Looking for ways to earn your dog's respect and influence his behavior more calmly and effectively? Leadership is a key factor in influencing your dog, and solving/preventing many unwanted behaviors. There are many ways to define leadership with your dog, and I'm going to go through them one by one over the course of the next few weeks.
Scientific learning theory dictates that if you change the environment, you change the dog (or human, or whatever species you're modifying the behavior of). In keeping with environmental control, I want you to try something very simple, that will speak volumes to your dog. But before you try this, I want you to promise that you'll write to me and share the results of this exercise. Okay? Once we get some results of this exercise, I'll explain why its so powerful..and that will be a golden key to unlocking many of the secrets of your dog's behavior.
Most owners, upon arriving home show great excitement to their dog. Perhaps they talk in a high-pitched, excited voice, or have a running commentary with them about their day, petting them, playing with them and allowing them to jump for joy with or on them. (Many of you will be very surprised to learn what you are actually saying to your dog when you do this!)
Ready for a significant change (for the better) in the way your dog relates to you? For one week, I want to challenge you to change the way you interact with your dog upon your arrival home, or after any time of separation. Okay...here's what you do: Upon arriving home, or after any significant time of separation with your dog, take at least five minutes to ignore him. That's right. Ignore him (there's a scientific method to this madness...and your dog already knows this exercise; trust me!)
If he's crated and he barks at you from inside his crate, do not let him out until he settles. Once he's quiet, go ahead and open his crate, but walk away and don't interact (pet, talk to, look at) until he's as quiet and relaxed (The dog must show NO signs of excitement before you pay any attention to him, or the entire exercise will fail. Each day you will notice it takes less and less time for him to settle...ooops! Giving away too much information!). You can let him out to potty in the interim (just no talking, petting or eye contact), and when he comes back in, the rules are the same until he's completely and totally quiet and relaxed---then you can invite him to come over to you for some quiet bonding time.
That's it! Simple right? I can guarantee you, that as simple as this sounds, it will be a profound statement that you are making to your dog---one he will innately understand and respond to. Now don't forget---write to me and let me know how it goes! Explanation and further expansion of the theory to come...
*Interested in getting one on one advice? We offer award-winning in-home training throughout middle Tennessee, and phone consulting throughout the world! Take a look at the pages on the right side bar for more about our training and contact information.
