#218 Convenience vs. Instinct: When a Sip Becomes a Skill

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Thirst doesn’t always speak up when life gets busy—especially for dogs who sprint from sleep to the front door the second we grab the leash. We explore a small, practical skill that pays off fast: teaching a simple “drink” cue so your dog takes a few laps before a walk, a car ride, or a training session where water won’t be nearby.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:02):
You know how we assume that dogs just know when
to drink water?
Yeah, Mother Nature usually hasthat covered.
But I actually teach all of mydogs how to drink on cue.
And I know it probably soundssilly, who am I to override
Mother Nature?

(00:23):
But it has come in handy morethan once.
And here's an example.
My dog Scooter and I liveupstairs, and to go on a walk we
have to head down through thetraining center.
And Scooter likes to sleep in,but the second I'm ready for a
walk, he bolts straight to thestairs, races downstairs, and

(00:46):
heads to the door.
The problem is he hasn't had asip of water all night, and once
we're out walking, he getsthirsty pretty quickly.
I don't keep a shared water bowlin my training center, so the
solution is simple.
Before he heads downstairs inthe morning, I ask him to drink.

(01:10):
And he'll take a few laps, andthat's enough to keep him
comfortable on our walk.
It's become a small routine thatmakes a big difference.
So how do you teach a dog todrink on cue?
First, timing is everything.
Wait for the moment that yourdog is already thirsty or

(01:31):
interested in drinking.
And then add the cue as theystart to drink.
Say your chosen word.
I used the word drink.
You could use the word water,but cue it in a cheerful, casual
tone.
And then the moment they taketheir first drink, mark the

(01:52):
behavior with a yes or clicktreat.
And then every time your dognaturally drinks, repeat the
process.
And every now and then, let'ssay you're just standing in the
kitchen next to the water bowl,lean down, touch the bowl, ask
your dog to drink.
He may not be thinking aboutwater at that moment, but if you

(02:14):
can get him to lean down and atleast take one quick lap, have a
party, big celebration.
Over time your dog will connectthe word and the action.
And they're not always going todrink if they aren't thirsty,
but they'll learn to at leasttry when you ask.
So it's not about overridingMother Nature.

(02:37):
It's about adding a little bitof convenience when life gets in
the way.
A drink cue can come in handybefore long car rides or before
a walk, where water won't beavailable for a while.
So give it a try.
It might just become one ofthose silly tricks that ends up

(02:57):
being surprisingly useful.