Don’t Poison the Cue!
Positive reinforcement seems so simple, doesn’t it? Your dog does something you want them to do, and you reinforce them. Except, it’s not so simple, and, because we are human, we fudge it up.
Here’s an excerpt from The Puppy Primer, pg 25, which I will spend much of July updating. (A new updated version is coming out in October. I am sooo excited!)
“A word to the wise: Dogs aren’t as fond of receiving head pats as we are of giving them. In every puppy class you can watch owners pat- pat-patting the top of their recently recalled dogs’ heads, believing that they are reinforcing their dogs for coming. However, if you watch for it, you can see the dogs ducking down and turning their heads away as if they didn’t like it. [That’s because they don’t, although most golden retrievers excepted, because, you know, goldens.] Remember, you’re trying to create an association between feeling good and coming when called, so be sure that what you’re doing is truly making your dog happy. He’ll tell you if watch closely—does he stay with you, wagging from the shoulders back (good)? Or does he turn his head away from you and try to leave (time for another plan!).”
We call it poisoning the cue, or teaching a negative association instead of a positive one: An unwanted head pat is punishment, or “doing something to decrease the frequency of a behavior.” In the example above, it’s coming when called. It is so so easy to do this, even if you are a professional. The examples are endless. We call our dogs to come and then grab their collar when they arrive in a way that makes them uncomfortable. We ask for a sit and then slap the top of their heads as if that made them glad to have done so. (Try patting your own head, you’ll hate it.) We ask for a lie down, and then start to trim their nails without so much of a thank you.
My challenge for you today: Think about the times you think you might have poisoned a cue. Tell us about it, so that we can mind meld for awhile on how our behavior affects our dogs. Focus today, the day you read this, on what you do to reinforce your dog(s), and how they respond. What did they do—observation skills to the forefront here–to tell you they were happy that they complied? Did they get all gooey, wag from the shoulders back, or look up at the ball in your hand with joy and attention? Did they walk away, turn their head, close their mouth, or go stiff?
Choose a few behaviors you want to focus on, one even better. None of us can focus on everything all day long. Most importantly, jot down what you see. You don’t need to write a novel, and you don’t need a pretty journal, just jot down some observations and see what comes out of it. I’ll be doing the same–I’ll add something in the comments after a few days, I hope you do too!
Skip would like to remind us that a dog’s name is one of the most commonly poisoned cues.
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On another note we’ve been updating my website with upcoming events, and it occurred to me there is no reason not to share them here. Here’s what is coming up, lazily copied straight out of the website:
UPCOMING EVENTS!
July 25, 2026: Minocqua (WI) Public Library (1-3PM CT)
415 Menominee Street, Suite 100 · (715) 356-4437. Details here.
September 15, 2006: Trisha and Cat Warren will have a ball talking to Zazie Todd and
Kristi Benson during their 2026 Fall (and famous!) Bark Fest. Save the date! Details to come.
September 17, 2026: Hildebrand Memorial Library in Boscobel, WI (6PM CT)
1033 Wisconsin Avenue · (608) 375-5723
September 24, 2026: Barnes & Noble in Madison, WI (7 PM CT)
7433 Mineral Point Rd. · (608) 827-0809
Trisha will be hosting a Story Circle for CANIS+ attendees on Thursday October 8th, which will be a relaxed evening of conversation, storytelling, and connection. These are often Trisha’s favorite moments at a conference – a chance to slow down, reflect, and talk with one another in a meaningful way. You can join by registering for CANIS+ HERE. Trisha will also be on a panel discussion on welfare and ethics in our field from 4:30 to 5 on Thursday, October 8th, an issue near and dear to her heart. Details on the conference here.
October 15-18, 2026, Madison, WI. Stay tuned for information about Trisha’s talk at the Wisconsin Book Festival 25th Anniversary Celebration. Exact date, time, and place to be determined.
November 14, 2026, Janesville, WI. Trisha will give a talk for the Janesville-Beloit Kennel Club early in the afternoon about her new novel, and all things dogs! Details are being ironed out, but save the date!
Come if you can! I love talking in person with people about dogs, dogs and us, and related books (me = introvert with extrovert rising). I will admit it’s been especially fun talking about my new venture–Away To Me, but all topics are welcome in the Q & A. If you’re in the area, come say hi, I’d love to meet you. The events page is updated often, so check in on a regular basis if you are interested.
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Last Note, Change in Posting Schedule: Normally I post every other week, but between updating The Puppy Primer and writing a new novel, my writing time is more limited than usual. Besides, it’s summer! I’ll be posting every three weeks this summer instead of every two.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Lots going on! Jim and I had some very special people, and spouses, out for a Sunday picnic. The photo below is of me and Colleen Michelson, a detective and real life CSI agent (and dog lover) who, with endless patience, helped me with the law enforcement aspects of Away To Me. Everyone enjoyed the photo shoot, except Miss Maggie, the Greta Garbo of dogs, who had her usual face of abject misery when being photographed on the couch.
And here’s Steve Dahlgren, the only photographer who can take photos of me that I actually like. (Not to mention that he’s brilliant with dogs.) He took the “author photograph” I used in my novel. I’d link to him but he’s retired now, sorry! 
I’m afraid that my messed up wrists are a boon to the weeds in the garden, but the day lilies are just starting and are my favorite part of July.
Jim has been chain sawing almost every day since the 70 mph wind storm a few weeks ago, but–oh thank heavens!–he decided that this one needed professional help. Skip seems to agree.
I‘ll leave you with this lovely sky from a few nights ago.
No wait, how about this one? Titled: Trisha asks: “Is he pooping? Can you see where?”
May you have a warm and loving couple of weeks, and may you always know where your dog pooped.
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About the Author
Patricia B. McConnell, PhD, CAAB Emeritus is an applied animal behaviorist who has been working with, studying, and writing about dogs for over twenty-five years. She encourages your participation, believing that your voice adds greatly to its value. She enjoys reading every comment, and adds her own responses when she can.
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Patricia is known the world over for her clear and engaging books and DVDs on dog training and canine behavior problems. You can also “meet” Patricia in person on her seminar DVDs, from The Art & Science of Canine Behavior to Treating Dog-Dog Reactivity.
I have one girl who I joke is a cat in a dog’s body. She does not want you to touch her head. Or her ears. Or her eyes. Or her mouth. Or her feet. Or her rear. Or her stomach. In fact, if she doesn’t know you, maybe don’t touch her. She adores me because I respect her personal space and pay attention to her cues. That she lets me pick her up and touch her “forbidden” bits is the result of a lot of patience.
Thanks for the reminder to stop pat-patting a dog’s head. I had to make a conscious effort to NOT do that. Looking forward to your updated book. Stay as cool as you can in this summer of hellish temperatures.
I was lucky to be an early reader of your novel, and loved it! Interesting and entertaining. Have you been thinking about your next novel?
Dave, I’m on Chapter 4 of the next book in the Maddie McGowan series! Thx for asking!
I loved your mystery book and am anxious to read your next one!
From your early bboks, I leared to let my dog pick the reward…Then I got a Pharaoh Hound. She’s a senior and requires a lot of patience and understanding with her health and mobility issues (spinal spondylosis). With her I kow I have pick thebest reward when she blushes. As a working canine sports photographer I see much poisoning of cues from fandlers frequently….FastCATs I see halders punishing dogs for getting the plastic bunny…The point of the sprint is for the dog to focus on the quarry and sprint 100yds in pursuit to catch the bunny…The bunnies are the point and why dogs love this game of chase…or as some like to call it “Trash bunny murder sport”.
Apparently when I first adopted my dog I made a gesture with my hands (unbeknownst to me) when I let her out to go “potty” while verbally telling her to go potty and when she peed she was justly rewarded. We did this about every hour when I first got her and she has never had an accident in the house. She will go to the door and come and look at me when she wants out these days (years later). But just before bed I always let her out for one last potty break. While my sister was here visiting I watched her let my dog out and she didn’t say anything, just made this hand gesture to my dog and she happily sprinted outside. Apparently every time I let her out I made this gesture, not only did the dog correlate this gestures with command to potty but my sister did as well. So if I am that unaware of what I am doing at times, I am sure I have poisoned many cues! Thank goodness my dogs and I attend Positive Reinforcement Obedience classes after I adopt.
I only started paying attention to the observation that most dogs don’t like their heads touched about 7 years ago when I read it in one of your books. I quickly noticed that my 10 month old Aussie was one who did not like her head being touched by strangers or while she was working (obedience, rally, freestyle, agility). In time, I figured out that she didn’t like being touched at all while training or competing. What she wanted from me was confidence. She liked the emotion that she felt from me when I told her “I’m proud of you!”
I also started to watch competitors and was surprised at how many highly experienced handlers were oblivious to their dog shying away from them when they touched their head between exercises. It was not surprising that the most successful handlers rarely touched their dogs in the ring.
Of course we all know there are exceptions and the best handlers know when they have a dog that does need some physical connection . And although I noticed that herding breeds such as BC’s and Aussies rarely seemed to appreciate pats while working, my previous Aussie loved being touched on the head by me or anyone, even when working.
Some accidental punishments I’ve doled out:
— Giving Dolce a treat instead of throwing her ball again (refusal to eat said treat, continuing to fixate/indicate the ball, becoming more reluctant to give me the ball after successfully bringing it back)
— Giving Nanuk a treat he usually likes when he was expecting an even better one (immediate reduction in the behavior I was trying to reenforce). Disappointment is aversive — who’d a guessed? The funny thing is that praise alone is rarely an effective reinforcer for Nanuk, but well done praise isn’t nearly as punishing as a disappointing treat.
— Releasing Ria to do something she wants to do without giving her a treat directly beforehand (skipping the waiting bit and going straight to what she wanted to do). This isn’t even an aversive, just a case where the “getting up” is rewarded more richly than the “staying put,” so that the cue to “stay put” becomes useless)
— praising a new dog too enthusiastically (shrinking back, widening eyes, ears back and pressed to the head, reluctance to offer a behavior)
One thing I’ve always found odd is that so many dog books say it’s essential not to giggle, smile, or even yell at a dog who is “misbehaving” because that attention will be a reinforcer. Yet when we actually want a behavior, none of these are recommended. Maybe a bored or lonely dog finds these things more rewarding? And we don’t often call dogs when they are bored and lonely?
Two years ago I poisoned our “go potty” cue by using it multiple (unsuccessful) times while Rowan was too busy worrying about fireworks-to-come to think about peeing. We had forgotten to potty her in late afternoon, so I took her out at pre-dusk, really wanted her to pee because I knew she wouldn’t once the first BANG happened. I foolishly chanted the cue as she obviously clung to me and told me in no uncertain terms that Indoors Is The Only Safe Place. That was the night we learned she could hold it for 18 hours…
It’s amazing how much Rowan can generalize a fear – from fireworks to dark to dusk to pre-dusk. It took months before she’d go outside other than in full daylight.
This 4th of July we camped out for five nights, far, far away from any bangs. Neither dog had ever camped out before, and both Rowan and Birdie would prefer to be only dogs (we’re still working on this – things are better now that Rowan is on fluoxetine). We suspected sharing a backpacking tent would be a little too…interesting. So we did belt-and-suspenders camping. Mike drove the ancient pickup, I drove the car; Rowan and Mike slept in the pickup, Birdie and I slept in the tent, and the gear slept in the car. We all had a great time.
Good for you, Trisha, for changing your summer posting schedule. And thanks for pushing yourself to keep posting despite everything else (including wrists) competing for your energy. We so appreciate your wisdom and your humor! Hope you’re surviving the heat and smoke!
What I like most about this article is that it isn’t about teaching more commands, but about paying attention to the associations we’re creating every day. Sometimes a small change in our own habits can make a big difference in training.
I have poisoned a command by using a tone that stressed out my dog. He’s very sensitive to our tone and emotions, even if we aren’t talking to him. Rather than shutting down, he gets amped up. Now I work hard to stay calm or slightly upbeat.
I have a funny story about the command we assumed would get poisoned, but it didn’t. As we were learning how to handle and train our extremely reactive dog, we used the word “banana” to indicate a treat was going to be thrown on the ground. It didn’t sound like any other command. That was fine in our house (he’s reactive to street noises), but it also meant walking around our neighborhood saying “Archer, banana!” every time we saw one of his triggers. The Human Society trainers found it hilarious. Thankfully, we rarely use that skill anymore.