# Can Dogs Understand Complex Verbal Cues?



## PammiPoodle (Jul 16, 2011)

I'm teaching Lumi and Amala to target with their paws to help them put on their shoes, and I'm really not sure what cues to use. I'd like to teach them "left paw"/"right paw" but I don't know if that's too similar and confusing. I'm also thinking long-term and know I'd like to teach then other things that involve left and right variations, so would I be able to reuse those words? Or again, would that confuse them? 

I've seen that many trainers (including me!) will just use two similar cues for left/right stuff, like spin and twirl. But it seems like it complicates things when every left/right behavior needs two different words. And then the human has to remember which means left and right! : P Lumi knows spin and twirl reliably by hand signal, but ocassionally mixes up the verbal cues because I'm pretty sure I've reinforced her for spinning when I asked for twirl and vice versa. Some days I just can't remember which is which! But, maybe that's a personal problem. : P 

Also, sometimes I think we just under-estimate our dogs by not teaching them to distinguish directions or variations of the same behavior. I feel like they can put things together, like "speak" + "loud"/"soft"/"once"/"twice", etc. I feel like we haven't even begun to scratch the surface of how much language they're capable of learning - not just number of words, but stringing them together to mean different things. Even us human beings aren't "born" with language. If we're not exposed by a certain age, the window closes. Children who grow up without human contact or interaction (so sad!) can still learn to communicate non-verbally, just like our pets, but we know that their brains had the potential for complex language just like any of us. Sorry, sort of rambling now, I find this topic fascinating! 

Anyway, I was *this* close to just choosing four different foot related words for paw targeting, and then I saw this video. This dog is smart and responsive and seems to understand left and right as part of the cue. But maybe his person is also using visual cues behind the camera? Of course, now I don't know what to do again! Would love to hear others' thoughts and experience with this!


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

A poodle, or any highly intelligent dog, can learn a LOT of voice cues. That being said, they will respond better to visual cues. It is a matter of how much intensive training you wish to spend. You are so very right about underestimation of dog communication, both verbal and visual. It is really up to you. If you have the time, patience and interest to train these things, Please go ahead. Let us know of your success or not. We all wish you well. we all try!!
Eric.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

As you suspect, dogs have no problem with complex verbal cues, especially if the dogs are used to lots of human interaction. Now, that said, just like people some dogs do have trouble with right and left. My spoo that carted, quickly learned right and left turn; his Airedale partner did not, but she was smart enough to follow his lead. He was so good with right and left that if the instructor said the direction and his handler went the wrong way... the dog would go the correct way and give the handler stink eye. It was funny to watch because this was a dog who in a a non class setting would never think of leaving a tight heel position. He was very quick to learn right/left paw and directional spins. Now the Airedale, who had trouble with right and left (we resorted to pointing and then "other way"), did learn several words in American sign language. You could put a ball and an apple across the room from her and sign the word for either object and she would retrieve the correct object. Many of us have poodles who know the names of family members and of their toys. So, it has been my experience that dogs are capable of just about as much as you are willing to take the time to teach them.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1X55b6t-UM


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Oh yes, many dogs can understand complex verbal ques. Note I said many. I speak complete sentences to my spoo normally. And yes, he understands directions of left and right. It's no different than teaching the back command. I often combine hand signals and verbal ques and then faze out one or the other. I like him to be able to respond to either. Both of these great videos are such good examples of good training. Yup - it takes a lot of work. I couldn't help laughing at the second video, maybe I ought to think up some hilarious things to teach me dog too


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

what i find most interesting about the second video is that the owner keeps telling the dog not to take the ball till he says "three," and he keeps working the word "three" into his instructions but the dog does not grab the ball until the "real" word "three" is used. so imi (in my imagination), the dog is doing more than just listening for the word, it is distinguishing among uses of the word, which is definitely operating at a higher level than a couple of people i know. :biggrin1:


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