# Finally taught a speak!!!



## Baileyshuman (Apr 26, 2021)

for some reason, despite the fact that this dog never stops barking, it had taken ages for me to teach him this! But... after an hour this week, he’s done it. Thankfully he’s only doing it on command, and we taught him “quiet” before we managed to teach him “speak” lol.


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## melaniep (Jan 28, 2021)

Great job 
Surprisingly, speak for us was the easiest to learn for Enzo. We still haven't managed to get "quiet" lol.. fingers crossed


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## HollandN (Aug 12, 2020)

I love teaching my last dog that and then whisper need to teach my current one


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

Careful what you wish for!
I taught my dogs (listen) for the woods and they hold their breath and focus


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## Arrow-the-GSD (Aug 26, 2021)

Can I ask how you taught him to speak on command? Been trying with mine but it’s not going well lol.


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## Baileyshuman (Apr 26, 2021)

Arrow-the-GSD said:


> Can I ask how you taught him to speak on command? Been trying with mine but it’s not going well lol.


We did a lot of things. The first was holding chicken in his face and saying “speak, woof” and repeating it. We also tied him against a post in the garden and got him riled up with his football. We’d give the command and play with the football until he barked and then let him get the football. Not sure if that makes sense


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## Arrow-the-GSD (Aug 26, 2021)

Baileyshuman said:


> We did a lot of things. The first was holding chicken in his face and saying “speak, woof” and repeating it. We also tied him against a post in the garden and got him riled up with his football. We’d give the command and play with the football until he barked and then let him get the football. Not sure if that makes sense


Yeah it does, kinda like the Shutzhund agitation training. Thank you!


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## ktu (Mar 7, 2021)

Our boy learned speak fairly quickly we think cause he just loves to use his voice haha but we have never really been able to perfect "Quiet" if you dont mind me asking how you taught him that command?


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## happyblond (Sep 14, 2012)

Excellent! It's so rewarding when they get what you have been trying to teach well done,
my boy Clay will speak and whisper but for the life of me I can't seem to teach Raven...maybe one day 😁


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## Baileyshuman (Apr 26, 2021)

ktu said:


> Our boy learned speak fairly quickly we think cause he just loves to use his voice haha but we have never really been able to perfect "Quiet" if you dont mind me asking how you taught him that command?


I think it’s mostly a timing thing. One thing that might work is getting him to bark when you don’t want to (the door knocks, barking for attention, looking at cat, barking at the back fence _bailey_), and then telling him quiet - or your command, in a calm voice and use a high-quality toy or treat. If they’re anything like Bailey, they’ll want to play with the toy, instead of barking at something they can’t get to, and will be quiet in hopes to get it. Make sure you praise a TON. And you’ll probably have to repeat it loads of times. I’m not at all an expert or a trainer (just a fourteen year old with a dog lol), so I’m not sure if it’s something that works with all dogs or just mine aha


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## Muskeg (Jun 15, 2012)

How cool you had success! I've been working on the same- it's harder than you'd think for some dogs! I thought I had a breakthrough, and maybe I did, but they still look at me like "wait, you're asking me to what?" Teasing with food when the dog is behind a gate, seems to work best, then switch to the tie out with a ball. Any noise, reward with movement, keep the dog wanting more and keep it short.

Some dogs just seem to naturally demand bark (I have two) and others it comes more slowly... I've never had to "teach" this before, so it's an interesting challenge!


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