Cue or Not? Vet Guide to Simplifying Dog Training 🐶✨

By Dr. Duncan Houston BVSc

Sit. Down. Wait. Leave it. Come. Stop. Settle. Off. Before long, your dog hears a dozen different words a day—so how many cues is too many?

I’m Dr. Duncan Houston. In this article, we’ll explore when to use cues, when to stay quiet, and why strategic silence can actually improve training outcomes.

🎯 What Is a Cue in Dog Training?

A cue is a signal—verbal, visual, or environmental—that tells your dog which behavior is being requested.

Examples:

• 🗣️ Verbal: Sit, Stay, Come
• ✋ Visual: Raised hand, pointed finger, step forward
• 📍 Environmental: Door opening = wait, bell ringing = go to door

🔍 Why Fewer Cues Work Better

Overcueing leads to confusion. If your dog hears five different words for the same outcome, they stop listening altogether—or guess what you mean based on tone.

• 🧠 Dogs learn patterns better than language
• 📉 More words = more room for error
• ✅ Fewer, consistent cues = faster, stronger learning

✅ When to Use Cues (and When Not To)

Use a Cue:

• 🎓 When the dog already knows the behavior
• 🎯 When you’re training in low-distraction settings
• 🗣️ When you can mark and reward clearly

Don't Use a Cue:

• 🤷 If your dog doesn’t yet know what the behavior looks like
• 📉 If they’re distracted, fearful, or unsure
• 🔁 If you’re repeating yourself, hoping they’ll eventually guess right

💡 Teach Before You Cue

Let the behavior emerge through shaping or luring first. Only add the cue once they consistently perform the behavior *on their own.*

Example:

• 🐕 Wait for your dog to lie down during training → then say down just before it happens
• 📈 Repeat several times to attach the cue to the behavior—not the hope of it

🔁 Cue Pollution: What It Is & How to Avoid It

Cue pollution happens when your dog hears a cue like sit 10 times… and only gets rewarded once. The word becomes background noise.

• 🛑 Don’t repeat cues—say it once, then wait
• ⏱️ Reward the moment they respond correctly
• 📉 If no response, reset or guide—don’t nag

📋 Simplify Your Cue List

Here’s how to streamline your cues for clarity:

 Behavior One Reliable Cue Avoid Overlapping Cues Sit Sit Sit down, Park it, Take a seat Come Come Here, Let’s go, Come here Drop it Drop it Let go, Release, Give Down Down Lie down, Down boy, Lay

🧠 Let Environment Be the Cue

Dogs are excellent at picking up environmental patterns. Use this to your advantage:

• 🚪 Door opens = wait on mat
• 🧺 Treat pouch on belt = focus time
• 🧘 Crate door opens = settle

🎁 Tools That Reinforce NonVerbal Clarity

• Dual Pocket Dispenser – Create strong environmental associations with reward timing
• Explorer Harness – Use for structured walks where leash tension—not voice—guides behavior
• Bungee Lead – Gives feedback without needing constant commands

💬 What Dog Parents Say

Once we stopped overcueing and just let him think, training finally clicked. – Erica & Milo

We went from using 10 different commands to just 4—and everything works better now. – Carlos & Benji

👩⚕️ Need a Cue Cleanup Plan?

Send your dog’s training history and routine to Ask A Vet and get a simplified cue map designed by vets to boost learning and reduce confusion.

Final Thoughts

Fewer words. Better timing. Clearer expectations. That’s the secret to real communication with your dog. You don’t need more cues—you need smarter ones. Let your dog’s behavior guide your training, not just your vocabulary.