Before you get too deep into agility or any sport training with your dog, you should
decide which verbal cues you want to use, or are using now, and what these will
eventually mean to your dog. When I pick out my verbal cues they very often are the
same words I have used with all my previous dogs as I find it challenging to switch
words with each new dog. But sometimes you want to name your dog something that
could conflict with one of the verbals you want to use or you really like the sound of a
different verbal cue and then you both adjust to that new cue. Ideally none of your
verbals rhyme or are too similar to other cue words. For example- I like to use the word
tunnel, but I have found that the word “come”, could sound very similar to the first
syllable of TUN nel so I don’t use “come” with my dog on course other than “come in”
which is my serp cue.. If my dog’s name was Bo, then trying to use the word Go could be
problematic. Even just using multiple cues that start with the same letter can be confusing
to your dog. Tunnel, table, tire, touch, turn can all sound a bit similar when your dog
hears the beginning of the cue. I use the word down with my dogs, so I don’t use the trick
verbal cue of “bow. I would not use the cue of “get in” for a tunnel as it sounds too close
to “get it” my toy retrieve word.
I encourage my students to write down all the verbal cues they use around the house, and
in all dogs sports and for trick training and also describe what they mean or should mean
to your dog. Sound out your words that could be used in similar situations and consider
changing something about the word if it sounds too much like another cue. At times you
might be able to change the inflection in your voice to disassociate it with another cue.
I wrote down almost all the verbals that I use with Mockingjay. When I say “almost”, it’s
because I have a variety of other words and casual communication I know she
understands. She responds to her full name as well as a couple silly nicknames, and I say
things like wait there, or use “no reward markers”, like ‘Uh, oh’, or ‘Excuse me’ or even
the word ‘No’ if there is something dangerous she should not be doing. These were
somewhat casually trained but she understands them nonetheless. I also have a tendency
to teach tricks and forget I did so, or what I called those tricks, until I revisit them at
some point. I find it interesting to count how many words she knows, and while many of
these are situational, she understands them rather well. By situational I mean that if I am
pointing at a device like a stool, mat or jump wing and say the wrong word I am sure she
would oblige and approach the device. I often have cookies or toys in my hand when
doing tricks, so she can pretend not to understand once in a while when rewards are not
present, but none of these behaviors are dependent on luring or bribing or even hand or
body signals once they are taught to proficiency. My Border Collie Atticus has all the
same agility and ‘around the house’ cues as Mockingjay except she does not have all the
same tricks that Mjay has.
Some verbals we need to teach carefully and proof understanding, like lineup cues on one
side or the other, or left and rights, and in places where two agility obstacles are very
close together like a tunnel and a contact obstacle, or a jump and the weave poles. This is
called verbal/obstacle discrimination. Other cues may not need quite so much testing or
proofing.
So, here’s my list- I can’t wait to see yours!
1. Dogs’ name- Come to me and stay with me till released
2. Break -Release word from a position or obstacle or start line-
3. Off ya go- casual go and play which I use to tell my dog they can leave
4. Get it- get the toy or thing I point at
5. Give- put toy in my hand and release it to me
6. Toy- get a toy or item I point at
7. Tug or gimme dat-Tugging word after retrieve-
8. Leave- drop whatever you have on the ground quickly or leave what you are
looking at
9. Yes -A marker word that means “you were correct” and will be rewarded.
10. Put on your leash- come to me and let me attach your leash collar or harness
11. Put your head in- When I hold out a slip lead and want them to put their head in
the opening
12. Sit- sit position and stay until released
13. Down- down position and down until released
14. Stand- stand position and stay until released
15. Hand- touch my hand and keep your nose in the area of my hand till released
16. Ready- look directly at my eyes/face
17. Look- focus forward -look forward to where a toy, cookie or obstacle is in front of
you
18. Hop up- all four feet up on something like a box or bed or table.
19. Get in- get in your crate, or a box or other device
20. Go to bed- go lie down in your bed and stay till released
21. Feet- put your front feet on something.
22. Spot- rear feet up on something, front feet on ground, stay till released
23. Close- line up on my left side and move forward with me if I move forward
24. Side- line up on my right side and move forward with me if I move forward
25. Watch- look at my eyes
Agility cues-
26. Over- Take a jump, bar first
27. D-D-D- Wrap around a jump wing in a clockwise circle- bar first
28. Quick-quick- Wrap around a jump wing in a counter clockwise circle- bar first
29. Left – go to jump and turn left- bar first, soft turn
30. Right- go to jump turn right, bar first, soft turn
31. Switch- turn away from the direction you are looking, lead change on the flat
between obstacles
32. Push- Backside wrap- take a jump going around the wing first and wrap back
33. Push away- backside slice or push left or push right
34. Scoop- threadle wrap, wing first
35. Here here- threadle slice- come to to my side of a jump or one I have indicated by
my position
36. Come in- Serpentine cue
37. Out- push out and away from me laterally to an obstacle
38. Go on- keep running straight ahead
39. Tunnel- get in the tunnel cue
40. Through- opposite end of tunnel or when dog crosses over my feet to get into the
tunnel
41. Run it- running dog walk or AFrame cue to get on in the case of the dog walk to
go straight unless told differently
42. Mat -hit a mat- used mostly for ground work or back chaining
43. Up-Up- get on a contact obstacle and turn around for back chaining
44. Spot- get on the seesaw – also..
45. Spot- 2 on 2 off position with front feet off of a device and rear feet on a device
46. Hop up- get on the table and stay there
47. Poles- weave pole cue
48. Turn- turn around on an obstacle- face the other direction used for contact training
49. Hoop -tire cue
50. Start line release is “break” or obstacle word
Trick type cues- **some could be used for and around agility training
51. Walk- walk backwards
52. Dog Catch- jump into my arms
53. Pretty bird -sit with your rear on the ground and your front end up in the air
54. Be a poodle- stand up on your rear legs and walk forward
55. Twirl- twirl in a circle while standing on your hind legs
56. Under- go under or between my legs- my dogs go between my legs and then end
up on my right side
57. Around- go around me from my right side to my left side
58. Weave- From my left side weave figure 8’s between my legs
59. Go for a walk- weave my legs while I walk forward
60. Curtsy- bow position with head on the ground and butt in the air
61. Show me your belly- roll half way over and stop with your feet and belly up
62. Roll over- roll all the way over
63. Pull- grab something and walk backwards (pulling so she can pull open a door or
item)
64. Close the door- close a cupboard or house door by pushing with your front feet
65. Put it away- pick up what I ask and put it where I direct
66. Shoe- go find my shoe
67. Another one- go get another shoe or whatever we are retrieving if there are
multiples
68. Tap- use one front foot to tap on a device or dog or person from a sit position
69. Give her a hug- put both front feet around another dog
70. Hug it- hold onto a device or toy with your front paws
71. High five- tap my hand with one front foot usually while sitting
72. Find it- go find a hidden toy or odor in scent work
73. Patty cake- tap both my hands with your front feet
74. Wave- wave one front foot in the air
75. Bop it- nose touch on the Wilkes bop it target
76. Nose- nose touch a flat target
77. Chin- put your chin on the ground
78. Hold- hold an item in mouth till released
How to introduce a new word to an existing verbal cue.
If I wanted to change the word “down” to the word “drop” I would add my new word
first like this, “drop down” saying the two words together. Use both words together and
reward each time your dog responds to the cue. Pretty quickly your dog will begin to
anticipate that they should respond to the first part of the verbal and you can begin to
randomly drop the second part of the cue and just use your new word