Dog training glossary
Poisoned Cue
Quick answer
A cue that has become associated with something unpleasant, causing hesitation, slow responses, or avoidance instead of a clean response.
Written by the TailorPup team, updated September 2026. See our editorial approach.
What it means
A cue gets "poisoned" when it's been paired, even occasionally, with something the dog wants to avoid, like being punished for a slow "come" or scolded after a "down" that led somewhere unpleasant (a bath, a nail trim). Once poisoned, the same word can trigger a mix of the original trained response and an avoidance response at the same time, showing up as hesitation, slower latency, or the dog performing the behavior with visible reluctance. The usual fix is retiring the poisoned word entirely and building a fresh cue from scratch with purely positive associations.
A real example
A dog called with "come!" and then immediately put in a crate every single time starts approaching slowly, ears back, or not at all, even though it happily comes running when there's no crate involved.
A worked example
Every time Ian says "come" he clips on the lead and leaves the park. His dog starts to hesitate and stay away. Ian retires the word and teaches "here" with treats and play, and he stops using it to end fun.
Signs it is working
- The dog hesitates or avoids when it hears the cue.
- It responds well to other cues.
- The problem is limited to one word or situation.
What it is not
It is not disobedience. The dog learned that the cue predicts something unpleasant, so it reacts to that.
Common mistake
Continuing to use a cue that's clearly become poisoned, assuming more repetition will fix it, when repetition just reinforces the negative association further.
Why it matters
A once-reliable cue can become unusable when it is linked to something unpleasant. Spotting it early lets you repair it before it affects the rest of your training.
How to use it
- Notice hesitation, slow responses or avoidance when you say a particular word.
- Retire the cue for a while, and stop using it in the stressful situation.
- Teach a brand new cue for the same behavior, with lots of rewards.
- Make sure the old cue is never paired with something the dog dislikes again.
Can a poisoned cue be fixed?
Sometimes, with careful counter-conditioning. It is usually quicker to start a new cue and leave the old one behind.
Related terms
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