Are You Fluent in Dog?

Another extremely important pack leadership technique has to do with looks.  Is your dog well groomed?  Have you permed your dog’s hair?  Painted its nails?  When was the last time your dog got a manicure? 

No, not this kind of look.  The look I am talking about is two words many trainers and owners get wrong very often.  The look I am referring to is body language.  Can you read your dogs body language properly?  Why is that important?

Being able to read your dogs body language is vital to maintain your pack leadership.  If you are reading it incorrectly then you are reacting to your dog incorrectly and that will create imbalance inside of the pack.  There are common body languages your dog can use, many of them we see daily, some of them we hope to never see.  They are:

*relaxed

*playful

*excited

*calm and neutral

*alert

*dominant

*aggressive

*anxious/nervous

*frightened

*submissive            

Often, I hear owners claim their dog is excited when the dog is anxious or nervous.  Or an owner will say their dog is frightened under certain conditions, but it is excited. 

Shock collar training companies make a dog frightened and claim the dog is calm.  Treat trainers will claim the dog is excited and playful to get the treats, but the dog is dominant.  And there are far too many trainers who have no idea how to read body language and just claim whatever body language sounds good to the owner, things like “your dog is so happy today, your dog loves you, your dog loves me.”     

As a pack leader it is your job to read your dog’s body language correctly and react accordingly.

Want to learn from the best dog body language interpreters in the world?  Contact your local Always Faithful Dog Trainer today!