Did you know that learning dog communication is like learning an entirely different language?
Much of dog training really comes down to us and our dogs learning to communicate effectively.
Knowing how to understand and respond to your dog's body language, while teaching them verbal English cues, we can find common ground and improve our communication skills with our pups, leading to better relationships where both parties feel validated, respected, and are able to work together in partnership.
It is long known that at the core of most great relationships between humans is good communication, and it is no different in our relationship with our canine friends.
Dogs communicate largely through body language, while we humans communicate verbally and non-verbally, requiring us to learn dog body language in order to understand our dog’s experience and their communication.
When it comes to our canines, behaviors are the result of an underlying emotion and a desire to communicate what they are feeling. Therefore, it is important to assess your dog’s body language and to be clear on what they are communicating in any given moment in order to set them up for success in co-existing alongside us.
Example:
While walking Penny, she begins to veer to the right and pull me towards a tree, sniffing intently at the air, with a quick glance back at me. This communicates to me that she has caught a scent that is very interesting to her and she would appreciate being able to go investigate further. The fleeting eye contact is her checking in and saying “Can I go?”
To which it is my responsibility to answer and communicate clearly, verbally and non-verbally.
“Ok! Go sniff.” while giving her slack on the leash to allow her to move toward the scent communicates that this behavior is ok and she may proceed.
Another example:
While walking with Penny, we see another dog approaching, approximately 20 feet away.
The other dog locks eyes on Penny, their body becomes rigid, and they start to slink in a low position, refusing to look away from her.
In response, Penny’s hackles begin to raise, her ears flatten and go back a bit, she licks her lips, and looks to me to check in.
This communication indicates that the approaching dog wants to greet Penny and has big feelings about wanting to greet her, as evidenced by the intense stare and the rigidity in their body.
Penny is also having big feelings and saying she is not comfortable with this dog’s confrontational approach. She looks to be for support and guidance of how to proceed in this situation.
To which I will nearly always respond with, “Let’s Go!” and creating a big C shape to get as much space away from the other dog while we pass while also de-escalating the energy that occurs from a direct face to face approach. (face to face greetings are confrontational and create big emotions. Dogs who greet politely do so by curving, and greeting from the side or from behind.)
Because I am able to analyze what each dog is feeling in that scenario, I am able to set everyone up for success and make further decisions like whether a greeting is appropriate in that moment or if we should instead do a quick U-turn and get space and distance.
Often times, before even seeing a behavior in our dog, our expectations of our dog(s) can be the antecedent for their behavior.
If we have high expectations of our dog, and they are not meeting our expectations for whatever reason, this results in an emotion within us and often resulting behavior from us, the human. From there, because our emotion/ energy shifts, even before our behavior changes, our dogs are often aware of the shift and react to this.
Example:
If I call Penny to me, with "Penny: Come!" and she does not return within a few seconds, I may feel irritated, which then results in me repeating the cue more sharply the second time, which then may result in Penny feeling nervous and hesitant to return to me if she suspects she may be in some sort of trouble.
My feelings of irritation and resulting sharp tone was the antecedent to Penny feeling nervous and hesitant to return to me, thereby causing her to move more slowly than she might usually when being recalled.
Another example: You're out walking your dog who has big emotions every time they see
another dog.
As you round a corner, you see another dog and feeling yourself go into panic and management mode. As your heart begins to race, you feel warm, your chest gets tight, and you unintentionally begin pulling at the leash.
Your dog feels the shift in your energy/ emotion, feels the resulting tension on the leash, does not understand the context for the change in your emotion or behavior, and begins looking for the cause for their humans' reaction.
As they see another dog in the distance, because they were already feeling the shift into a tense and anxious energy, they begin to react with barking, lunging, and screeching at the other dog. Your dog is communicating "Stay away!!! My human is nervous and tense, so I am nervous and tense. When you come closer, I get into trouble/ yanked on the leash/ dragged away/ etc. Don't come any closer!!"
As your dog begins to react, you react similarly,
now feeling a flood of embarrassment about your dogs’ outward display of emotions along with the anxiety you already felt at seeing another dog and predicting a reaction.
You seeing another dog was the trigger.
The reaction was anxiety, fear, and tensing up and pulling on the leash.
When your dog felt the tension, perceived your emotions, and began looking for the cause/ trigger/ source of the shift in energy and behavior.
As they spot the other dog, they begin to experience anxiety, fear, trepidation, because they anticipate that they are the cause of your change in behavior.
The ABC's of Behavior Modification:
Antecedent- What is the trigger for emotion your pup is experiencing?
Behavior - What behavior resulted in response to the emotion your dog is experiencing?
Consequence- What is YOUR response and/or the environmental response to your dog's behavior?
Example:
A: Penny sees a squirrel and her prey drive is triggered.
She feels excited, tense, and ready to run!
B: Her body becomes tense and rigid, her ears flatten to her head and shift back, her tail sticks out straight behind her, she crouches low, and points, while staring intensely at the squirrel.
C: I tell Penny to "Get 'em"
(her previously trained release cue indicating it is ok to go chase that squirrel in that moment.)
Further consequence is then that PG shoots off like a rocket to chase the squirrel up the tree, while i cheer her on and Mark and Reward any visual check in's with me while she does.
Once she completes the prey sequence, I can then recall her to me and reward heavily, teaching her that chasing squirrels is fun and rewarding, but I am ultimately more rewarding because I allowed for the chasing, celebrated with her, AND rewarded her with yummy snacks.
Dogs, like humans, thrive with clear, consistent communication and behavior from caregivers, leading to healthy secure attachment relationships.
if you are unpredictable or inconsistent, this can effect your dogs confidence, their behavior, and your relationship with them.
In order to improve your communication, and your relationship with your dog, consider
spending more time studying and learning dog body language. You can do this through observing your dog, observing dogs online and watching body language breakdown videos (We love “FivebyfiveK9” on TikTok for dog communication breakdown videos.) you can engage in private training, and you can read “Meet Your Dog: The game-changing guide to understanding your dog’s behavior”- by Kim Brophy (linked below.)
It's also important to consider, when your dog won’t comply, to ask yourself why.
We highly recommend reading this blog to learn more about understanding your dog’s communication:
Additionally, joining us at the Engaged Pack Walks can help you and your dog build neutrality and confidence around other dogs while having the opportunity to observe a variety of dogs and their communication.
Want an opportunity to Proof your pup's Touch cue and other skills? Join us
Saturdays at 9AM at Waterfront Park (directly across the street from 525 Water St SW Washington, DC)
for our
Engaged Pack Walk.
Register on the website by creating your pup's profile and booking.
Follow us on social for more tips like these:
@Engaged_Dogs
Need a great hands free, versatile leash to be better able to work with your pup?
We love the Kurgo 6-in-1 https://amzn.to/3Ps5Vh4
Want to better understand your dog as a unique individual?
We really appreciate Kim Brophy's insight in her revolutionary new book: Meet You Dog: The game-changing guide to understanding your dog's behavior
Get your copy here:
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