Phase 5: Verbal Cue Only
Timeline: Days 21-27 (7 days total)
Goal: She responds to “down” with no hand signal needed. Hand signal becomes backup/optional.
What Phase 5 Means
By now, she’s hearing “down” and starting to anticipate the behavior before you give your hand signal. Phase 5 is about testing and building confidence in the verbal cue until it’s rock-solid.
Phase 5A: Test the Verbal Cue (Days 21-23)
What You’re Doing
- You’re testing whether she’ll respond to JUST the word “down”
- Mixing in some trials where you give the hand signal as backup
- This builds reliability gradually
Training Protocol
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Say “DOWN” | WAIT 2-3 seconds | - |
| 2 | Does she down? | YES: She downs on verbal only | ”YES” + jackpot (3-4 treats) |
| 2b | Does she down? | NO: She doesn’t move | Give hand signal as backup |
| 3 | Release | She gets up | - |
The Test Ratio
Mix up your trials:
- 50% of reps: Verbal only, wait to see if she does it
- 50% of reps: Verbal + immediate hand signal (to keep reinforcing the pairing)
Important Note
When she DOESN’T respond to just the verbal cue, give the hand signal as backup. Don’t get frustrated - she’s still learning.
Reps & Frequency
- 10-15 reps per session
- 2 sessions per day
- 3 days at this level
Success Metric for Phase 5A
She responds to “down” (verbal only) at least 5-6 out of 10 times during the test trials.
Phase 5B: Increase Verbal-Only Success Rate (Days 24-27)
What You’re Doing
As she gets better, you’re gradually increasing the percentage of verbal-only trials (without the hand signal backup).
Progression by Day
- Day 24: 60% verbal only
- Day 25: 70% verbal only
- Day 26: 80% verbal only
- Day 27: 90% verbal only
Training Protocol (Same as Phase 5A)
| Step | You Do | She Does | You Mark/Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Say “DOWN” | WAIT 2-3 seconds | - |
| 2 | Does she down? | YES: She downs on verbal only | ”YES” + jackpot (3-4 treats) |
| 2b | Does she down? | NO: She doesn’t move | Give hand signal as backup |
| 3 | Release | She gets up | - |
If She’s Not Responding Consistently
- Wait 3 seconds
- Give hand signal as backup
- Don’t punish or get frustrated - just mark and reward the down
- Try again next rep
- This might mean she needs more time at the previous percentage
Reps & Frequency
- 10-15 reps per session
- 2 sessions per day
- 4 days at this level
Success Metric for Phase 5B
By end of Phase 5, she responds to “down” (verbal only) 8-9 out of 10 times, with no hand signal needed.
Important Notes
Don’t Skip to the Next Phase Too Early
Only move to Phase 6: Add Duration once she’s reliably responding to verbal “down” 8-9/10 times.
Duration work requires a solid foundation. If the verbal cue isn’t solid, duration training will be much harder.
The Hand Signal Doesn’t Go Away
Even once she’s verbal-only, you can still use the hand signal as backup if needed. It’s there for you.
Patience Is Key
Some dogs get this in 7 days. Some need 10-14 days. That’s totally normal.
Progress Checklist
- Phase 5A complete: Responds to verbal “down” 5-6/10 times
- Day 24: 60% verbal-only trials succeeding
- Day 25: 70% verbal-only trials succeeding
- Day 26: 80% verbal-only trials succeeding
- Day 27: 90% verbal-only trials succeeding
- Phase 5 complete: Responds to “down” (verbal only) 8-9/10 times
- Ready to move to Phase 6: Add Duration
Next Steps
Once she’s responding reliably to the verbal “down” cue (8-9/10 times), you’re ready for Phase 6: Add Duration. This is where the behavior becomes truly useful in real-world situations.