Dog Whispering Tricks: Understanding Body Language

Body language is important to a dog and conveys just as much

, if not more, than the words you say. When you approach your dog confidently and speak calmly, you command his immediate respect, while a tentative approach and uneven voice shows fear and uncertainty. And when you address your dog with shouting and frantic movements, you just confuse him.

It therefore stands to reason that you need to pay attention to your body language when interacting with your dog. If you want your dog to obey you need to stand tall and convey an air of calmness and confidence.

Body position conveys a lot to a dog. If you stand upright you exert authority, if you bend forward, your dog may perceive it as an invitation to play. So if you're playing or stroking his coat and he starts to get out of hand, stand upright to remind him of your authority. Your tall profile and confident posture will quickly show the dog where he stands in relation to you.

Another important point is your position in relation to the dog. This is especially relevant when you are walking. Allowing the dog to walk in front of you puts him in the leadership position, and he is more inclined to pull, and to become aggressive. Walk him next to you and he will immediately calm down.

You also need to pay attention to the sound of your dogs voice as this is an important means of communication. A high-pitched whine may signal fear, a flat bark attention, and a loud growl may be either a warning or encouragement to play.

And your dog reads just as much from your voice tone. He may not be able to understand the words, but how they are delivered carry a lot of meaning for him. So if you want to be taken seriously you need to speak in a confident voice, almost mimicing the dog's short urgent bark.

Other tones of voice are useful too, for example a soft, loving voice conveys much the same to your dog as it would to a human and should be used for giving praise and affection. And if you want your dog to join you in a game, a high-pitched tone will soon get him worked up.

Remember also that yelling is like barking to a dog. Yelling is counterproductive, so don't do it. It won't help with training, in fact, in most cases it will have a negative impact. It can also damage the bond you have with your dog.

Dogs respond to tone of your voice, rather than the actual words. Initially, a voice command will have no meaning to a dog. But after many repetitions the dog will begin to recognize the sound of the word and figure out what he has to do when he hears it.

A final point about delivering commands to your dog. Dogs regard direct eye contact as a threat, so don't stare. Rather direct your gaze slightly to the side or just above the dog's line of vision.

by: Gary Walker

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