It’s ok! We’re here to help. We speak a little dog and can help translate for both of you. It’s probably just a miscommunication! And we are here to help get you both speaking the same language! Woof!
Connect with the PAWpundance training team and other members of the dog community to discuss better ways to communicate with your furry house guest.
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(2/6) I loaded the clicker (another video). And then presented her with a treat. I held the treat at my nose and if she jumped, I simply looked or turned my away. When she sat, click! And treat! She started to figure out right away that sitting was a good thing. So we moved on to basic impulse control, or rather - could she sit still? So I waited until she stopped panting and gave me a “calm” sit.
Panting in dog lingo represents a certain amount of stress. So I made eye contact with her, I breathed with her and then we pulled a deep breath in together and held the impulse to pant... and we took a deep breath... held it for a moment... click and treat!!
We did this a couple times to see if we could get those moments to last from just the smallest moment to seconds.
This is how we begin a stay with a puppy. It also how we teach them this “impulse control” or calm yourself down skill.
In humans, we learn to meditate etc to give us calming behavior and what this does is add time between the moments of stimulus and our reaction.
And it’s the same in dogs. When they learn this skill, it allows them to have a moment to hold themselves back from reacting to everything the encounter so they can think how they would like to respond. And as the caretakers, we also provide them with tools on how they can respond to human-world stressors.
Most of the problems are the pups having dog-reactions to human-problems and humans not happy/understanding why the dogs are reacting like dogs instead of humans.
What?
So we can help pups understand the human world a little better by giving them a pause so they can go “oh, weird human stuff. If I just sit then everyone is happy” and they do and it’s a win - it’s reinforced and next time it’ll happen a little faster.
The pup still thinks we are weird but she’s not barking scared anymore.
And that’s the beauty of impulse control exercises.
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We want to see your furbabies!
We’re here to assist with any questions you may have about training, behavior, and more. At PAWpundance, we believe in blending knowledge with a bit of fun—expect plenty of paws, puns, and maybe even a dance or two! Together, let’s enjoy some laughs and build stronger relationships with our pups.
Our Philosophy:
We’ve invited another species to live in our homes, and our dogs are much more than accessories; they’re our guests. They don’t speak our language, and like in the movie E.T., we don’t want to be the intimidating figures trying to coerce a scared, confused being. Instead, we want to be like ...
Eye Contact, Eye Contact, Eye Contact!
Reward every glance. Start by reinforcing brief glances, then encourage your pup to hold your gaze a bit longer. Gradually phase out your part of the eye contact—your pup will learn to watch you and adapt to your movements naturally. This approach helps them learn to walk with you without relying on leash cues.
Remember, the leash is purely for safety—not for communication.
Take a look at this video with Meghan and Buckee. Buckee is watching Meghan closely, and she rewards him by making eye contact, smiling, and offering treats. Meghan also looks forward occasionally, teaching Buckee to walk with her in sync.
Notice that Buckee is a reactive pup, so the leash is essential for safety, especially if he responds to something unexpectedly. However, it’s only used for physical control when necessary. When Buckee refocuses, Meghan reestablishes instructional control, and they continue their walk together. She does a fantastic job of engaging with him! In ...
Loose-Leash Walking Tip:
Where you reward makes a big difference! Try using the hand on the same side as your dog when giving treats or praise.
When you reach across your body to reward with the opposite hand, it draws your dog’s nose in front of you, encouraging them to move ahead and potentially start pulling.
In the video of Meghan and Domino, Meghan holds the leash with her left hand while Domino walks on her right. She rewards him by petting and giving treats with her right hand. This keeps Domino walking by her side on a loose leash, rather than in front, pulling her along.
Next time you’re out walking with your pup, try rewarding with the hand on the same side as your dog.
https://twitter.com/wholedogjournal/status/1295508215740932098?s=21
How to teach you pup to be a good dining companion! What a great skill!
https://twitter.com/wholedogjournal/status/1292609106637987840?s=21
This is about counter-surfers, but I love the description of trying to shame dogs. This author, Pat Miller helped me understand this concept in her book the Power of Positive Dog Training.
If you’re still on Twitter, the Whole Dog Journal is a great group to follow. Lots of fantastic info!
