# speak on command



## Germ (Jun 2, 2011)

hey guys im new to the forum and im just wondering how you get your dog to speak for you? My 7mo shep Semi, is very cool tempered, he gets excited about toys but not enough for me to tease him with one in exchange for a bark, same way with food you can tell he wants it but he wont bark for it. 
However i can get him to bark by using my other shep(Germ) and a ball. 
What i do is have Semi focus on me & throw the ball Germ usually has position to get to it first which gets Semi speaking. Germ usually stays put on command with the ball in his mouth and Semi is right by his side pissed he missed the throw. Should i go with this method or do you guys think that could cause problems later down the road for my pack?
I was thinking if I can get him to understand a speak command i can slowly but surely eliminate the method untill hes got it down? It actually seems to be a good one for dogs that are cool tempered

HELPP!


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## AEA (Sep 17, 2010)

When my Female was 7mo I got her to bark when she was fooling around with me by saying loudly "Speak" and making a open/closed sign with my hand.

Then I went away for work for a Month and had to leave her at a Kennel for 30 days.

When I got her back home she would not speak anymore........

I keep trying with the old command and sign, but still nothing.

Then just yesterday (now one year old) I thought I would try a new command. So while she was looking out the window, I gave the command "Alert" and she barked! I have repeated this several times with success. It now appears to me that I was using the wrong command in the first place. She obviously knows what "Alert" means.

Give it a try. Their vocabulary is much bigger than we give them credit for.


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## Kris10 (Aug 26, 2010)

When Max was a pup I played YouTube videos of GSDs barking, which would get him to bark and I paired that with the command : "bark". It was funny because when I started to prompt him without the video he would look toward the window like "is there something I should be barking at?".


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## dazedtrucker (May 2, 2011)

Kris10 said:


> When Max was a pup I played YouTube videos of GSDs barking, which would get him to bark and I paired that with the command : "bark". It was funny because when I started to prompt him without the video he would look toward the window like "is there something I should be barking at?".


ROFL! I have never been good at teaching "speak", and would like to see more of this thread. My pup barks at the cats, I thought about using a cat for a training toy, but the cat would probly kick my butt


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

Once they learn to speak they use it all the time esp when you don't want them too. They speak to experess themselves bc they start to think you want speak all the time!! LOL I've got 2 speakers who speak for every command now lol! But it is helpful when your in a bad area and ask for the speak command  hehe


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I used a ball on string, that I only use for training and told him to bark. When he barked he was rewarded with the ball...caught on very quick. 
Kacie is not one to bark on command, still a work in progress. She never whines either. But she has the 'Lassie' bark down pat.


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## Germ (Jun 2, 2011)

Kris10 said:


> When Max was a pup I played YouTube videos of GSDs barking, which would get him to bark and I paired that with the command : "bark". It was funny because when I started to prompt him without the video he would look toward the window like "is there something I should be barking at?".



I have also tried YouTube with no success he just kinda looks at Like I'm stupid and keeps doing his own thing.


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## Germ (Jun 2, 2011)

onyx'girl said:


> I used a ball on string, that I only use for training and told him to bark. When he barked he was rewarded with the ball...caught on very quick.
> Kacie is not one to bark on command, still a work in progress. She never whines either. But she has the 'Lassie' bark down pat.


 if only Semi cared enough for toys he reminds me of a teenager too cool for anything sometimes


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## Germ (Jun 2, 2011)

I worked with what was working for me using my other dog and and the ball method 
Semi is catching on, slowly but surely I give him the command and hes a little hessitant at first but after the first treat he builds up some confidence.


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

I just kept telling max to speak and when I got even a whisper I clicked and treated. Of course Max has a high food drive, heck he has a high ball drive to! Anyway my problem is I can not keep him barking so I can teach him to stop on command.

My trainer showed me his dogs, he tells them speak in German and they continue to bark until he gives the command to stop. I think this is part of Sch training? I am going to have to ask him how he does it.


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