How to communicate with your dog

If you are having trouble training a dog, It simply means that he or she doesn’t understand you.

You can learn to communicate with your dog but first you might need to change your mindset.

Their behavior will adapt to you naturally if you adapt to them first.

I dare you to try to tame an elephant without learning about him first! You can’t force an elephant to do what you want him to do without there being some understanding. All animals work on a similar principle.

How many times have humans gotten angry at their dogs for chewing on a couch, a shoe or a kid toy? Despite what the human is feeling, the dog did not do this to flip off their owner. They did this because of a feeling, a drive, an instinct inside. Are they incredibly smart and need more stimulation? Did a human once give them an old shoe for playtime which confused the dog thinking that all shoes are now chewable? Is there anxiety in the picture?

An appropriate reaction is key.

Your dog is a very smart animal. Thousands of years ago, wild dogs figured out that hanging out close to the fire camps created by humans, meant food. And in return, they naturally protected humans. Although a human brain is ten times larger, the part that controls smell ina dog is 40 million times larger in dogs. Dogs can hear higher-pitched sounds as well and can detect a frequency range of 67-45,000 Hz, compared to a human range of 64-23,000 Hz. Clearly, we do not have the same senses and if we want to communicate with dogs, we will need to observe and understand their bodies and their minds. Do they always feel the need to pull on the leash, or jump in the water, or run very very far? Those are all instincts. Screaming: ” no!… Come!…Bad!…Sit!…Stay!…” Will not quiet those instincts down. You going for a run with them, on the other hand, will change the world for your dog. You paying attention to the dog panting, or yawning, (which is often a sign of a dog not having his needs met) will change his life. You fulfilling the needs he is communicating to you will give you a calmer, happier dog.

Learn how to clicker train your dog

You can purchase a dog clicker or you can use something that makes a noise he doesn’t usually hear.

Clicker training essentially allows the dog the be aware of the exact moment that he did the right thing. Good behavior is then rewarded.

To use a clicker you’ll first need to teach the dog what the clicker noise means.

1)For the first part, you click, then immediately give him the treat. After about 10–20 repetitions, your dog will understand that the clicker equals a reward.

2)The second step is to click every time your dogs does a good behavior as well as during training. Your dog will then understand right away that he did something good and that a treat is coming. Give him a treat after you click.

Your tone of voice means different things to a dog.

Here’s what your dog understands when you change your tone of voice.

• High volume and high pitch– You are telling your dog that you are happy, proud and that you want to play with him.
• Low volume, low pitch- You are telling your dog that you are disappointed in his dog behavior. Commands given with a firm tone will get your dog’s attention.
• Low volume, high pitch- A soothing tone expresses love and caring and is often used when bonding with your dog.
• High volume low pitch- This is a good tone to use when facing a dangerous situation. Use this tone only in emergencies when you want your dog to stop in his tracks.

Learn your dog’s body language

Learn your dog’s body language in order to detect if there are situations that make him uncomfortable and that he should be removed from. This will prevent your dog from reaching the point of no return. Your dog lives in the human world, it is up to you to help him deal with it!

• Tail Wagging

Tail wagging doesn’t just mean that the dog is happy, it means that the dog is emotionally aroused. An aggressive dog could wag his tail so watch out for all the signs

• Hair along their back standing up

It’s often an involuntary reaction that resembles goosebumps in people. It could be indicative of aggression or suspicion

• Eyes

A dog giving a hard stare can be indicative of aggression, a dog looking away wants to calm the situation.

• Yawn

A dog yawn usually indicates some sort of stress or anticipation This is particularly important to look out for when there are children playing with a dog. If the dog starts yawning, he wants out of the situation and wants the kids to leave him alone.

• Shake off (When not wet)

A shake off can happen after the dog experienced a stressful situation. He is she is shaking it off.

Communicating with your dog can sometimes pose a bit of a challenge but with practice, observation and positive reinforcement, you can achieve good dog behavior.