Learning to connect with dogs and how they interact with each other takes time and practice.
Rules of engagement
- Be an OBSERVER
- Train you, to observe objectively and to accurately label dog body language. For example, dog’s eyes are glazed and mouth is open rather than ” Hey this is a happy dog.”
- Watch Dogs Play. Record short videos and write down your observations to train your eyes to correctly identify what you see.
- Basic training principles. Dog obedience training by Ross Allan.. wrote that dogs learn and remember by exercises being conducted in a repetitive manner.
- Praise the dog.
- Act like a Human. It’s an outdated misconception that humans should be dominant over dogs. “when we try to act like a dog using muzzle grabs, alpha rolls and scruff shakes, we likely appear unpredictably aggressive through the dog’s eyes, “says Loehr. Dogs don’t see us as dogs and are likely to respond better to quiet, non-threatening body language.
- Keep Calm – if a loose dog comes charging, remember these key actions to make you appear less threatening:
a) Stop all movement
b) Avert eye contact
c) Turn sideways
d) Cross or lower arms
Observer: Interesting Maddie also observes my actions in play, for example throwing a ball, I commenced crouching down to throw & Maddie now crouches.
Train you: At puppy school, the trainer mentions she is training the parent not to be anxious using above words “Hey this is a happy dog”
Watch your dog play: will instigate & observe
Basic Training principles: “exercises being conducted in a repetitive manner” : results are showing with Maddie. Find, even if parent is tired or wishing to do sometime else, Maddie still requires the time taken to implement the exercise. Maddie learns quickly, sometimes goes to next command. Parent learning to add variety & go back to basics. Maddie can anticipate before 2nd command given.
Praise the dog: Using “yes” & other positive words. Also using food treats, excellent results.
Act like a human: Maddie does respond well to quiet commands & treats. An example, Maddie is being trained not to go on carpet & on occasions tests & if parent’s voice raised to, “OUT”, Maddie then goes into puppy “crazy” mode runs, jumps around house. Command achieving positive results is: “Maddie sit” & an interesting treat in parent’s hand.
Maddie, with these positive results, is a joy to parents & to other people.
Keep Calm: Using these steps, as required & Maddie becomes calmer. Result: Ears back, sits, then drops down as parent following the four steps above. As my back is to Maddie & my legs positioned wider, Maddie achieves her parent’s request, “sit, drop,” & actions with her head aligned to between my legs in down position.
Ongoing with all the above points, thanks for sharing