Dogs Understand Human Body Language Much Better Than Words.
Your intentions and emotions are manifested through your body language – and your dog is fluent in human body language. Therefore, before you begin training your dog, it is very important that you have a clear goal in mind and approach the situation with calm and confidence. If you are stressed, uncertain, or aren’t confident that you (and your dog) can do it, your dog will be able to tell right away and it will affect his behaviour and ability to learn.
Visualize Success! Your Dog Will Feel Your Confidence And Respond.
When you approach dog training with confidence, it will show in your movements, posture, and body tension. Your dog will feel it. You will communicate more clearly and your dog will understand what you want from him. A confident trainer makes for a more attentive dog and will therefore make the lesson easier for him to learn.
Visualizing Success Is An Important Part Of Acting With Confidence.
If your objective is to teach your dog to sit, have an image in your mind of your dog sitting. If you want your dog to walk calmly on leash, imagine how nice it will be walking down the street together with no pulling or barking. Remember, your dog understands human body language. If you start to worry about how sore your shoulder is going to be before you even step out the door with your dog, you are setting yourself up for a struggle. You will be tense and lacking in confidence. Your dog will pick up on this right away and it will affect his behaviour and ability to learn during training.
Training Your Dog With Confidence Means Having A Plan.
Learning the difference between being prepared and stressing about all the little details is a valuable lesson when you are training your dog. When you know how you are going to respond to (or better yet, prevent) situations that trigger poor behaviour for your dog, you will approach training with more confidence. You will be able to make quick and calm decisions on the fly and your dog will respond to that confidence by following your lead.
For example, if your dog is prone to barking and lunging at other dogs on walks, have an action plan in place for when you see another dog. Decide ahead of time how you will handle it and then get out there and enjoy your walk. Don’t work yourself up fretting about what might happen at the next corner or 5 blocks up the street. Your body language will betray you and your dog will see and feel it.
The leash acts like a nerve running between you and your dog. You may hold the leash tighter, your body will most definitely tense up, and you may walk faster or slower depending on the situation. Your anxiety travels down the leash to your dog and chances are they will be just an on-edge as you are.
Ultimately, this will make the situation worse in the event that you do happen to come across another dog. Instead, hold your head high and walk with confidence. Cross the road when you see a dog coming towards you on the sidewalk, change directions, or take a side street. Whatever action you choose to take, move with confidence and your dog will gain confidence in you.
Your Intentions Are Expressed Through Your Body Language And It Will Affect Your Training.
Dog training and human body language go hand in hand. After all, we are what we think. Our intentions and emotions are expressed – intentionally or not – through our bodies in a million little ways. Your dog notices them all.
So, how does this apply to training your dog?
Human emotions are a beacon for the dogs we share our lives with. Because dogs don’t converse, your body language is the primary tool they have to try and understand you – and they have become experts at interpreting it.
Before you begin your next training session, remember to take a moment and collect yourself. Be calm and confident. Set an intention and visualize how you are going to approach training and what you are going to do if (and when) distractions or triggers present themselves. Imagine yourself and your dog succeeding and you are both more likely to achieve that training goal.
