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Button, Button.
Who's got the Buttons?
Have you ever wished it was easier for your dog to tell you what they need?

YOUR DOG IS TALKING ALL THE TIME - ARE YOU LISTENING?

The more you listen, the more conversations you have in everyday interactions with your dog, the more your dog will try to communicate with you.  Most people who say their dog never gives them attention, probably have dogs who would say the same thing about them.

There is a huge difference between talking TO your dog and talking AT them. 

Barking commands and expecting compliance isn't communication.  Communication is a two-way street.  One of you prompts the other - often with body language.  You probably miss most of the body language communication signals your dog is giving you.  And you are probably unaware of most of the body language signals your dog is picking up from you.

Learn more about Canine Body Language Communication through the "What is My Dog Saying?" PowerPoint presentation.

 

Your dog can learn to ask to go out by barking, ringing bells, coming to you and performing an alert signal, and you can also

TEACH YOUR DOG TO TALK USING COMMUNICATION BUTTONS!

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"FRISBEE!"  "OUTSIDE!"

You don't teach your dog words using buttons. 

You record words they know and model pushing the buttons before doing whatever the button said.  

Example:  

Notice behavior signals:
Dog is sniffing around and you think they might need to go out.  

Respond:

"Do you need to go outside?"  "Let's go OUTSIDE!"  

Model the button press:

On your way to open the door, push the "OUTSIDE!" button, then open the door and go outside with your puppy. 

Repeat the word and celebrate:

"Yay!  OUTSIDE!"

Notice behavior signals:

Dog investigates the empty water bowl 

Respond:

"Do you need to WATER?"  

Model the button press:

You push the "WATER" button, then pick up the water bowl and as you fill it, say. 

Repeat and celebrate:

"Yay!  WATER!"

 

After many repetitions, you may notice the dog happens to glance at the button when he needs that thing. 

Don't wait to see if he'll press it, respond to the look. 

He will become aware of the connection long before he considers pushing it himself.  Go look at the button with him.  Get excited.  "Do you need [insert thing here] and push the button while he watches and then excitedly give him that thing.  He may sniff the button, paw the air, stand and stare at it.  Let him know you noticed and model it.  Watching YOU push the button is how he will learn to copy your action and eventually push it himself.  It may take days or weeks.  Be patient.  

The DISCOVERY that your can cue you is incredibly powerful.  

Be patient!  Don't stand over the buttons encouraging him to do it.  Let him experiment as he is ready.

 

He may want something but hit the wrong button - or hit a flurry of buttons out of frustration.

No matter what he pushes, give him what the button said.  If he clearly wanted dinner, but pushed water by accident, put some water in that full bowl anyway.  If he looks puzzled, you can ask, "did you mean DINNER?"   Push that button and make him dinner.  "Yay, Dinner! and push the "dinner" button again before you put it on the floor.  

NEW PUPPY?  START EARLY!
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START USING YOUR BUTTONS AS SOON AS YOUR PUPPY COMES HOME

Baby puppies are little sponges, learning about how humans communicate.  Just as it is easier to acquire new languages at a young age than to learn a new language as an adult.  

YOU DON'T TEACH YOUR PUPPY NEW WORDS USING THE BUTTONS. PROGRAM THE BUTTONS WITH WORDS THEY ALREADY KNOW.

Start with two or three of the puppy's most important needs.  

What words do you use already in everyday conversation with your pet?

These are the words you will program on your buttons.

  • Outside

  • Dinner

  • Water

  • Snack

  • Ball


​As your dog begins to use those buttons to ask for things he wants, you will find that you will also need these buttons:
 

  • All done

  • Later
     

You'll introduce two-button sentences.  "All done-Dinner" or "Dinner-Later"​

Avoid teaching your dog to push buttons on cue.  

If you teach your dog to press the buttons on cue, they won't realize the buttons are a form of communication that they can use to communicate their own needs anytime they want to tell you something.  They'll just think that pushing a button is a trick like "shake" that they do when you ask them to earn a treat.  You are assisting your dog in learning how to use your language to communicate with you.

Here are some articles with helpful tips for getting started:

Encouraging Your First Independent Presses

Prompting vs Directing

Repeat the button word the dog asked for, and then push the button yourself as you deliver what they wanted.

(turn on sound)

Resources

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This handout may be reprinted in its entirety for distribution free of charge and with full credit given:
© CAROL A. BYRNES "DIAMONDS IN THE RUFF" Training for Dogs & Their People -
ditr_training@hotmail.com - http://www.diamondsintheruff.com 

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