• When training with your animal, we need to be clear and provide them with information and choice during the training sessions.
•  The start cue is our prompt to see if they’re ready to think and learn.  
• To start a training session, you can ask “ready to train?” and then offer them a treat and see if they accept it.
• If they do, this is their consent to say they are willing to begin the session.
• If your pet doesn’t accept the treat, it is important for you to ask, why not? Some questions you could ask are:
•  Are they too full? Tired? Need to toilet?
• Is the environment too distracting? 
• Overwhelming? 
• Are they fearful, stressed or frustrated?
• Are they sore?

Get curious and respect the why not, and see if you can reduce the distractions in the environment - the easiest way is to get some distance from them. Take a break and reset in a few minutes to a few days.

• Having a clear end of reinforcement coming can help if your animal becomes frustrated or confused that there’s no more reinforcement available. This can look like ‘pushy’ behaviours like barking, grabbing or mouthing your hand or the treat pouch, or even pushing a ball into your hand for those ball-obsessed dogs. It also may look like animals who give up after a couple repetitions of training because they don’t know when you’re done and are confused or tired.
• By having a clear end of training/play, you can tell them ‘it’s time to do something else, no more reinforcement is available from me.’
• When beginning your ‘finished’ cue, move your palms flat towards the animal as if to show your hands are empty of things, and say “all done” or “finished”, whatever is natural for you. 
• Then offer them some alternative activity such as a few treats scattered on the floor.
• If you’ve been doing an exciting training session or play session, it’s important to help your pet downregulate, so giving them something like a handful of treats to snuffle off the floor, then a good chew can help them turn off after. 
• If they come back for more, remind them with your visual hand cue and verbal "all done," and then offer them other options, such as a chew to go off with or a toy to play with by themselves. 
• This can take some practice and consistency in the household, especially during puppyhood/kittenhood and adolescence when your pet may ask, “but why?” - this may mean they need more mental enrichment!