Training and Emotions

I always ask the handlers in my classes to focus on both on their own actions and the dogs’.  That’s because we humans make a lot of mistakes and can unintentionally yank the leash and give the dog the wrong message when either the dog did nothing wrong or if the dog was right.  Sometimes we do drills in class that  highlight our mistakes; for example,  I ask a tricky question like, “Everyone spell the word ‘silk’ out loud.” Then I ask, “What do cows drink?”  Most people give a slight jerk and shout out, “milk.” (wrong answer, another reason not to jump the gun) That accidental jerk is definitely perceived by your dog.  That’s because dogs are very in tune with our body language and reactions.

Because dogs are so in tune with our body language, they are able to perceive our emotions.  That perception can affect your training.  About a year ago I had a woman with a supposedly aggressive German Shepperd come in for some private lessons.  The dog definitely showed signs of fear aggression and whenever he gave warning signs the handler became tense.  Her speech and movements changed and the dog could detect it.  The handler’s actions only made a stronger case for his reactivity.  It was like she was saying “You’re right, this is a dangerous situation, just look at how nervous I am.”  We spent the half the class working on the handler’s ability to be calm, confident, and relaxed.  Only then the dog was ready to learn and by the end of our session the dog was noticeably more at ease and was able to execute commands.

What’s the moral of the story?  Always be aware of your body language and reactions – try to control them. If you can’t because you’re having a bad day, don’t train that day.  To train your dog you need to show him that your are confident and relaxed no matter the environment you’re in or the task your performing.  That mentality will instill confidence in your dog and make training a whole lot easier.

-Debi