What is Cue? According to the dictionary a cue is a signal (such as a word, phrase, or bit of stage business) to a performer to begin a specific speech or action. In other words: A cue is used to begin a specific action. I will define a cue as something that is used to begin a specific action or behavior. But, what does a cue look like? Cues are everywhere in our environment. If you are part of the human race or the animal Kingdom you rely on cues to give you information. The information is interpreted and you respond based on a behavior that you have learned and associate to that cue. For example: If it’s raining out; that’s a cue to get an umbrella or a raincoat or turn on the windshield wipers. Each of those “rain” cues can be different for the human and it can drive different responses (behavior). Rain on the windshield, will cue you to turn the wipers on. Rain when you are outside and it starts to fall on you will cue you to open your umbrella. You get the picture.
Animals work the same way. Their behavior is cued by either you or the environment. What is the environment? According to the dictionary: The environment is the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded. Dogs (animals) can perceive different types of cues, just as people can. Auditory,(hearing) Olfactory (smell), tactile, (touch), Visual (seeing), taste. Most of these cues (which trigger behavior) are coming from the environment that the dog is in. All of these senses are active in humans, and animals alike. It’s how we perceive and operate in our environment. It’s how we evolve, it’s how animals stay alive and survive.
So, where I am going with this. In training we teach cues for behavior. (I don’t call them commands, because cues are not a “do it or else” threat) . So if we have an unwanted behavior that a dog is performing you have to first find the cue? Why is the dog doing that behavior? Sometimes it’s just our best guess. But we have to start somewhere. (More on this in a later blog) We know we want it to stop. But you also have to think about what you want your dog to do instead! Dogs are just as rooted in their behavior as we are.
What if you couldn’t look at text messages on your phone while you were driving. (Actually shouldn’t be doing it) That incoming message tone is awfully enticing. So your alternatives are:
- Turn your phone off while you are in the car
- Put your phone in Airplane mode until you are ready to accept messages
- Turn your volume off so you don’t hear the incoming tone
- Put the phone in the trunk of your car so that you are not motivated to pick it up and respond
Dogs have the same intense reactions too cues, some are just as hard to quit as looking at text messages. Fortunately dogs react well to teaching alternative behaviors using positive reinforcement. The same cue can be present, we just teach them another way to react.
So if you feel like your dog is being really bad. Think about your phone behavior. How easy would that be for you to change?
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