The dog won’t listen to me !
Well, are you being a bit of a “crazy person” for your dog ?
When you see someone who is insistently muttering to themselves or they blurt out seemingly random words or phrases we have a tendency to ignore that person a bit more. (putting the thought of getting them mental health assistance aside for a second) If that same person starts shouting commands at us, again we are more likely to ignore or discount what they say as it may be just more ramblings. It’s the same with the dogs.
This is one of the biggest issues I see almost on a daily basis. It very much relates to one of the most common issues you get with dog training and behaviour rehabilitation:
“The dog won’t listen to me !”
People seem to say their dogs name, say the word “good dog” or seemingly randomly shout a command, without too much thought behind it. Their dog learns to ignore this, as the dog can tell there is not much thought behind it. But when the person finally gets serious the dog takes longer to respond because it has learnt to filter the words out.
One of the aspects I talk a lot about is voice inflection with pitch and tone. However when you fall into the trap of the mono-tone, the dogs really have no idea what you are saying to them. If you catch yourself doing the mono-tone or just insensately repeating a word to your dog, it’s usually a good indicator the thought mechanism has switched off. It’s also a good bet the dog can tell.
Every time you are trying to send some kind of message, have a little think about it and ask yourself ” what am I trying to say here ? Am I showing the dog I am serious to one extent or another ?”
My point is, when your using your dog’s name or you are saying a command or trying to give a warning to your dog. Do think about it, and put some effort into it. Dogs observe us 24 hours a day and if they see we are just “saying stuff” they will put it into the “white noise bucket”
This does very much relate to another principle I talk and teach about, it’s the idea the dog should take you seriously. If you want to the dog to listen to you, then you should not be repeating commands over and over again, as this is a very good way to teach the dog to ignore the command. (as they learn you are not serious)
I don’t want to sound like I’m telling people off. Just think about what you’re saying and put some effort into the pitch and tone, along with the idea that you are serious about the message your trying to convey.
When you make this change you will find your dog will listen to you more because it’s no longer random ramblings !
These are some of the areas we provide dog training for in Sydney – if you are not listed, please still contact us ! The Hills – Annangrove, Baulkham Hills, Beaumont Hills, Bella Vista, Box Hill, Carlingford, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Dural, Glenhaven, Glenorie, Kellyville, Kenthurst, Maraylya, Maroota, Nelson, Northmead, North Rocks, Rouse Hill, West Pennant Hills Blacktown and surrounding areas – Acacia Gardens, Dean Park, Doonside, Glendenning, Glenwood, Kellyville Ridge, Kings Langley, Kings Park, Lalor Park, Marayong, Marsden Park, Oakhurst, Parklea, Quakers Hill, Schofields, Seven Hills, Stanhope Gardens, The Ponds, Toongabbie, Vineyard, Riverstone
