# Stubborn , No / Poisoned , Yes



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Good article on poisoned cues/commands. http://www.clickertraining.com/node/2849


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## Momo means Peach (Jun 7, 2011)

Oh my goodness, Dave. I've got to re-examine my behavior to make sure I haven't been doing this.

Great article-I really appreciate it!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

It's easy to do Donnie. We all do it at times. The key is to watch your dog's body language when they are replying to us, and when we are working with them.


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## Cailleach (Jan 30, 2010)

Post of the day for me...has me thinking.


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## Momo means Peach (Jun 7, 2011)

That may be why sometimes she obeys a command and sometimes she doesn't. I just attributed it to her being "special". Maybe, I'm the "special" one.:brick:


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

as we all have to admit, sometimes we're just not the centre of their universe. We have a lot to compete with when we try to be more exciting than the things and dogs around them.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

What if I am blowing the whistle and not making any verbal cues, will I be safe?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavaneseSoon said:


> What if I am blowing the whistle and not making any verbal cues, will I be safe?


Be safe from what, Linda?

I THINK you are still at the point where you are training the recall with the whistle, right? So you should be rewarding, BIG TIME, every time they respond correctly. Don't use the whistle at all if you think there is a good chance they won't respond, and don't use the whistle to call them to you to bring them in the house, to bathe them, groom them, or anything else they don't like. In these instances, go get them.

You can "poison" the whistle, just like any other cue. I think the reason the author suggested people use a whistle is that it is a cue that most people haven't had a chance to poison yet when they start her recall program.

"Come" is probably the most commonly poisoned cue, because people start using it inappropriately before they even take their first puppy class and learn differently. I use the cue, "Here!" for my out-door, informal, recall word, and Kodi is very reliable with it. But I was very careful with it from the very beginning, NEVER using it unless I was 90% sure he would come when I called.

In a controlled, formal obedience recall, I use the term "Front" which means come right to my feet and sit right in front of me, then wait for my cue to "Finish" (return to heel position). But we don't need or want anything that formal in a casual situation out-doors.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Great examples Karen. One of the best rewards you can give your dog that is playing with another dog and you call him , is once he comes to you, say goooood boy ,and run with him back to the other dog and play with both of them. Keep in mind to sloooowly build up the distraction level. Like Karen mentions don't try to call them when you know they're not at that level yet.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Yes, I am still practicing the whistle recalls and rewarding now with Liver Bil Jacks (Big treat for the boys, they haven't had it in months). All the turkey, I was giving earlier was causing loose stools for the boys. 

Well...........I was planning on using the whistle to get the boys back in the house when they are off the leash when they will not return when called and for emergency calls.

As for the safeness you were asking about above..., I was talking about the tone of my voice. Dave had mentioned we could also use a verbal recall with the whistle. 

Anyway....I might be breaking the rules, but, this was already done before I read your post Karen. 

This is my story for today. 

I was going to work on the whistle this morning when taking the boys outside to do their business, I start walking back to the door and Dexter notices that I am heading back to the door and starts heading toward the door and gets to the porch before I can whistle or call them.

Dexter would of never gone back to the porch before prior to starting the whistle. 

Jack takes off after Dexter to the porch because he figures out that something is going on... Mind you, Jack was seriously into smelling and hunting for rabbit dessert. 

I am walking back to the porch, the boys are already sitting on the porch, so, I treat of them for getting on the porch without a verbal cue. 

The only time that Dexter runs to the porch is when Jack has exhausted Dexter from the RLH. Dexter never comes back to the door on his own.

Because....... I did not have a chance to use the whistle this morning, I tried again for whistle training this afternoon. Well, Dexter is already on the porch after our outing! 

So, I walk to the side of the house out of sight, hoping I can whistle for Dexter from the back deck. I get to almost the deck steps and blow the whistle loudly. Jack is already with me and Dexter comes tearing around the house toward the deck. TREAT!!! 

I know it could of back fired with Dexter not coming when the whistle was blown, but I was pretty sure Dexter would come to me because we have played back and forth around the house when he was a puppy. And, Dexter is pretty smart. Only a mother would say that...

Oh! I always go get the boys for bathing and grooming, but I have a big time problem with getting the boys back to me when we are finished outside. 

Anyway...that's my story today.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

It souns like it's working pretty well, even if they aren't letting you play your whistle! They are just picking up on a non-verbal cue you don't even know you are using!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

yeah Linda , you're doing great. You can use a verbal cue or the whistle. Not necessarily together. I use verbal most often and save the whistle for more important recalls with bigger rewards. Sounds like you've got them anticipating action LOL. Try to surprise them as much as possible. Keep em guessing.


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