-Choose words according to the action you want your dog to be able to communicate. We suggest starting with walk (toilet), food, water and play. At this stage, choose the words you most often say to your dog while performing these actions.
-Place the buzzers together in a central point in your home. Ensure they are easily accessible for your dog and visible for you to see how they use them. Alternatively, place your buzzers individually around your home according to the word you’ve recorded on your buzzer. For example, put ‘walk’ beside the door you leave for walks, ‘food’ beside their food bowl, ‘play’ beside their toys etc.
-Use your buzzers during day-to-day life with your dog. E.g. When placing their food down or begin preparing for a walk, hit the corresponding buzzer. Use them along with your own voice, to help your dog to associate the buzzer with the activity.
-Repetition is key. Press the buzzer 2-3 times when performing the action and say it to your dog. Have their attention when you press the buzzer. Never force them to push the buzzers. They may appear hesitant but they will quickly understand.
-Rewarding your pet. When your dog starts interacting with your buzzers ensure you praise them. This encourages the behaviour. If they press a buzzer, even if you feel it was not intentional, try to perform it with your dog straight away to enforce association.
-Patience. It will take time for your dog to understand what you are asking, especially if these methods weren’t used from when the dog was a puppy. However, with repetition and dedication you will see impressive results and have a much better understanding of your pets wants and needs.
