Silence Isn’t Golden

As children, many of us were taught that “silence is golden.” But when it comes to living and working with our canine companions, the opposite is often true.

Even though our dogs are incredibly intelligent, they cannot know what we want unless we clearly communicate it to them. Our dogs aren’t mind readers. They learn through the information we provide, and one of the most powerful tools we have is our voice.

Take leash walking, for example.

When many people walk their dogs, the leash becomes the primary way they communicate. We tug on it to get our dogs moving. We tug on it when they pull. We tug on it to change direction. We tug on it to stop. We tug on it when they aren’t listening.

Have you noticed the pattern?

The leash tug ends up meaning everything and nothing at the same time. Because it’s used for so many different things, it stops being clear communication.

Instead, imagine teaching your dog words that actually tell them what you want.

When you’re ready to begin walking, you might say, “Let’s Go!” If you want to change direction, you might say, “This Way.” If you need your dog’s attention, a cue like “Look” can let them know you want them to check in with you.

Now the leash becomes simply a safety tool, not the primary way you communicate.

Of course, while this sounds simple, it still needs to be taught. Dogs don’t come pre-programmed to understand our words. They learn through consistent teaching, repetition, and clear meaning attached to each cue.

But once your dog understands that your words have predictable and specific meanings, something wonderful happens: communication becomes easier, walks become smoother, and your relationship with your canine companion becomes stronger.

Because when we take the time to teach our dogs what our words mean, we give them the ability to succeed.

And that’s far more valuable than silence.

If you tell me where you want to go, I'll take you there.