Dog parents tend to speak to their dogs to communicate with them. But do you know that you can teach them to answer back? Training your dog to bark on cue helps deepen your bond with it. It also helps curb excessive barking. However, you need to train your dog properly for it to be able to speak to you. Dogs barking on command is similar to any other behaviour and requires positive reinforcement, clarity and consistency. In this article, we’ve compiled some easy steps to successfully teach your dog to speak on command.

Understand dog communication

You must have seen a dog wag its tail. Well, it only shows how much canines communicate through their body language. However, dogs are quite vocal and howl, whine, growl and sing to convey their state of mind.

Their barks also vary including high-pitched yips and deep woofs, each of which conveys a different message. As a pet parent, it is important that you get their language to understand their needs and emotions.

Some dogs bark excessively to signal boredom or get attention. Training your dog to speak on command helps curb frenzied barking as they learn about the right time to bark and understand when to remain quiet.

Prepare for training

Below are a few tips to help you prepare to train your dog to speak.

Be Consistent

Make sure to conduct the training sessions at a particular place every day. It is best to choose a place with minimal distractions. Your home can be an ideal place as you will be able to control the atmosphere. You can also go for a park but do not go close to the dog play area.

Be Clear

In order to successfully train your dog, you should be prepared with a clear command word and motivator (more below).

Be realistic

While training your pooch, it is important that you remain realistic about your expectations and your goals. Your canine companion may not respond well on the first day and that is absolutely normal. Remember that persistence is the key.

Select the right word and motivator

Your command word is the most important cue that will help your dog to speak. You can choose either a word or a short phrase for the training and keep in mind the following aspects:

• The word you choose should be unique and shouldn’t be the one you use with your other pets.
• Your dog should be able to understand the word you’re using as a command. Though dogs can understand multisyllabic words, we’d advise you to keep things easy and simple.
• Use the speak command exclusively as a command to bark and not for other instructions.
• A motivator comes in the form of rewards that you offer your dog when it does a good job. Go for something that your doggo loves, like its favourite toy or treat.

Do not make it overwhelming

If your furry baby doesn’t know other commands, do not directly start with the speak command. Start by teaching it basic obedience commands like 'stay', 'watch me' and 'sit'.

Think outside the box

For a lot of canines, it doesn’t take a lot of time to learn to speak. However, if your pooch seems to take too long, you may need to enact certain actions to convey your message or even make barking noises yourself.

Reward your dog

Never forget to reward your doggo when they manage to follow your instructions. Try to offer the reward after every single bark that you’ve asked for and not for random vocalisation. As your dog progresses, reduce treats with praises.

Concluding Note

Teaching the speak command to dogs makes them well-trained and communicative. The process is more or less the same as teaching them other commands and results in easier communication and a deeper bond between you and your pal. The process might get time-consuming but with consistency, your canine baby will learn this clever new trick.