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The cue vocabulary, body language and barking guides we use in your sessions, kept here so you can find them again.
Cue vocabulary
The words and hand signals we build your dog's training around.
Marker & release words
- Marker word — "Yes!"
- Said in an upbeat, excited voice the instant your dog gets it right. It signals that the behavior just performed was correct — a clicker can stand in for it.
- Release word — "Break"
- Also "Okay," "All Done" or "Go Play." Tells your dog the exercise is over. Clap your hands and step back to encourage your dog out of position.
Attention
- Watch Me
- Bring both pointer fingers to your eyes; asks your dog to hold eye contact for a few seconds. The foundation skill behind Sit, Down and Come.
- Ready?
- Gets your dog's attention and signals that something is about to happen.
Position & settle
- Sit
- Waiting politely at doors, for meals, or during collaring and greetings.
- Down
- Lying down — different from "Off" (paws stay on the floor). Pairs with "Stay" for longer holds.
- Stay
- Stay in one spot until released, more than a minute. Shown with a raised, flat palm.
- Wait
- Stay in the area — less formal than Stay. At the front door, and getting in and out of the car, until released.
- Place / Bed / Mat / Crate
- Go to that spot and settle.
- Paws Up
- Two front paws on a stationary object.
Movement
- Let's Go
- Relaxed, loose-leash walking — step off with the foot closest to your dog.
- This Way
- Said while turning, on a walk.
- Hop Up / Load Up
- Loading into the car.
- Come, Touch, Quick, Target
- The recall: hand low, palm toward you, body turned sideways, a quick arm motion to draw your dog in.
Impulse control
- Leave It
- "Leave that alone," or "turn away from it" — food and off-limits objects.
- Drop It / Give
- Release what's already in your dog's mouth.
- Touch
- Palm toward your dog, facing down, like an upside-down stop sign.
- Get It
- Toss a treat or toy, or take a specified object into the mouth.
Body language & calming signals
No single signal tells the whole story, but these are the ones worth learning to spot.
- Yawn
- Used for diffusing a situation between dogs or people.
- Sniffing
- Particularly the ground — lowers heart rate, a displacement signal.
- Lip licking
- On top of the nose, usually fast — lack of confidence, uncomfortable.
- Shake off
- After a really tense moment; a sign to another dog to end a play session.
- Turning head/body
- Looking a different direction from a stimulus — disengaging from it.
- Scratching
- The sudden scratch, especially the head or neck area.
- Panting/heavy breathing
- Don't rely on this signal alone.
- Heavy scanning
- Looking in a lot of directions but not zoning in on anything.
- Paw lift
- One paw raised off the ground — unsure, conflicted.
- Whale eye
- Whites of the eyes are showing.
- Leaning forward
- The front part of the body leans in — cautious, unsure, ready to bolt.
Reading your dog's bark
Think of barking as a form of communication and expression. If a dog feels their needs aren't being addressed, they'll bark louder and longer — here's how to tell the difference.
- Excitement
- High frequency and hysterical, a constant series with a small break in the sequence. Whining, jumping, spinning and moving around often accompany it.
- Warning
- One short, sharp WOOF, used to warn the pack about danger.
- Fear
- Sounds hysterical and panicky, much like excitement barking — but the dog will be running back and forth attempting to flee, and may include calming signals or growling.
- Guard/defensive
- Grrrr bark, grrr bark — shorter and deeper, may include lunging and possibly biting. An attempt to make the scary thing go away.
- Frustration
- Endless barks in the same tone, over and over, in a repeated sequence.
- Learned
- The dog barks, stops and looks around — it's been inadvertently reinforced: attention seeking, the doorbell, begging, being left alone, greeting other dogs on walks. Barking is very rewarding for dogs.
Keep notes of when your dog is barking, what it sounds like, the time of day, and other stressors — it helps us figure out what's driving it.
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Know someone who could use a trainer? Print our flyer or pass it along to a neighbor, a neighborhood group or a friend with a new puppy.