Teaching a dog to bark on command is a fun trick that you can do to stimulate your dog’s mind and have a little fun.
The first thing you need to do when training your dog to speak is to determine what motivates your dog the most. Is it food? Is it a toy? Is it companionship with you? Whatever it is, that is what you are going to use.
Start out with your dog on a leash or a tie out attached to a fence or a tree or something similar. Now, simply use whatever it is that your dog loves. Tease the dog with it. If it is a ball whip it back and forth. Toss it on the ground, kick it just out of the reach. As you do this keep repeating ’speak’, ’speak’. As your dog makes even the slightest vocalization IMMEDIATELY reward him with the toy.
If you are using food, do the same thing. Lots of motion as you whip the food back and forth all the while giving him the command to speak. As he vocalizes, reward.
Some dogs aren’t too driven by food or toys but do crave the companionship of their owner. Do the same thing as above. Instead of stimulating the dog with food or a toy, you are the stimulation. Run back and forth and act the fool as your dog is tied out. As he makes a vocalization, immediately come to him and praise.
Whatever you are using as your dog’s focus continue doing so and gradually wean him off. Soon you will simply be able to say ’speak’ and you will get a nice bark.
One Comment
I just taught my dog to speak about two weeks ago. I used his favorite toys, just like you said. He learned it within ten minutes. I can’t get him to sit and speak though. He always wants to stand and bark.