Creative Cues?

[Syncrope]

Today I started training my pup Luna in the Watch Me command and-- as I always do when I teach her something new-- I pondered over what to give her for a cue word. I found myself standing around in the kitchen with my baggy of treats for almost ten minutes by the time I'd decided!

 

I STILL can't think up a good cue for barking! "Speak!" just feels so boring to me!

 

I thought it'd be fun to hear some of the cues other owners have thought up that were unique and different from the usual "watch me" or "play dead" or "shake", etc.

 

Or even some non-verbal cues you've used!

 

Silly things like "Smile!" or "What does a shark look like?" for that endearing ((for humans)) teeth-bearing trick, or "Bang!" for that entertaining twist on the usual play dead command.

 

What kind of cute/funny/strange cues have you guys come up with?

[alligande]

I use "mine" when tugging, I never thought about it until R was playing tug with someone else at an agility trial and he would not give it back... None of the usual words were working when I said "mine" it had people in giggles... I should add it is often said in the same tone as the seagulls from Nemo... All my other commands are pretty standard.

[Root Beer]

I've got a few that are different.

 

I use "splat" for "lie down". That one is probably the most unusual and the one that people chuckle at the most.

 

I use "where's the puppy?" for LAT no matter what I am asking the dog to look at.

 

For paws: Left Paw Lift = "wave"; Right Paw Lift = "lift"; Left Paw Touch = "Paw"; Right Paw Touch = "Tap" (Lift and Tap are somewhat different)

 

I have, in the past, used "beep beeeeep!" for backing up away from me in front.

 

I have also, in the past, used "return" as a recall word.

 

Here is one that might really sound strange, but it makes logical sense based on how it was trained. If my dog is losing focus in competition, the cue to bring that focus back to me - "go sniff".

 

I generally tend to keep my cues as close to what the dog is actually doing as possible because if they are too "out there" I tend to forget them!!

[waffles]

I generally tend to keep my cues as close to what the dog is actually doing as possible because if they are too "out there" I tend to forget them!!

Me too! I use 'stand' for sit pretty

'up' for going to a standing position from a down or sit,

'flip' for doing backwards circles around my legs,

'face' for using his paw to cover his face,

'leg' for lifting his back leg,

'pout' for the say your prayers trick as it seems to be called online.

Once you get past the typical tricks you'll find yourself looking at a thesaurus for ideas. I don't like having too many tricks that sound too similar either however, if I get too creative with the cue's then I tend to forget plus I like them being mostly one syllable words.

[Gideon's girl]

We use "Get your tail" for turning in one direction and "Talk" for rooing. The shake command for the leg that only the paw is white is "paw", this happens to work the same for both of my dogs. I don't use "That'll do" for us it's "Let's go"

[simba]

Why not go for "What do you think?" or some variation thereof ("Your opinion?"), instead of 'speak'?

Edit: Or 'bark if you agree with me.'

 

"What the fuck, dog?" means "get out of my seat" for my friend's dog.

 

"I'mgonnagetcha!!" is the cue for playing the chasing game. "Out you go!" means "go through the door I'm gesturing at." "Well?" is a cue to the dog that I'm paying attention and she now has to indicate what she wants. And 'Atchoo!' for her to get me tissues.

 

And I'm currently teaching 'Zoolander' as the cue to turn left. All pretty standard.

[Root Beer]

Once you get past the typical tricks you'll find yourself looking at a thesaurus for ideas. I don't like having too many tricks that sound too similar either however, if I get too creative with the cue's then I tend to forget plus I like them being mostly one syllable words.

 

Exactly!!

 

One of these days, just for fun, I'm going to make a list of all the cues I use and my dogs know.

 

Also, I thought of another one - I use "leg" for leg weave because I use "weave" for Agility weave poles. I know people who use "weave" for both, but I like having separate cues for them. Also, a single weave is "through", multiple weaves is "leg".

 

Oh, and "twizzle" is left pivot. That's definitely a different one.

 

And in the context of everyday cues, "dango dango" means "outside to potty". That came from when Speedy was a puppy and I noticed that before he let loose in the house, he would kind of hop around and I called that his "dango dango dance', which came from something my mother used to say when I was a kid. It stuck. To this day, say "dango dango" and my dogs run to the door!

[Syncrope]

Why not go for "What do you think?" or some variation thereof ("Your opinion?"), instead of 'speak'?

Edit: Or 'bark if you agree with me.'

 

"What the fuck, dog?" means "get out of my seat" for my friend's dog.

 

"I'mgonnagetcha!!" is the cue for playing the chasing game. "Out you go!" means "go through the door I'm gesturing at." "Well?" is a cue to the dog that I'm paying attention and she now has to indicate what she wants. And 'Atchoo!' for her to get me tissues.

 

And I'm currently teaching 'Zoolander' as the cue to turn left. All pretty standard.

 

"What do you think?" was actually the first one I thought of! Then I changed it to "What's on your mind?" Then I ended up just using a visual-cue only since I figured that I personally would never ask her to bark anyways! ((she does it enough on her own, heh))

 

I mostly taught her a cue for it because I was eager to teach her the alternative command... "Shhhhh!"

 

And oh my gosh! "Zoolander" is the perfect cue for turn left! Next you should teach "Blue Steel" for some sort of dramatic-look-gopher trick! Adorable!

[gcv-border]

I also like the 'creative' or 'off the wall' types of commands. I think it sets one apart from the crowd. BUT, having said that, I find it easier to use commands that are reflective, as much as possible, of the action. (My chronologically-challenged brain is less likely to mix up or forget commands when they are easier to remember. )

 

I try my best to use commands that are short and are as distinct from other commands as possible. I have a friend who taught her dog to 'drop it' using a 'spit' command. Everybody thinks it is hysterical, but the reality is that 'spit' sounds like 'sit'.

 

A couple of commands I use that may be a bit different:

Beep, beep - backing

Scoot, scoot - crawling backwards

Pretty - sit on your haunches

Cik - wrap around an agility jump to the left

Wrap - wrap around an agility jump to the right (not so different, but I felt I should offer the match to 'cik')

For the next dog, I might use 'wiggle' for the weave command as I think weave, as a word, is to open-ended for a short, sharp command which I like to use for agility.

 

Jovi

[Root Beer]

Cik - wrap around an agility jump to the left

 

I've read about this cue in several places and am curious as to whether it is pronounced "kick" or "sick" or "chick"? Or some other way?

[gcv-border]

I've read about this cue in several places and am curious as to whether it is pronounced "kick" or "sick" or "chick"? Or some other way?

It is pronounced "sick". From S Trkman and her cik and cap turns (sick/sap) - which means zig and zag in Slovenian. I changed cap to wrap because I could remember it easier since the command refers to a tight wrap turn. I also liked the fact that the two words (cik & wrap) are completely different which I thought would be easier for the dog to distinguish.

 

Jovi

[Liz P]

stupid = shake your head no

 

ugly = stick your tongue out

 

vicious = snarl

[Kelleybean]

Why not go for "What do you think?" or some variation thereof ("Your opinion?"), instead of 'speak'?

Edit: Or 'bark if you agree with me.'

 

"What the fuck, dog?" means "get out of my seat" for my friend's dog.

 

"I'mgonnagetcha!!" is the cue for playing the chasing game. "Out you go!" means "go through the door I'm gesturing at." "Well?" is a cue to the dog that I'm paying attention and she now has to indicate what she wants. And 'Atchoo!' for her to get me tissues.

 

And I'm currently teaching 'Zoolander' as the cue to turn left. All pretty standard.

 

ROTFLMAO---LOVE this one!

[Olivia]

One of mine does bark on "what do you think?" and "are you a handsome man?". People think it's really cute. I also have "Bang bang" for play dead. Most of mine though are pretty close to what they are actually doing, it's just easier for me to remember!

[Root Beer]

One of mine does bark on "what do you think?"

 

I like that!!

 

I've only done a little bit of bark on cue work with Dean and I use a hand signal - my fingers making at "chattering" gesture at him.

 

If I ever put it on verbal, I might go with "Whatcha thinkin?" as a variation on yours!!

[setsail]

My favorite is my kennel up command for my older dog Jackson... "Jack in the box".

 

My younger girl is super spunky and has to have the last word. She'll bark at me if she's worked up but if I say "With less attitude!" she'll just grumble under her breath.

 

I also taught a high 5 as "Me!" so I can ask stupid questions like "Who's a pretty girl?" "Me!" and she "raises her hand".

 

For a backward circle - counterclockwise I use "Jive" and for clockwise I use "Jitter". For heel position on the left I use "hip", on the right I use "pocket". Why I don't know, but I always remember them.

 

Jackson lets out a super loud high pitches coyote type howl on the command "Sing!".

 

 

And a super funny story about creative cues. At christmas there was a big decorated tree in town with these big boxes painted like presents in front of them where kids could sit for pictures. On a run one day I had Poe jump up so I could take her picture. She kept looking away from me so I kept saying her name to get her attention. This guy walked by and was like "Wow! you taught her to pose! that's so cool!". I was confused until I realized I was calling her nickname "Poeser" and he thought I seriously had a "pose for pictures" command lol.

 

[Syncrope]

My favorite is my kennel up command for my older dog Jackson... "Jack in the box".

 

So cute!

[Kian's Mom]

I'm starting my female on agility ( well hopefully will be showing this year) She knows all the objects and I direct with my hands also. We will be in novice so the course wouldn't be to bad, but what are some of the commands do you guys use. I started using here instead of come as I don't want her to come to me per say. Out ( whatever) if working off my right side. like out weaves when I'm on left side of weaves and go weave when I'm on the right side. Open for suggestions.

Thanks

[terrecar]

Bye!: Means "Come closer because you're too far away and I'm walking away from you." Hannah gets the idea real quick.

 

Non-verbal cue: I raise an eyebrow, and look over my left shoulder. Hannah straightens her heel/sit.

[strychix]

Cue words for my last dog, a 95 lb and skinny pitbull/boxer/great Dane mix was a mess.

 

First of all, when we would drive he'd have his head on the middle console and his butt up with his tail wagging so I could not see properly out the rear view mirror, so "put your butt down" began... And then when I had company and he was playing with a toy, that butt would be up and it turned its "putt your butt down, you slut".

 

When I would have him stay, that included keeping his head in place so I could put stuff on his face and head. When it was food, the cue was "k, have it." Which of course no one knew until I said it first so he'd just sit there until the person was frustrated. When I said it, people would laugh, apparently I sounded like I said "kabbit"

 

Boxer fighting stances were what I had the most fun with. "Right in the kisser" "one of these days, straight to the moon" and "rock'em sock'em robots" all meant the same thing.

 

"Excuse me, good sir!!" Meant to get out of my way.

 

"Posh's husband!" Meant get the soccer ball.

 

Yeah, good stuff.

[mrenee]

My grandpa uses, "Tell me about it" to get his lab to speak, I've always loved that one.

 

I've always like "with me" instead of "heel"

 

My friend's dog does this really cute thing where he'll just walk up to you and lay his head on your knee. We are working on adding "Awww" for the cue word for that behavior.

 

I want to to my dog to do pay at his face when I say "Aw, shucks" like he's embarrassed.

 

You could also use cue words in a different language. I know some French so I've considered that.

 

I've considered using opposite commands for my dog, like "sit" for come and "come" for down. just so if I'm at the dog park or somewhere in public it would look like my dog was not listening to me at all and confuse people when I praise him. But then I'm afraid I might confuse myself, haha!

[TEC]

I don't have off-beat cues for my dog, but they look like fun. Whenever I think of dog tricks and changed-up commands, Skidboot comes to mind. I like the way Skidboot's owner (he calls himself Skidboot's friend), David Hartwig, presents the trick in the first minute of the below-linked video. His dog became quite well-known, helping make David a good living. Hartwig retained his humble cowboy origins throughout Skidboot's popularity. He liked to say that God blessed him with Skidboot and a driver's license to get him to performances.

 

 

 

He never claimed to be a dog trainer. His philosophy is to talk to a dog like you would want to be spoken to, and stretch their limits. Notice that he says he doesn't devote a lot of work to training, but only spends a few minutes at a time with a new trick, and moves-on. Check-out his humorous story about meeting with a professional dog trainer at about minute eleven of the video. YouTube has numerous Skidboot videos. -- Kind regards, TEC

 

PS -- I have found Skidboot's "one more step" cue to be invaluable working sheep. My Josie doesn't have a lot of eye, although she makes the sheep believe she does.

[strychix]

Watched the video on Skidboot. My grandparents have always had heelers without having any work for them, and I find they understand being talked to in sentences better than cues. Tell Hebo to roll over? No way. Say, "Hey, how about you roll over for me." Then he does it. I love 'em.

[Shari1855]

I use bottom for sit, freeze for stay, ooooh for no. Close close is used when he is on the other side of the field/yard, this meant for him to bolt to me and sit next to me. I also use an odd whistling tone, which he responds to just as well. Yut is used for him to jump or look up when we are playing frisbee or catch, this we don't use to often but he knows to look up for it....usually bc of my miss throw. We also use this when hubby is at work, because he will be able to sleep in bed with me