Master the Six Basic Cues for Dog Agility – Improve Your Communication & Success On Course
In dog agility, your dog reads FAR more than just your words — your dog is ALWAYS reading your body. The Six Basic Cues are the foundation of my handling philosophy, developed over decades of competing at the highest level. When you understand and can use these cues in combination with one another effectively, you’ll handle any course with improved confidence and consistency. Watch the free intro video below to start transforming your runs by learning how to Master the Six Basic Cues for Dog Agility!
Why the Six Basic Cues Matter
Dogs naturally prioritize physical cues. I learned this early on from Linda Mecklenburg, a pioneer in understanding how dogs read handler movement. While agility training has definitely evolved over the years, and the courses may look totally different than they did twenty years ago, the way dogs respond to physical cues hasn’t changed.
Knowing the natural priority of these cues will help you:
- Capitalize on them during handling.
- Train your dog to respond when physical cues don’t tell the whole story.
The Six Basic Cues:
The below six cues are listed in the order that your dog naturally prioritizes them. As you can see, it’s almost completely opposite to how we HUMANS prioritize physical cues! You CAN change your dog’s priorities, but the more you need to change them, the more training will be required. The more you can go with the flow of your dog’s natural priorities, the less training will be required (just training of YOU!).
- Motion – The primary and most powerful cue. This includes lateral motion, forward motion, backwards motion, NO motion, opposite motion, acceleration, and deceleration.
- Shoulders – Shape your dog’s path with your upper body.
- Location – Where you are tells your dog what your intent is with respect to where to go next.
- Arms – Subtle arm changes, as well as arm positions give clear direction.
- Eye Contact – Connection and intention in a glance, vs looking away from or in the same direction as your dog.
- Verbal Cues – Words that reinforce your body language.
Get the Full Course for Free!
This intro is just the start. The full Six Basic Cues course includes six short, focused lessons with demonstrations and practical tips. You’ll see exactly how I apply each cue in real courses, and you can start applying them immediately in your own training.