5 Ways Dogs Can Train Their Trainers

I’m not a dog trainer. Still, after I wrote Dog as My Doctor, Cat as My Nurse people often ask me for advice on how to train their dogs. This book was inspired by my four rescue dogs and two cats, who arrived to our home with their fair share of baggage ranging from fear to aggression.

After I adopted my six-pack, I realized I was out of my depth; uncertain how to create harmony between the canine, feline, and human members of our family. So, I jumped into the deep end, searched out, and learned all I could from dog trainers and behaviorists who shared their knowledge with me.

Training is an important way to begin communicating with your dog but to have greater rapport, the process is a two-way street. We’d like our dogs to sit, stay, down, come, and heel on command but they might have a thing or two to offer so we can learn from them as much as they learn from us.

5 Ways Our Dogs Can Train Us

1. Guardian vs Owner – Do you consider yourself an owner or a dog guardian? The language we use to refer to our dogs can reflect the quality of our relationship with them. A cell phone, a pair of shoes, an old handbag; these are items we own and we dispose of when we no longer need them. We don’t consider ourselves owners of people we love, so why would we think ourselves owners of our animal friends who are far from disposable? I prefer the word guardian. As a dog guardian I feel a greater connection and camaraderie with my dog, Grace. And I believe she feels the positive energy that comes from that expression too.
2. Teach Rather than Train – I also prefer the more expansive word, teaching to training. The words we choose to use with our dogs as well as ourselves, is a good opportunity to understand our mindset more clearly. Notice this week when you use limiting, negative or restricting words with your dog and which expansive words might take their place.
3. Listen to be Heard – We talk, yell, and shout at our dogs hoping they listen to us. But how often do we take time to listen to what they say? Dogs speak with their eyes, nose, tales, and ears. I love watching the myriad of ways Grace’s ears fluctuate as she listens to the wind, our movements, or even while she sleeps. When I sit too long, Grace’s nose bumps my thigh, insisting I get up to play with her. The more I watch, the more I listen, the more I get to know my dog in a meaningful way.
4. Consistency Counts – Often, I hear people shout Come, repeatedly, as their dogs joyfully running in the opposite direction. Worse, they get mad at their dog when they finally come back. Whatever you want to teach your dog, reinforce your message consistently, confidently, and with patience – every single time. If I ask Grace to come and she doesn’t, that informs me we need to spend time practicing until she understands what I’d like her to do. Dogs want to please but they don’t always understand what we want. You can’t expect a Cantonese speaker to understand you when you speak English. It’s the same for our dogs. Consistency will go a long way to bridging the communication gap between you and your canine buddy.
5. Don’t be a Pack Leader, be a Benevolent One – Dog guardians often tell me the importance of being a dog’s pack leader. Yet the best advice I ever got from a dog behaviorist was to be a benevolent leader instead. Yes, Sit, Stay, Down, Come, and Heel – are important requests we need to help our dogs understand; not to show off to friends or to exert control and satisfy our egos; but to build our animal-human bond, so our dogs interact well with others, and to keep them safe. Shouting –  Wait!, to your running dog might save their life when they don’t see a car approaching that you do. But as you teach them make sure you give praise, make it fun, and be kind. Teach your dog the way that you would like to be taught.

There are many ways our dogs would train us if they had a chance. This week, take quality time to simply observe your beloved canine. Dogs are well aware when you tune into them. And, like a good friend, they are grateful for our efforts.

Stay Healthy & Stay Pawsitive,

Carlyn MDO 💜

PS: If your dog could train you, what do you think he or she would want you to learn? Share your answer in the comment box below!