Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:14 am Post subject: Teaching the "speak"??
Hiya, I've read on here, and also heard at training classes, of people teaching their dogs to speak, i.e, bark on command. Now, I don't want a wild barking dog, or to encourage any aggresiveness, but I think this would be a good thing to train. Lola hardly barks at all! Can anyone point me the right way?
reasons for/against teaching the "speak" also welcomed, as I'd never heard of it before.
we have the same problem.... can't teach the speak because he doesn't speak enough!
I believe the way to do it is to say "good speak" after they bark... but if you have the same problem we do in that they bark so infrequently... then it might not work... just like it didn't for us!!!
Connie rarely barks but have just about managed to teach her the speak.
My training methods are hardly commendable, I wind her up a bit then whisper 'speak' she evetually gets to point where she mumbles then finally barks! It's quite funny as she's so quiet usually (apart from singing for her supper).
I don't really know any pros or cons for this one, it hasn't turned connie into a mad barking hooligan so guess thats a pro but I dont think dogs really need to be barking for treats ?!
Teaching to 'speak' must come in hand with teaching 'quiet'..
There are a few ways you can teach 'speak' and the one that worked for us was to have a treat, a really tasty one.. and to hold it in front of him in your fingers, let him smell it, and simply say 'speak' in a high pitched voice to start with... he of course doesn't know what on earth you are on about, and will get frustrated... as all he wants in the treat.. eventually, chester let out a bark, and straight away I said SPEAK GOOD BOY and gave him the treat... repeat as necessary
Teaching quiet....
You need to establish a good speak first, to the point you can ask 'speak speak speak' and get lots of barks, then introduce 'quiet' and as soon as he stops his barks, say QUIET, GOOD BOY, and give the treat.. repeat as necessary.....
We taught our sandy to speak when she was about 8 months old.
How we did it was the wife had her on the lead and i would play with her and get her all excited.
Then would step back and just out of her range and as she was excited she really wanted to get to me i would move a bit closer all the time repeating the word speak in a happy voice and would move out of range again.
When she did finally bark i would say SPEAK good girl and give her a treat.
After doing this half a dozen times over a few days she finally got it.
Now she is 2 years old brithday today and we just say speak and she will do it.
We have been trying to teach the pup but he is a bit young at the moment only 18 weeks and does not really understand and just sits there staring at us.
Speak and quiet are also a working trials exercise. First off, the speak is taught initially in the down, and they are not meant to move off the spot. You will find initially when they wuff at you, that they'll either sit up or move forwards. Use a low voice and a 'sssssssspeak' command, and use your eyes to try and get them 'daft' enough to give you an 'oof'. We used click and treat, the second we got an 'oof', they got a click and treat, and built up the number of barks. You teach the quiet in a similar way, once you want them to finish the speak, ask for quiet and click and treat. Again, build up the length of time they're quiet for between the click and treat reward. When you're asking for the speak, keep it calm, the only thing that should be exciting is the low ssssspeak command, and use your eyes. Distance is also important, eventually you'd be able to ask for a speak and quiet from a little way off, and without even using eye contact to get the barking going. Indie will also speak at heel for you, which once you get the formal position(s) speak going, its also a good exercise.
Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:54 pm Post subject: speak
Hi, Don't know if this will help to teach you dog to speak i came across this web site when looking for training tips.
Yes you can pay a lot of money for this training book, that dvd and so on and yes she is trying to sell you her training methods. Dove (the trainer) is so confident in her training techniques that you can download a free lesson which covers:
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