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Avoid yelling at your dog; instead, use tone as a means of discipline and communication to ensure they understand. By relying on tone rather than volume, you can establish clear cues that don't require loud commands for attention. High-pitched tones, though friendly, can lead to over-stimulation and loss of focus in dogs, so it's important to strike a balance. I worked on a large station with a stockman who had absolutely no control of his dogs unless he was yelling or screaming. He was so impatient that his dogs got to the point where a basic command like "sit" had to be yelled for the dog to respond to him. He had probably 7 or 8 dogs and every one of them had no interest in words not yelled. They associated yelling with listening! No thanks.
Noisy environments, like households with children, can contribute to dogs becoming louder and more prone to barking. Address excessive barking through training techniques tailored to create a calmer atmosphere for both the dog and the family.
Use simple commands such as "Sit," "Stay," "No," and "Stop" to convey clear instructions. Consistency and simplicity in commands help dogs comprehend and respond reliably to your expectations.
Reward positive behaviors with calm and friendly tones to reinforce them effectively. Dogs respond positively to a gentle and warm tone that conveys happiness, approval, and encouragement. You cannot praise your dog enough calmly when they are being calm.
When dealing with undesired behaviors, it's best to ignore them whenever possible and focus on rewarding and reinforcing good behaviors with calm tones. Avoid any actions from you that scare or cause fear, as they can damage the trust and bond between you and your dog. Basically don't be a jerk to your dog, it loves you unconditionally. Love it back.
Eye contact from your dog serves as a vital non-verbal cue, indicating attentiveness and connection. Observing their eye contact during training or commands helps you gauge their focus and responsiveness, strengthening the bond between you. Praise their eye contact!
Keep your communication concise during training sessions to minimize confusion. Avoid excessive talking and instead focus on clear and effective commands, allowing your dog to better understand and retain information, resulting in more productive training sessions. Be mindful that high-pitched tones may overstimulate your dog, leading to a loss of focus, so use them sparingly.
While it might feel nice to have conversations with your dog, consistent rambling words at your dog with often result in the dog ignoring the words you want it to listen to. The less you ramble on to your dog, the more likely it will actually respond to the command you ask of it. I notice owners who have the loudest dogs that struggle to listen are often the loudest people who constantly chit chat to their dogs! Doggy see Doggy do. SHHHHH.
Give your dog a pat for me!
Cheers, Scott
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