is often much more powerful than terse words. Recently for a dog who thought it was a fun game to break his stay (because mom would come back....gee Soda doesn't sound like you) I stepped on the leash and had the owner turn, say nothing, and leave the room. You could see the wheels turning in that dog's head when mom didn't play the game any more.
