End-of-Session Signal
A word or gesture that tells the dog the training session is over and they can wander off freely.
The End-of-Session Signal tells the dog "you can do whatever you want now." The dog knows they don't have to work, offer behaviours, or wait for the next Cue.
Why it matters: without an explicit "session over" signal, the dog doesn't know when they can relax. Training keeps running in their head, which leads to fatigue, frustration, or the dog quitting an exercise mid-way.
Pick a word different from the Release Cue. The most common in HART:
- "all done"
- "we're done"
- "ok" (only if you're not using it as a Release Cue)
The End-of-Session Signal can pair with a physical cue: putting the treat pouch away, taking off the training harness, closing the toy box.