Teaching Your Dog "Speak/Howl"
Teaching a dog to speak on command can be difficult, especially with dogs that are usually calm. But teaching your dog to speak has its advantages. First, it's a cute trick to show your friends, and second, it gives the dog the idea of when it's appropriate to bark. Most dogs catch on to the speak command quickly if you train them properly.
1. First get your dog ramped up and exited by playing. Run around, play tug-of-war, chase it, then bring it back to begin training.
2. Hold the treat in one hand, out of reach, and let your dog know that you have it. Your dog, if previously trained to do other tricks, migh try to do all the tricks it knows to get the treat, so be patient while she keeps trying. It might get frustrated and should start whining. Wave it around, and "rub it in it's face" its whining should eventually develop into a bark.
3. Say "speak" once your dog speaks, click, and give your dog the treat. Your dog might still have no idea of the relation between the command and what it just did. So do the trick again and watch as it tries to figure out what you want him to do. It will go through the process of eing frustrated again and might eventually bark. It it doesn't just get it exited again. Quickly reward it once it barks.
4. Repeat the word "speak" until your dog barks, howls, or even snorts. Praise it immediately and give it one of the treats. Repeat steps 2 and 3 and maybe even 1 with "Bark," "Speak" or whatever short cue you choose. With repetition, the dog will associate this word with the trick.
5. Keep practice the command for 10-15 minutes. The idea is to try to frustrate the dog enough that he barks. When he does, reward it immidiately, an it'll eventually understand. Soon enough, it will respond with a real bark.
Here are some extra tips for teaching your dog to speak/howl.
- Don't overload the dog especially on the first day. Practice this exercise for 10-15 minutes only. It should be difficult for your dog but don't give in.
- If your dog just isn't getting it, use a situation of when your dog is likely to bark and use that situation to teach "speak."
- If your dog already causes trouble with barking, you might not want to teach this trick. If you decide it's ok to teach it, be sure to teach "Quiet" too.
- Even after the dog has mastered this technique it should be practiced regularly.
- Some dogs preffer to howl instead of bark, it's better not to discourage that.
- Eventually you can try to phase out the food reward in exchange for lavish praise.
1. First get your dog ramped up and exited by playing. Run around, play tug-of-war, chase it, then bring it back to begin training.
2. Hold the treat in one hand, out of reach, and let your dog know that you have it. Your dog, if previously trained to do other tricks, migh try to do all the tricks it knows to get the treat, so be patient while she keeps trying. It might get frustrated and should start whining. Wave it around, and "rub it in it's face" its whining should eventually develop into a bark.
3. Say "speak" once your dog speaks, click, and give your dog the treat. Your dog might still have no idea of the relation between the command and what it just did. So do the trick again and watch as it tries to figure out what you want him to do. It will go through the process of eing frustrated again and might eventually bark. It it doesn't just get it exited again. Quickly reward it once it barks.
4. Repeat the word "speak" until your dog barks, howls, or even snorts. Praise it immediately and give it one of the treats. Repeat steps 2 and 3 and maybe even 1 with "Bark," "Speak" or whatever short cue you choose. With repetition, the dog will associate this word with the trick.
5. Keep practice the command for 10-15 minutes. The idea is to try to frustrate the dog enough that he barks. When he does, reward it immidiately, an it'll eventually understand. Soon enough, it will respond with a real bark.
Here are some extra tips for teaching your dog to speak/howl.
- Don't overload the dog especially on the first day. Practice this exercise for 10-15 minutes only. It should be difficult for your dog but don't give in.
- If your dog just isn't getting it, use a situation of when your dog is likely to bark and use that situation to teach "speak."
- If your dog already causes trouble with barking, you might not want to teach this trick. If you decide it's ok to teach it, be sure to teach "Quiet" too.
- Even after the dog has mastered this technique it should be practiced regularly.
- Some dogs preffer to howl instead of bark, it's better not to discourage that.
- Eventually you can try to phase out the food reward in exchange for lavish praise.