# Do you thank your dog for obeying a command?



## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Do you thank your dog for obeying a command? 

Me: "Riggs - go in the kitchen."
Riggs: Walks into the kitchen
Me: "Thank You."

For some reason I find myself doing it more and more now. Maybe I'm using it as after-the-fact praise?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

And I say excuse me, or I'm sorry!


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## mkennels (Feb 12, 2008)

I do as well or you got in the way..LOL I talk to them like I do my own 3 kids...LOL or excuse you if they burb..LOL


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

Yep, I constantly say thank you to them, I think they know what it means too.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I do say "thank you", but I never say "excuse me". I say "MOVE".


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Cassidys MomI do say "thank you", but I never say "excuse me". I say "MOVE".


DITTO


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

I say "good boy". 

I always say I am sorry and talk to them like they are human. I say bless you when they sneeze!


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

I would say most of the time I do. I also say 'bless you' when she sneezes, 'excuse me' when she is in the way and 'excuse you!' when she comes up to me and burps.


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## chuckstar158 (Sep 8, 2004)

Weird... I never realized that I said "thank you" to the dogs.


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## Kuklasmom (May 13, 2005)

As is every good trainer, our trainer is very big on praise for good behavior. So when my dog does what she's told, I will invariably say, "Good girl!"









Heck, my dog is 8 years old; she'd been housetrained when I adopted her 5 years ago, and I still tell her, "Good girl!" whan she goes potty outside. Of course, she gives me a look that clearly says, "Mom, I'm just making a poop, okay? Will ya calm down, already?"


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## IliamnasQuest (Aug 24, 2005)

I tend to treat my dogs like I treat the people around me, and that includes saying things like "thank you", "I appreciate that, thanks!", "oh, sorry, didn't mean to bump into you" .. *L*

It's just part of the whole communication system that I have with my dogs. Some people listen to me and seem amazed that my dogs seem to understand whole sentences (and of course I know that they pick out the words that make sense to them, like "go - ball - shop" when I say "go get your ball, it's in the shop"). 

I do tend to say "move" but then follow that with a thanks. And I say things like "ohh, you're so silly!" when they play, especially to the chows - they get sillier when I do that. I know it's the tone of voice, but still .. *L* .. I love it when they suddenly go into silliness overdrive when I say things like that to them.

Now, I'm going to start worrying about myself when I start hearing the dogs respond to a "thank you" with a muttered "no problem" .. *LOL*

Melanie and the gang in Alaska


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I usually don't say thank you, but I always say "oh, good boy" in a really warm, happy voice.


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## graciesmom (Jun 10, 2006)

For most commands I say "Good Girl" or "Good Job" when Gracie obeys commands. However, I just realized that I tend to say "thank you" after she complies with "drop" for her ball. Strange huh?


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## Dano (Sep 20, 2004)

I know it makes us humans feel good when we show "good manners" but in my house, the human manners are reserved for humans. If my dogs need encouragement or acknowledgment they get a "good dog" but only if they need it, as in not being quite sure of what I want and finally getting it. I see no reason to overstate the obvious when giving commands. The less that comes out of my mouth, the more they pay attention to what does come out of my mouth.


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## GunnerJones (Jul 30, 2005)

I catch myself saying "Thank You" and "Excuse me" part of me thinks they actually understand


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i don't think i say thank you when he obeys a command. i do say excuse me when i bump into him or i'm sorry Loki i didn't see you there. i think i'll start saying thank you when he obeys a command. so, imagine this, there you are giving your dog a command and someone over hears you (make sure someone over hears you). King, i want you to sit. King sits and you say thank you. now King i want you lay down and stay, thank you. now you walk away. the person over hearing you should be impressed because you're speaking as if you're speaking to a human. i'm going to go and try it. i think my dog will respond because we always speak to him like he's human.


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## CookieTN (Sep 14, 2008)

I never tell Cookie thank you, but I do tell her I'm sorry when I step on her paws or something and I always praise her for obeying.


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## Skye'sMom (Jul 11, 2004)

I often say thank you to my dogs. It's not like they speak English, but it's hard to say thank you in a bad tone. Since dogs respond to tone and expression, I think they know it is a positive response from us.

True story - last week in a "work and play" class I am teaching, one of the handlers told another one - I was so frustrated with Sophie last night. She was not listening and I was getting cross. So I thought maybe I should try what you do. I said, Sophie, sit, please and she immediately sat and looked happy.

Funny how those words can make us better communicators for our dogs.









I have times when I am all business with my dogs, but it sure doesn't hurt to lighten up when we are not in strict training.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

"good dog!" is the equivalent of "thank you." at least here it is.


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## thor wgsd (Jun 18, 2008)

I don't say thank you, but I do say sorry, especially when I have him on long leash playing and I accidently step on it I am like; Oh sorry man - go on. I feel like it seems like a correction when I do that so without thinking I try to make him understand that's not what I meant. 

But then again I talk to him (in at least 3 different languages) all the time.


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## Wolfie (Jan 20, 2006)

I never say "Thank you" to Yukon. I do say "Bless you" when he sneezes.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Move: "Pssshhht-psssshhht"
After obeying a command "Fiiiiiiiiiiine...fiiiiiinnnnne.." (said soothingly, warmly.. not excitedly)
Caught in the elevator talking to him: "Wubba wubba Mumma wub dat piggy-pig o' pigness! Gonna hug dat snuggy wuggy puppy O' porkness! Gonna wubba-wu-*" (elevator door opens to two stunned Germans who thank GOD didn't understand a word, but definitely the meaning)


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)




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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Daisy1986I say "good boy".
> 
> I always say I am sorry and talk to them like they are human. I say bless you when they sneeze!


Me too!!
I usually say good boy, but I do say thank you and talk to him like he is human. DH shakes his head


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: BrightelfMove: "Pssshhht-psssshhht"
> After obeying a command "Fiiiiiiiiiiine...fiiiiiinnnnne.." (said soothingly, warmly.. not excitedly)
> Caught in the elevator talking to him: "Wubba wubba Mumma wub dat piggy-pig o' pigness! Gonna hug dat snuggy wuggy puppy O' porkness! Gonna wubba-wu-*" (elevator door opens to two stunned Germans who thank GOD didn't understand a word, but definitely the meaning)


Patti you are too funny








yup I do the same thing!! Sometimes Brady looks at me like I am an idiot


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2008)

Being a very strong believer in the power of praise both with dogs _and_ people I try very hard not to fail to acknowledge proper behavior. With the dogs it can be anything from "please" and "thank you" to "good boy" and "good girl". Especially good behavior gets especially affirmative acknowledgement. "What a good boy!" and "At a good girlie!" are heard here as well as what may seem like a lot more than a dog can take in to some. "What a good girl, Frigga! I'm so proud of you for putting up with the silly puppy! You're trying very hard aren't you, girlie? Thank you so much baby." is a phrase heard here. I believe, like Bonnie, that they don't understand the words as exactly as a human would, but that they do indeed understand the intent.


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## GSDOwner2008 (Jan 19, 2008)

I don't thank my boys for obeying, but I do reward and praise them for obeying. I will say I'm sorry if I accidentally step on him, or open on door on him if I don't see him there. But if he's in the way, I expect them to move.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I don't thank, but in Spanish there are two forms of second person, an informal one and a formal one which is used mostly with people you have respect, like elders or superiors. Sometimes I use the formal one with Diabla, but mostly in a playful way we use sometimes with small children than for the respect I feel for her


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

I use Thank You more than I use good boy in regular day to day stuff.


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## AK GSD (Feb 27, 2008)

I do say thank you but then again we have whole conversations. Dogs might not understand everything being said but they do know they are being paid attention to and by tone of voice know that it is positive. Of course my dogs have all been male so while I believe they are listening to me they could be just like my husband and actually listening to the TV or wondering who is going win the football game this weekend


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Cassidys MomI do say "thank you", but I never say "excuse me". I say "MOVE".


Ginger knows both "excuse me" and "MOVE" and I say one or the other depending on how much of a hurry I'm in!









I sometimes say thank you, but not always. Ginger definitely knows what it means.


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## BJDimock (Sep 14, 2008)

Fidelco teaches its foster parents not to expect less than the dog getting out of the way. This is because a visually impaired person doen't need to be tripping over their guide dog. However, since Ilan has become a member of our household(and my second in command) I find myself being very courtious to her. I often ask her to carry out a task for me, and then thank her when she does it. It goes way beyond my training as a foster, but she seems to understand, and we get along very well!


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## JeffM (Dec 19, 2005)

Some times when playing fetch and Thor finally drops the ball, I'll say "Thank You" but in a sarcastic way


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I do sometimes. "Quiet" "thank you." Sit, thank you. 

But often it is with a grimace, "QUIET!" THANK YOU. Nice Quiet. Then they think I am done and start up again. Or "Down!" and when the last one goes down, THANK YOU, then Good Girls and everyone pops up. 

Hmmmph! 

They are not bad, just I have not spent enough of my existence training them all yet.


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## csaiz (Dec 21, 2006)

My best friend and trainer will kill me if she gets a hold of this









I have been know to be very polite to my dogs


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## LHunter82FXRS (Oct 20, 2008)

My "thank you" to Chico is "good boy", which he understands. I also have human conversations with him, and it is funny when I am caught. Sometimes when we are hiking, and I see something of interest I will say to him "Oh, look at that........." and carry on, then someone comes around the bend and says "I heard someone talking and thought there were two people up here" I just tell them I am talking to my dog. Most people look at me like I am nuts, but a few understand


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## Mary Jane (Mar 3, 2006)

I say good boy or good dog after every cue that Wolf follows. I say thank you when Wolf licks me. I say excuse me when I want him to move out of my way. I say good morning and good evening at appropriate times. It's a polite household.

MJ


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