A Useful Approach to Listening to Your Dog is Simple Observation

A recent Dear Inquisitive Canine reader asked about her beagle Bill and his enjoyment of playing with larger dogs. I explained the similarities of how humans of different shapes and sizes can learn to play with one another without getting hurt. The best way to tell if your own dog is enjoying him or herself is to pay attention to his or her body language. She or he will “tell” you if he or she is enjoying play or not very clearly, you just need to be watchful of the signals s/he is sending. To view the complete article, check out our Dear Inquisitive Canine column.

Regarding this readers comments of how she described Bill’s behavior, I wanted to add this about what to watch for:

From what you’ve described it appears you have a very keen eye for details of Bill’s body language and that you’re “listening” to what he is saying. I say bravo! Bill is excited to play with the larger dogs and appears bored with the smaller dogs. Although I haven’t witnessed their romping social functions myself, I’d like to first address your comments “hardly pays attention to us, and becomes the center of attention as he runs around with a pack of big dogs playfully chasing him all over.”

• Make sure you are still the center of Bill’s universe. He can certainly run off and play with his friends, but work on a nice (and more reliable) “coming when called” so he learns to check in with you more often. It’ll be rewarding for him, while enhancing the bond you share. Plus, if you need him to come back to you, for whatever reason, he’s more likely to want to. For additional information on teaching your dog to come when called, check out these dog training tips on Recall (aka: coming when called).
• Make sure Bill isn’t being targeted or ganged up on. Even if Bill keeps going back for more, sometimes "horseplay leads to tragedy" (as our mothers taught us). One dog can end up being the recipient of all that exuberant doggy energy. You’ll want to make sure the dogs are interrupting themselves, or you interrupt before the built-up energy takes the group past the point of no return. Note: you’ll want to check with the daycare staff that play is being monitored carefully for appropriate play.

For the remainder of this Dear Inquisitive Canine article, as well as additional dog behavior advice columns written by Poncho the dog and yours truly, check out the local Noozhawk website.

I have to say, this dog guardian was superb on watching out for the safety of her dog Bill and “listening” to what he was saying. I would nominate her to be the dog park playground monitor if she were ever interested

A Simple Dog Adoption Question

As a positive reinforcement, reward-based certified professional Ventura dog trainer, I am always looking for a "Good Dog!" moment - not just for my own dog Poncho the dog, but for all dogs... It just pains me when I witness dog guardians looking at their dogs any other way. Maybe it's all in how you look at it. I'm not sure of the kind of relationship they have with their dog. 

Just twice this week it's happened again. First in my own neighborhood, I heard someone address their dog with "Hey you good for nothing dog." I say to myself "HUH?" Then I was just thankful the pooch didn't speak english. He just felt the scratch under his chin... 

The second incident was a woman and her dog at a very large and popular park where dogs are allowed off leash during certain hours. Well, it seems this woman was leaving the park...her dog was walking nicely with her. But then the pooch started to walk in a different direction. Not back to the area with the other dogs... just not with his (or her) guardian. 

The woman started berating this poor pooch over and over. Yelling at it to "Come here right now!" In a very deep threatening voice... Yikes! No wonder the dog wanted to go the other way! I would have high-tailed it out of there too! Geez - I wanted to go over my "recall rules" like I do in my dog training classes, but thought better of it - not the challenge I wanted. Plus, I was out for a run, and she hadn't hired me as a private dog trainer in Ventura. If she had, I would have given her the five rules:

1. Only call your dog for something pleasant, otherwise, just go get your dog. 
2. Use your happy voice and body language to get them to want to come running. 
3. Only call them when you know you're going to get them to come. Otherwise you're just wasting your breath, and probably getting more frustrated. 
4. If you thought you were going to "get it" and didn't. Go get your dog, take them to where you called them from, and reward them.
5. Throw a party - if you called them and they came running! 

So my BIG BOLD question, based upon the relationship you have with your dog is: 

If the situation were reversed, 

would your dog have adopted YOU?