Understanding Your Dog For Dummies
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Recognizing why and how your dog behaves can help you to take on the role as pack leader to give your dog the cues, guidance, and consistency she needs to shape and develop good behaviors.

Understanding your dog's body language and the proper methods of discipline, along with using basic, yet helpful, commands will go a long way in developing your pooch into a well-behaved companion.

6 useful commands for your dog

Though a dog can recognize up to 165 different commands, or words, your goals need not be so lofty.

Below are six directions (which you can teach verbally and/or with gestures) that are most useful for navigating your life together. After you have these directions firmly planted in your dog’s memory bank, they form the foundation for controlling his behavior. Their use reassures your dog of his place in your family and vital inclusion in your world.

Word Cue Daily Uses
Follow When walking about town or off your property, or to encourage
attention in your home
Wait-okay To get your dog to stop and check in before entering or exiting
your home or new buildings, as well as when you cross the street
and approach stairs
No (and other derivations, such as not now, leave it, don’t
think about it)
To alert your dog that any given impulse is not in her best
interest (for example, stealing food, chasing an object or animal,
and so on)
Stay Enforces impulse to control; ideally used when you need your
dog to be still or to relax
Down (and Settle down) Directs your dog into a submissive, relaxed pose or to her
bed
Come The human phrase equivalent of the word “Huddle”

5 dog discipline dos and don'ts

No one wants to frighten their dog, but many people do just that, often under the guise of disciplining them. Some people yell at their dog or puppy, though these methods have been proven ineffective. Others are locked into a vicious cycle of physical corrections, though they have no educational value and often instill aggression or make matters worse.

If the goal of discipline is to teach a dog better manners, then the effort to communicate as much must be closely examined. Here’s what doesn’t work and why, and what you can do instead:

Dont stare. Unless your gaze conveys deep affection, staring is perceived as confrontational and threatening. Don’t confuse your dog. He’ll learn to fear or challenge you.

Dont chase. Imagine rushing at another person in the same manner. This technique induces fear or confrontation, not understanding. It’s ineffective in communicating anything, except perhaps that you’ve lost your mind.

Dont grab, drag, or hold. When you grab, hold, or drag a dog, his only option is to defend himself. Though you may contain him in the moment or vent frustration, it will lead to out of control behavior.

Do stay calm, setting the example to model. You should be the one setting an example of how to act in all situations. Give your dog a good example to follow.

Do direct your dog. Your dog can’t read your mind. Teach your dog basic commands, such as to stay, follow your lead, and come.

Do provide alternatives. Give your dog every opportunity to behave well. Provide ample activities to occupy his energy and curiosity. When you discourage one activity (such as jumping), encourage something else, such as fetching a toy or sitting.

Reading your dog's body language

Your dog is communicating a lot through her body postures and also tuning in to your body language more than you might imagine. Regulating how you hold your posture and recognizing your dog’s body language can enable a fluent dialog between the two of you. The figures below illustrate common dog postures.

Remember that if your dog is shrunk and low, she’s feeling insecure or scared. If her weight is pitched forward, she’s confident, on alert, or in defense mode. If her head is hung low, but her body is relaxed, the message is loud and clear: “I’m exhausted!”

Common dog postures showing dominance and aggression.

Common dog postures showing dominance and aggression.

Common dog postures showing fear and submission.

Common dog postures showing fear and submission.

About This Article

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About the book authors:

Stanley Coren is best known to the public for his popular books on dogs and on general psychological issues. However, within the scientific world, he’s also a highly respected scientist, a Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
His engaging writing style and his broad knowledge about the behavior of dogs and people have made his books The Intelligence of Dogs, Why We Love the Dogs We Do, What Do Dogs Know?, How to Speak Dog, The Pawprints of History, How Dogs Think, Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses?, and Why Does My Dog Do That? all bestsellers.
Roger Caras, President of the ASPCA, and himself a bestselling author of dog books, noted “Stanley Coren has an incredible gift — the ability to take the most complex matters and make it all seem so simple and clear.” Perhaps this is why Coren was named Writer of the Year by the International Positive Dog Training Association and is a sought-after contributor to a number of national dog and pet magazines, including Pets Magazine, Modern Dog, AnimalSense, Dog and Puppy Basics, and AKC Gazette.
Many professional associations have recognized Coren’s work with service dogs, and he’s received awards from several major police dog organizations, including the California Canine Narcotic Dog Association and the British Columbia Police Canine Association. His work with and knowledge of dogs has often caught the attention of the media, and he’s been the subject of feature articles in People Magazine, USA Today, Time Magazine, Maclean’s, US News & World Report, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post, and others. His affable manner has also made him a popular guest with the broadcast media, and he’s been featured on numerous television programs, including Oprah, Larry King Live, Dateline, 20/20, Maurie Povich, Good Morning America, Charlie Rose, and the Today Show. He currently hosts the national TV series Good Dog! in Canada.

Sarah Hodgson, president of Simply Sarah Incorporated, has been a trainer of dogs and their people in Westchester, New York, and Southern Connecticut for more than 20 years. She’s the author of eight dog-training books, including Puppies For Dummies, Dog Tricks For Dummies, Puppies Raising & Training Diary For Dummies, Teach Yourself Visually Dog Training, You and Your Puppy (co-authored with James DeBitetto), DogPerfect, 2nd Edition, PuppyPerfect, and Miss Sarah’s Guide to Etiquette for Dogs & Their People. In addition, Sarah has produced two videos, patented a dog training leash (the Teaching Lead), and invented many other products to simplify the shared lives of dogs and people.
Sarah is frequently featured as a dog training specialist on network television, radio, and print media, including The New York Times, NBC, CBS, Animal Planet (Disney syndicate), FOX, CNN, WOR, Hollywood Pets, Parenthood magazine, and others. She has worked with many famous persons’ dogs, including TV personality Katie Couric, actors Richard Gere, Glenn Close, Chazz Palminteri, Chevy Chase, and Lucie Arnaz; business moguls George Soros, Tommy Hilfiger, Tommy Mottola, and Michael Fuchs; and sport greats Bobby Valentine and Alan Houston.
In addition, Sarah is a behavior consultant and education facilitator at the Adopt-A-Dog shelter in Armonk, New York, where she holds training and socialization programs, conditioning each of the dogs within a fully decorated home environment before their formal adoption.

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