Some signs your dog is giving you that you may be missing
After working with a great many dog owners I very often see their dogs giving clear signals that the owners may be missing or find annoying. Here are a few that I have seen:
Your dog seems to be constantly looking back at you on walks
He/she is looking for instructions from their leader(You!)
This is very common in classic working breeds and have had these traits bred into them over many generations. Play some Fetch or Find on the walk or simply add in some exercises like Sit & Stay/Wait, or calling/whistling this way when changing direction.
Your dog is constantly bringing you items (toys,sticks,socks!)
Often your dog has a strong desire to retrieve and many owners miss this. There are many great ways to play “fetch” and “find” – finding treats, fetching a ball or favourite toy. The key here though is not to do too much!
Your dog does one of those “squeaky yawns”, suddenly becomes “itchy” or shakes as if they are wet
This is what I call “arguing” and is often your dog’s way of saying I don’t want to do that! I see this very often during training classes and can be your dog trying to take control back as he/she would rather be doing something else! This is not a time to give in and think he/she doesn’t want to do this today – as your dog’s leader you need to keep control.
Quick control exercise to use at home:
When your dog is settled or asleep, call them over to you. If they come when called offer lots of praise and then allow them to settle again. This a great behaviour exercise and even reinforces recall/leadership