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Like Lucky’s human, who told her to “stop barking” more
as a nod to what was expected of him by other people
than as an actual command to Lucky, many people may say
one thing and mean another when working with their dogs.
Just as your mother probably had an, “and I mean it!”
tone of voice that she used to get your attention, you
need to foster a friendly, but “I mean it” attitude when
you are telling your dog what to do. It isn’t a
combative stance; it’s a feeling of confidence and
assurance that asserts your authority with your dog
while telling him that you know he’ll comply with your
command.
In order for your dog to take what you say seriously,
you have to take it seriously first. When you are
teaching your dog with commands, make eye contact with
him, making sure that you have his attention. Speak the
command clearly and in a slightly emphatic (but not
necessarily loud) voice. Use a slightly lower voice than
your tone in normal conversation – big dogs have lower
voices, and whether it’s some complex canine psychology
or just that lower voices are easier to hear, dogs
listen best to deeper voices. Using a slightly deeper
voice consistently in training also sets it aside as
your “training voice”, which may further aid in getting
your dog’s attention in the future. (If you do use a
slightly different voice in training, be sure and use it
consistently when commanding your dog.)
If your dog is ignoring your commands so that you often
have to repeat them, first check the way you are
talking. Some people (especially women, who are
socialized to be more tentative), tend to give commands
with a questioning tone of voice, more like requests
than orders. Although a hesitant tone may be considered
polite when ordering a cup of coffee at the local diner,
it’s confusing to a dog who hears you say, “hush?” The
question mark in your voice may overrule the command,
translating into something like, “Gee, it would be nice
if you stopped barking at some point, but I’m really not
sure if I can really ask that of you”. This is an
example of ways that humans may send mixed messages to
dogs, adding confusion to the relationship. If you tell
your dog “hush?” you are casting him upon his own
resources. A dog with a dominant nature will think,
“Clearly you don’t mean that,” and will continue to
bark. A dog with a more anxious-to-please character may
feel confused and frustrated – which he may give voice
to by barking even more. Either way, the dog comes to
view you as someone who is uncertain of your
expectations – and that way, (to quote Shakespeare),
madness lies.
Bill Cosby remarked that the upside of dealing with a
toddler is that, when you say “come here” and she
strolls away, you can make “come here” a reality by
picking her up and bringing her “here”. The newest
baby-sitter understands immediately that if you say
“come here” and you mean it, then you’d better be ready
to chase that little kid down when she ignores you, or
you’ll wind up trapped in the garage while the child who
locked you in washes the cat down with salad dressing.
All this is to say that, especially when there’s some
doubt in your dog’s mind about who the boss is, there
will be times when you have to back up your commands
with action. Later in this book, we will cover the
better-known methods of getting your dog’s attention.
For now, it’s enough to realize that your dog may decide
to ignore or outright defy your commands, and that it’s
your job to respond firmly and decisively when that
happens.
Article
Summary
Take training seriously: act like you mean it.
Make eye contact.
Make sure you have your dog’s attention.
Use a slightly lower, more emphatic voice when giving
commands. Speak clearly.
Use this “training voice” consistently, so your dog
recognizes it.
A questioning, hesitant, “polite” tone of voice sends a
mixed message and confuses your dog.
If your dog ignores or defies you, expect to correct his
misbehavior.
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