TUESDAY TRAINING TIP:
Does my dog talk to me? If so, what is he/she telling me? How can I tell what the dog needs or wants?
This is a topic I could go on with forever. Literally, there's so much that goes into how a dog communicates. But lets talk briefly about some minor things a dog will tell you, based on their body language.
First. A dog can read another dog a lot better than you or I can. Trust me. But there are little things dogs do, to let you know if problems, whether it be fear, anger, submissive, etc.
The two main things I like to focus on are body posture and the tail. You'll hear me say it all the time, "the tail, tell's all." But body posture has just as much to say. Take for example a dog like my boxer Sumo. Sumo is a friendly as a dog can get. But if you watch his body posture when he's next to another dog, he puffs his chest out and raises his head higher. He wants to establish a dominance. He wants to show the other dogs how big and tough he is. But also look at his tail, or stub rather. His little stub is moving a hundred miles an hour. So what is he telling us? I want you guys to decide for yourself.
Then take the dog who does the same thing, but the tail is stiff and high, or midline and stiff. What's that dog telling you? What is he/she trying to communicate? It's pretty plain. I'm angry or uncomfortable, and someone or something is gonna pay the price for it.
Another form of communication is when a dog "hackles" or the technical term, their whithers raise up; the hair on the back of their neck stands up. What is a dog trying to tell you? Are thy angry? Are they scared? Well, hackles don't tell the whole story. If a dog could speak to us by using words and they were to hackle, it would be an incomplete sentence. It would be similar to something like, "dad, I'm" and that's it. Now if they hackle, tug at the end of the leash, bark or growl in a low, non repetitive bark, tail is up and stiff, they have completed their sentence. They may as well have come out and said, "dad, I'm pissed off, and I'm gonna eat the first dog who comes near me, and doesn't immediately submit." Do you see how everything changes so quickly?
Dogs communicate in all sorts of ways. I can't always read it immediately, and sometimes it happens so fast, either you or I are going to miss it. But that doesn't mean they didn't say something to us.
Now, knowing dogs communicate in that way, we can't expect them to communicate or understand us verbally talking to them like, "dude, please please please be good today. Okay?" They have absolutely no clue what you mean. They don't communicate that way with us, so why would we with them.
Dogs communicate by voice ones, and what else????? Body language. Body language is huge. If you are nervous or anxious, and you don't think your dog recognizes that? I'll be dead honest, You are completely wrong. So when you correct them, mean business. Sound like the thunder from a hurricane and make yourself look big and nasty. Puff your chest out, stare them in the eyes, show them you are dominant, etc. Let them know, "dude, try that again. I dare ya." I'm gonna get in trouble for this, but have you ever seen a woman say this, "go ahead. Do whatever you'd like." Does she really mean it when she says this and she is staring at you, with dead-on, sniper accuracy eye contact, with her arms folded, tapping her fingers on her arm, or her foot on the ground? That young lady means business. It's not her words that told us. It's her body language right?
Always be firm, but fair with your dog. Guidance is a good thing. Rules and boundaries are what pack animals need and desire to have. Spend some time this week, watching your dogs body, and seeing what it tells you; if you don't already. You learn amazing things about your dog, and the best way to communicate with them.
Also remember that because dogs are individuals, they all learn things at a different pace. They all excel at some things better then maybe the next to, even if it's the same breed. They will tell you this by their body language and you have to be alert enough to recognize it, and help them through it. Be their leader. BE THEIR ALPHA.
Love you all. Hope you find this a good read.
No comments:
Post a Comment