One of the most useful pairs of cues that I ever taught my dogs is up and off. Up means jump onto something and off means get down. It sounds simple, but the number of times these cues have come in handy is endless. For furniture rules, it's obvious. If I invite you up, you can hop up on the couch. If I say off, you need to get down. Same with my bed. It keeps things clear and fair. My dog doesn't have to guess and I don't have to shove or pull. But these cues also shine in situations you may not expect. Here's one at the vet. I've always had big dogs and sooner or later one comes home with a cone or bandage or still a little wobbly from sedation. And I can't just lift a 70 pound dog into the car by myself. But if I say up, they'll at least try to jump, giving me the boost I need to help guide them in safely. That little bit of teamwork has saved the day more than once. Another example, smaller dogs. If you've got a Yorkie or Chihuahua, you know how much easier it is to do nail trims or leash them up if they're on a raised surface. Instead of having to pick them up every time, just cue up and they'll hop up into the chair or ottoman or grooving table on their own. And off is just as important. If my dog jumps up on the furniture to hang out with my friend, off is a quick, low drama way to clear the couch. Two more uses that people don't always think about. One is when we're hiking or walking trails. Sometimes you come across a down log or a big rock queuing up to get your dog onto it and then off to get them back down. Keeps staying safe, especially if you're not physically able to lift them up. And another one is at the groomer or the vet's office. Asking your dog to jump up onto the scale. Staff appreciate it, and your dog is more confident when they know the cue. So how do you teach it? Well, start with something low, like a step stool or an ottoman. Lore your dog with a treat and say up as they climb on. Reward when all four feet are on the object. Then low them back down, say off, show them the reward treat. And at first you might have to show your dog the treat and then throw it on the floor. As they jump to the floor to retrieve the treat, cue off. And then repeat this on different surfaces, chairs, benches, the couch, so they generalize it. Once they're solid, you won't even need to lure anymore. They'll just hop on or off with the verbal cue. And if you used an upward hand motion when you lord your dog up and a downward hand motion as you lord your dog off, those hand motions can be used as hand signals for the cues going forward. Simple, practical, and surprisingly useful, up and off are two cues you'll never regret teaching.