Which of the following are examples of environmental cues?

• A. All of the above
• B. Leash off hook equals sit
• C. Doorbell equals mat
• D. Hand on door equals sit

Answer: (A)

Environmental cues are signals in the surroundings that trigger a trained behavior, coming from what the dog perceives in the environment rather than from a spoken command. Each of these examples fits that idea: the leash being off its hook can signal it’s time to go out and the dog may sit as part of the routine; the doorbell ringing becomes a cue for the dog to move to the mat; a hand on the door is another environmental signal that can prompt a sit as part of a doorway routine. Since every item is a predictable external trigger the dog has learned to respond to, all of them illustrate environmental cues.