Key to a happy dog - ABC
Dogs bring a lot of love and joy into our lives. But if your dog's behaviour is causing problems, mastering these 4 keys can help you set the foundation for a successful relationship between your family and your dog. Remember your ABC's and get success!
Aim to Be Calm
Have you ever noticed that when you're sad or upset your dog is more likely to settle close to you? What about when you're angry or frustrated? You might find your dog will keep their distance from you. This is a result of the dog reading you through your eyes, body language, feelings and attitude, which is why it's important to be relaxed and calm. This way, your dog will see how you're feeling and they'll be more likely to relax too.
Aim to Be Confident
Dogs respect confidence. If your dog believes you know the way, both physically and mentally, they will often respect your confidence and follow you. Confidence is about making a decision and following through with a mind set that says I know what I'm doing and it will happen the way I decide.
Aim to Be Clear
The more clear your communication is the more likely your dog is to respond to you in the way you want. Dogs communicate predominantly through body language involving both overt and subtle cues. When you use the dog's own method for communication primarily, instead of your voice, you can immediately improve the understanding between yourself and your dog. A very simplistic example of this would be to make eye contact with your dog, take a step back and crouch down. This is an inviting gesture and it is likely that the dog will move towards you without any verbal command as a result of your clear body language.
Aim to Be Consistent
Just like with children, dogs need a consistent standard of behaviour and communication so they can understand the world around them. A lack of consistency can result in erratic behaviour and a lack of respect between human and dog. In the world of obedience training, repetition is generally used to gain a desired outcome. For example saying the word sit and connecting it with the physical reaction of the dog sitting over time will create a responsive behaviour when the word is spoken. The same goes with non verbal communication. The more often we see an opportunity to convey our message, the sooner we will see the results we want.
A great foundation
These 4 keys will help you lay the foundation for a great relationship with your dog. For more information about how you can master the 4 keys, contact us at Dog Behaviour Solutions.
Dog Behaviour Solutions: the pathway to harmony for you and your dog.