Dogs and cats can be great friends. Maybe the friendship isn’t one of true admiration but more of a tolerance mixed with a little respect. Maybe, a growl is just a growl…Melody and her little brother, Mac, respond to a question from a cat who loves a dog and the dog doesn’t share the affection – yet.
Anthropomorphism is a word that means to assign human characteristics to animals or inanimate objects. Humanizing a dog happens all too often as their human swears, “my dog doesn’t know he’s a dog!” I assure you he does. Here’s an article featured in the Seattle Times about this topic. I agree with Cesar Millan on this one.
Very few dogs won’t find enjoyment in a belly rub or any rub for that matter. They are also very smart. They learn quickly that if you ask them to do something – sit, stay, down, etc., and they choose to roll over for a belly rub, we fall for it. “Ah, they’re being submissive.” Maybe not. Why wouldn’t they drop and roll over for a belly rub if it means they don’t have to do as asked?
I do laugh when my dogs are resting and they will start to show me their belly when I’m only walking by to close the blinds or do something else. They don’t want to miss the chance that I will give them a pet so if I’m anywhere within sight, there’s a good chance I’ll see their movement and stop by for a rub.
I have met some dogs who will not show you their belly because they can’t risk making themselves too vulnerable. Is this action something they need to do or have to do for you to feel they are submissive? Absolutely not! Their touch of choice may be a scratch on the neck.
Just as a pat on the head or a rub of the ears is affection, remember that a belly rub is too. You decide when it is appropriate to respond. If not, your day will be filled with a dog’s nose lifting up your hand or arm for your affection. Begging for affection may be cute, but that’s about all. It is still begging.
Our dogs deserve our affection, it’s up to us to decide when!
It’s important to create an environment and life for your dog that will assist them in being well adjusted. You want your dog(s) to be independent and confident. It seems that some people think an insecure dog will love them more. The dog may need you, but don’t confuse their need for you with their love for you.
It’s so nice to be able to leave for a weekend, a week, or even longer and know your dog(s) will be content in the care of someone else. You will be missed; however, don’t expect to find their journal filled with loving thoughts of you. A happy, secure, content dog will adjust much better to your absence. You, on the other hand, may need to see their happy faces to feel secure.
Here’s two well-adjusted dogs, Cody and Xena, on stay-cation while their Dads were away. They missed them, but I think they did ok. . .
I’ve mentioned previously that the best trainer for a dog is another dog. I have been working to socialize Suki, a 9-month-old Pekingese, to be comfortable in new surroundings. She is horribly afraid of new sounds and hyper-sensitive to unfamiliar movement and objects.
I called in Mac-Nanny, my Labradoodle, to help Suki be a dog. The video shows how playing with Mac let Suki relax and have a little fun!
As a behaviorist, I have my opinion on what to do when a dog jumps on guests at the door. However, my dog, Melody, asked if she could respond to this one. Here’s what she has to say:
How does he do it? How does Cesar walk into the room and gain the respect of dog and human? Does he have a special gift known only to him. So, what is it?
The “secret” – his presence and energy. It is what he knows. It’s a deeper knowing than the knowledge that is gained from studying but more of a real understanding combined with absolute confidence in a desired outcome. When you know that you know, you present yourself differently. You don’t second guess your actions.
Cesar walks into a room with the state of mind that he is is control. There’s no magic formula or special power in his trademark “sh” sound as he confidently corrects or diverts a dog’s attention. Most trainers/behaviorists have had the same or at least a very similar experience. He definitely has an understanding of dogs and almost more importantly, their relationship with humans.
I have been called to training appointments and walk in to see the human moving their hand in a claw shape toward the dog’s neck as they “sh.” The dog does nothing but look at them as if to say, “what the heck was that?” There’s only one Cesar, and I’m confident your dog will respond to you once you have placed yourself in the role of pack leader and provided consistent structure and guidance.
Using a human comparison, if you give someone the cold shoulder, they know it without you saying a word. It’s your energy they feel – they know not to mess with you. Dogs are no different and if anything, are even more in tune with our intentions and thoughts toward them.
I speak of this in a recent article, by asking the question, what travels down your leash?
Cesar is definitely gifted and his success with the dogs he chooses to work with comes from his knowing that the dog will respect and respond accordingly. If you can adopt and apply this thought to your training, you will see results. It’s a bit like the saying, “fake it until you make it.”
The sooner you know your dog will respond as expected, the sooner they will!
Previously, I posted about Puppies Behind Bars. The newly elected Senator Franken has introduced legislation for hundreds of service dogs to be trained to alter the lives of wounded U.S. Veterans. For more information and/or to show your support, go to the fetchdog ad in the column to the right.
While there is more information available than you could possible want to know about house training, it is still the number one concern of my clients. The challenge for most people is moving beyond the memory of their previous experience when, “we house trained our last dog in five days and never used a crate.”
No one quite remembers how they did it, but only that it was easy. Some suffer or rather are blessed with memory loss regarding the time it took to get their new pup to “go” outside. I’m not sure why it seems so different now than it used to. Perhaps dogs resided outside more than inside, maybe you were more patient, or let’s face it – the previous dog may have just been a quick learner!
You will get the new pup housetrained much faster if you immediately get on a consistent schedule with food, potty breaks, and confinement (crate or small space) and supervision. Consider it a learning experience and welcome the new-and-improved process. It works!
If you have any questions about a proven system of house training and/or crate training, contact me or check out the ebook to the right.
Get the answer to your dog training question from the one who knows – a dog!
This post is dedicated to Melody. She came up with the idea that I respond to questions from the humans and she respond to questions from the dogs. I guess she’s right. Dogs would have a different perspective on training and behavior modification than most humans.
Melody is a rescue dog from a puppy mill where she brought a lot of Yorkie’s into the world. If any dog deserves the right to speak, it’s her. So, if your dog has a question regarding you (their human), training and/or behavior modification, use the box to the right.
Melody does a fine introduction in the video. . .
