Understanding Dog:
The key to a good relationship with your dog is to know him/her well. One of the first things your dog wants you to know is that they have their own system of communication and system of living. It is a common misconception with owners that dogs share the same communication structures as humans do.
Once you understand your dog better, it will be easier to train him/her. The second thing your dog would like you to know follows from the first in that, your dog will expect you to be a strong, confident and stable leader (this is because the dog thinks of your family in terms of a pack and is content with a stable and strong leader). Thirdly, your dog would really like you to understand that communication with him/her works better with body language and by teaching him to identify tone of voice.
Number four is that your dog would like you to know that he/she does not misbehave out of spite. Owners tend to get upset with a pet if it misbehaves and tend to interpret the dog’s actions in terms of human actions.
The fifth thing your dog would like you to know is that to be aggressive is in it’s nature and with some patient training you can teach your dog to respect you as a leader and be submissive. Most dogs tend to be aggressive as a reaction to something that upsets their daily routine or something that frightens them. It is therefore important not to blame your dog for aggressive behavior. The sixth on the list of what your dog would like you to know is that your dog’s behavior is dependant on it’s interpretation of your body language. So don’t worry if your dog does not get the message about you being busy or about meeting someone new. You just have to find other ways to communicate.
The seventh thing that your dog would like you to know is that they have the capacity to learn continuously. So as such, you can teach a dog at any age and they continue to have excellent memory and skills. Number eight is important – a dog does what comes naturally to him/her. Thus, if his/her behavior is unacceptable, then you should teach the dog by associating tone with the particular ‘unacceptable’ act. The ninth thing your dog would like you to know is that if you don’t catch him/her in the act of doing something wrong, then to punish later will have no meaning to the dog. The tenth and final thing your dog would like you to know is that your dog derives it’s strength and confidence of personality from you and you should thus spend time getting to know your dog well and train him/her patiently.
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