People today really love their dogs. They have close relationships with their dogs. Their dogs are smart and they know what's going on around them. There's a close bond between people and their dogs. Sometimes it almost seems like people think their dogs are a little person in a dog suit. But that's not the case.
The truth is that dogs are dogs, no matter how close people and dogs are. It does not matter how happy or cute our dog is, he's still a dog. When you forget that your dog is a dog, it can lead to problems. Your dog has natural instincts and he thinks and reacts like a dog. Instead of expecting him to act like a person, we need to understand what he is and make changes for him.
How Does Your Dog Think?
Dogs rely on their instincts. That means they look for the basic things in life. They need food, they need a place to sleep, and they need a good pack they can rely on to help keep them safe. That means they also need a strong pack leader. A good pack leader is someone who acts as a guide and offers protections.
As a dog owner it's your job to take on the role of the alpha pack leader. This is what your pet needs you to be. You have to make sure that he is not left alone to care for himself.
You also need to understand how a dog thinks. They don't picture things in words as we do. He may learn to answer to a word or command but that does not mean they know what the word means. They don't understand words the way that humans do. It's more likely that they will associate an action with an action. Dogs understand body language. As far as words go, it seems likely that dogs will be able to understand commands that are made with single words. If you speak a sentence to your dog, he probably understands a single word and follows it.
If you say something to your dog such as, "Do you want to go outside?" your dog probably understands "outside" and you could shorten the phrase to just that word, spoken in a friendly tone. You would get the same result from your dog.
Thinking Like Your Dog
So, what does all of this mean? What it means is that you need to learn how your dog thinks and what he needs. He does not use words. He is more likely to think in terms of actions and what he wants. He understands body language. He pays attention to the tone of your voice and how you are acting. That means more to your dog than the words you use.
If you understand that your dog thinks in images and actions it will help you influence how your dog behaves. For example, if you give your dog a friendly greeting every day when you return from work, your dog is going to start expecting it.
If you give the friendly greeting every day, your pet will get excited and start getting happy before you get home. But, if you don't come home when he's expecting you to, your dog will start to get upset.
So, you can tell that your dog's actions are based on what he's been expecting and what's happened in the past. What you do will teach him to expect something. If you don't do what he expects then it can make him very anxious.
This is why some people tell you that you should not greet your dog as soon as you get home. If you greet your dog as soon as you get home it will encourage your dog to get too excited and connect the positive feelings with your return.
You can help your dog avoid a lot of frustration and anxiety if you manage their expectations in that way. Learn to control their perceptions so they don't get too over-excited about receiving food, or going for a walk, or getting attention.
It also helps if you can change your own expectations. Stop expecting your dog to act like a human and remember that your dog is a dog.
Your dog is a loving, funny, terrific dog, but he's still a dog. And that should be plenty.
Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists
in Nashville, TN. Wayne has been teaching people how to become
Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network
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