There is a book on the market called ‘Dog Speak’ that I would strongly recommend.
You have fascial expressions, a wide vocal range (that is inverse to how a dog uses his) and a brain that can reason and think faster and more articulate than his.
This books helps you understand why yelling at the dog confuses it, why the dog does what it does, how a mother dog (bitch) punishes a misbehaving pup, how to assert authority without instilling fear, how to use love to motivate a dog; and the absolute worst punishment a dog can bear (use with EXTREME caution).
None of this inflicts physical pain, it uses the same psychology that is found in a wolf pack; something that is built-in to our best friends instinctual behavior. Once you understand how your dog speaks to you, in body language, posture, attitude - you can train it, as your dog gradually learns to understand the way we act.
Dogs have no idea what a smile is; there is no collary in the dog world. But, they rapidly learn.
When we get mad, our voices get high and shrill - whena dog is angry his bark drops down to a growl. A high shrill pitch is a dog’s submission howl, an indication of pain, or of begging. So, this is why yelling at a dog just confuses them.
Dog Speak is in paperback, and is availalble on Amazon.
Thanks Hodar, I’ll have to check that out.
Scott
"DogSpeak: How to Learn It, Speak It, and Use It to Have a Happy, Healthy, Well-Behaved Dog (Paperback) ~ Bash Dibra (Author), Mary ann Crenshaw (Author)"
or
"Dogspeak: How to Understand Your Dog and Help Him Understand You (Dog Care Companions) (Paperback) ~ The Editors of Pets: Part of the Family (Author) "
