Training aid for your dog – the voice

The voice is a very important training aid for a dog, because most animals can be motivated superbly by the voice of their human. This voice is familiar to the dog, and when you speak to him in a friendly, motivating way, hormones are released in the dog that can boost his well-being. For the dog, the voice reflects the emotions of his caregiver. He can tell from it whether a person is stressed or annoyed. Sometimes, however, the voice does not match the situation, which can confuse the dog.

The importance of tone when recalling your dog

One example is the recall. The dog has already learned to come to the signal “Here”. Suddenly, however, he is still doing his rounds while his human realises that he urgently needs to get home. In this situation, the human is stressed and calls out the word “Here” loudly and irritably. In terms of sound, this does not match the word he has already learned, even though the meaning is the same. During training, the word was called in a friendly and inviting way. Now the dog hears an irritated signal and does not respond. For the animal, it is simply not the same signal. This can easily lead to misunderstandings. In such cases, a dog whistle can offer good support.

The effect of different tones of voice on the dog

It is often asked whether dogs really do listen to deep voices rather than high ones. In principle, it initially makes no difference what pitch you use when speaking to your dog. What matters is that we move onto the dogs' level of communication. You have to observe them very closely in order to interpret their signals correctly. In return, a dog needs clear signals. The body language and the audible cues must absolutely match.

If, for example, you want to be polite and converse with your dog in full sentences, the animal will not understand this. That said, you do not need to shout at your dog in a commanding tone, because dogs have extremely fine hearing.

Using unambiguous signals in everyday life

In general, it is advisable to use signals that are clearly distinguishable from one another for the dog. An audible cue should always be combined with a body-language signal. With regard to pitch, a very deep tone carries the risk that the dog feels threatened. When dogs growl in a low register, the situation is serious for them. With very sensitive animals, or with dogs that are less well socialised to people, it can make sense to speak in a rather high pitch. This is often particularly difficult for men, which is why they should then also avoid speaking in a very loud voice.

• Motivation through a familiar and friendly voice
• Avoiding stress signals during important commands
• Matching body language and audible cues
• Using positive and inviting tones of voice

It is important for dogs to get to know many different people as early as puppyhood. Then they can remember well that some people, although they speak in a deep register, are nevertheless friendly and well-disposed.