Sundance: Hey James! What signals have you learned from me?
James: It's pretty interesting what signals one can learn from a dog. The way they lick, the soft gentle eyes, the way they yawn, the bellowing bark, the look away, these are all signals. Sundance, you and your fellow canines are able to communicate without verbally telling us anything. Should it be so different for us humnas? When I am tired my face is relaxed, I begin to yawn, I begin to stretch and then look away. You recognize this as a sign from me, that I would like to calm down.
Sundance: So you are saying we do the same?
James: Yes. Your body language and conversation is not that much different from ours. Dogs tell us what they want with small cues, so why wouldn't we do the same? Before I begin teaching a dog training class, I do things that will get my students' attention, like taking role call, performing jumping jacks, doing doggy pushups with the most energized dog and owner, or holding a sit-stay command. I am in charge for that moment. This is the message I am sending to my students and their dogs. A small, but effective way to lead.
Sundance: How do you know a dog is excited?
James: I can tell a dog is excited when s/he is pulling on the leash, lunging at people, the kind of bark they give, signs of heavy panting, tense hind legs, and over-sniffing. I listed a few things, surely their are plenty more, but these are common indicators that a dog is not balanced.
Sundance: So if a dog is balanced, s/he will not display unwanted behaviors?
James: Most unwanted behavior occurs when there is a lack of consistency from owners. Not that they aren't consistently giving their dogs enough love, because as you and I know, there are many dogs with back yards and an unlimited amount of toys and training devices. Indeed, they love their dogs, but do they respect and understand their dogs. When I was coaching elementary school children, I would walk around the playground and find groups of children sitting down during lunch period. They had access to basketballs, jump-ropes, hula-hoops, courts, and freedom to play. It's not that they did not want to play, they just were not motivated and challenged. Most of these children would begin each day getting up early, not eating a balanced meal, and rushing to school. All this coming from a down position for seven hours, to a sit position for a few more, and then asked to play for fifteen minutes of recess. Only to be rounded up to sit another ninety minutes before lunch, fed questionable nutrition, then asked to sit for more hours, followed by homework, sleep, repeat.
Sundance: I am beginning to see what you are hinting at.
James: When you are told what to do all the time, never given a chance to play and work with a purpose, you become a grumpy dog. While a back yard and toys may be the traditional american view of dog ownership, it is not in any way natural or best. Just because something is working for the time being, doesn't mean it's ideal. We are still robbing our dogs of a fulfilled life if we do not address the whole dog. The small things we do each day, like exercising first thing in the morning, set the tone for the rest of the day. Releasing excited energy in a formal way creates balance and forms a strong bond. Plus, Sundance, it's best to throw a dog a bone from time to time. The bottom line is that the communication is always there, it's just a matter of knowing the language and paying attention.
