Have the respect of your dog.
There are some definite ways to work with your dog to get and have the respect of your dog. It starts with approaching them as individuals. Also remember they live a dogs life, not a humans. As a member of another species dogs react to the environment instinctively. That reaction varies depending on the personality of your individual dog. So we set boundaries and establish rules that we follow through on. Consistency with boundaries and rules must follow for your dog to respect you.
When it comes to leading and respect take leading the pack seriously. Be in the lead and train your dog to follow that lead. There will be times when a dog may get the opportunity to go off and explore. But, train them to return and follow on command. This is an instinctive behavior, the pack follows the leader. By instilling this behavior in your dog they will instinctively understand and give respect. This structure is important in play time as well. Be in charge or the dog may decide they need to take charge.
Attention, good and bad.
Attention and how we give it to our dog or don’t is one of the keys. Talking to a dog as if they were human can confuse the dog because there is no command for them to follow. They pay attention waiting for the command. If it never comes they may get stressed. So, don’t use full sentences. One word commands or short phrases work best most of the time. Also make sure to use different commands for different behaviors. Using the word down can get confusing if we use it for laying down and not jumping up on us. Another word to be aware of is “no”. We can over use it use individual phrases for different situation.
Alternatively, constantly correcting bad behavior is another kind of attention that can confuse your dog. They may get the wrong idea and continue the bad behavior for the attention. Try rewarding good behavior instead. Ignore bad behavior and act bored. Consistency in the eyes of the dog trains them best, like the mark and reward method .
Affection on your own terms.
Some people are more affectionate than other and the same goes for dogs. But, once again, we place boundaries. Giving affection should happen when we are ready because we all need our own space. A pushy dog shows a lack of respect for your personal space and can bleed into other behaviors as well. A leader is in charge, and that includes when it’s appropriate for snuggle time.
Remember to act patiently and calmly when claiming personal space. When we have a calmness to our behavior and act with patience our dogs will pick up on that energy. Dogs reflect our energy back to us. Anxious or frustrated energy or behavior on our part only encourages our dogs to show us the same in return. When we respect them with understanding leadership they will respect us back.
To be continued…
Join me next time when I finish this series in part 4, What it looks like to have the respect of your dog.
Another way to keep your doggo’s respect.
Front Range Pet Sop serves the Denver Metro area and beyond. We provide expert service for your underground electric dog fence needs. Call us with questions you have about installing an invisible fence for dogs on your property as well as servicing an existing system. We have information about dog training collars and indoor units. These can keep your pupper out of restricted areas or off of specific pieces of furniture. This includes kitties as well! Give Will a call anytime @ 303-345-4452 because he loves to take your call!