How Learning Your Dog's Language Deepens The Human-Dog Bond
When you think about the bond you have with your dog, are you thinking about the love you have for them? Love develops pretty naturally, but a bond takes work, care, time and attention. You can love your family, but you get to pick and care for your best friends.
In a relationship with your dog, think of love as the bricks but the bond is the cement holding it together. They are related, but different parts of our lives with dogs. Many people “feel” that part when it's weak and assume the issue is training. They sign up for obedience classes, or send the dog away for training and think everything will be better.
The human-Dog bond is about trust and mutual respect.
In a relationship with your dog, think of love as the bricks but the bond is the cement holding it together. They are related, but different parts of our lives with dogs.
If you can communicate effectively, you can build trust and respect. I could almost call this “Creating A Language With Your Dog” because no two families are going to speak with their dog the same. The signals will be different, from human to dog and dog to human.
Imagine recognizing your dog as an individual from a different species, with different needs, wants, and intentions.
Imagine being able to recognize anxiety or fear in your dog, as second nature. Being able to remove your dog from an uncomfortable situation fast sends a big message to them: they know they can count on you to keep them safe. Boom! Trust built, right?
Now think about how you can use the anxiety or fear signals to train your dog to tell you what they're feeling rather than having to wait for you to notice.
There are other things you can do to strengthen bonds, but knowing dog language is the cornerstone and makes the rest all more effective, from quality playtime to learning likes and dislikes.
It may sound like a lot of work, but if you have a best friend, or ever had one, you know you are entirely capable. It is never too late, your situation is never too dire, and your dog is never too old.
Victoria Schode said “Misunderstandings and confusion are the enemies of good relationships.”
Yet, we have confusion and misunderstandings with our dogs all the time and we don't realize it. It may sound like a lot of work, but if you have a best friend, or ever had one, you know you are entirely capable. It is never too late, your situation is never too dire, and your dog is never too old.
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