Communication With Your Dog – Or Any Dog

Communication can take many forms; at the most basic level it could just be simple instruction, like an employer to an employee, or a drill sergeant to a recruit, in which case it’s reasonable to assume that if the instructions are followed then communication has happened. If we can communicate in a way that is consistent with how dogs perceive the world, and the dog has some reason to offer the behavior, then training becomes much easier, more pleasant, more fun for you and the dog, and more likely to succeed.

Dogs do not perceive the world the same way we do, but there is enough overlap in our experience of the world to make effective communication possible. Because of functional limitations in their physiology and neurology, for reciprocal communication to happen it’s imperative that we meet them where they are to the best of our ability.

On my business card it says, “Life is good when your dog is good.” For most pet owners, “good” is largely addressed by basic obedience training, which is what we’ve been talking about so far. If you have a poorly behaved dog this can be a serious matter, and being able to correct the situation is not trivial.