This article aims to help you comprehend your Labrador puppy’s thoughts and their communication techniques which may differ from yours, as interacting with them can be confusing.
Communicating With Your Labrador Puppy
A foreign language
Numerous newly acquired Labrador puppy owners encounter enormous frustration when they realize that their puppy seems to pay little attention to them, which is understandably unpleasant. Nonetheless, it’s important to keep in mind that your puppy doesn’t comprehend English, French, Spanish, or any other ‘human’ dialect. Essentially, every word you utter is incomprehensible to your puppy.
There’s no need to panic since there are going to be some changes. However, it’s important to understand the way in which puppies communicate before anything else. Your puppy has been acquiring its own language for a few weeks now.
Canine body language
Puppies are not only unable to communicate in English, but they also lack the wiring to communicate through sound. Instead, a dog relies on body language as its primary means of communication.
Your young dog comprehends an extensive range of physical postures and cues that were utilized by his mother as a means of communicating what is acceptable and unacceptable. This is a dialect that informs your pup about the thoughts and emotions of other canines, and he innately expresses bodily cues to fellow dogs in order to ensure his own safety. These may include actions such as acts of conciliation and yielding.
Dogs also display these indications to humans, however, they are frequently misunderstood as hints of wrongdoing or deceptiveness. An annoyed owner might exclaim, “He’s aware that he’s at fault!”
Understanding is helpful
Being knowledgeable about your puppy’s body language can be extremely beneficial as it allows you to modify your actions to keep your puppy happy and self-assured. By understanding what frightens your puppy and detecting signs of anxiety, you can prevent yourself from sending threatening signals to your furry friend. However, while it is essential to recognize when you’re intimidating your puppy, there may be instances when you need to scare him a bit.
What about discipline?
Numerous new puppy owners have concerns about how to discipline their pets and ensure good conduct. They fear that being too kind might contribute to their puppy becoming spoiled and ill-mannered. However, we can reassure them that it is entirely feasible to teach dogs without coercion or fear. Furthermore, cheerful puppies tend to learn faster due to their relaxed state of mind, making it easy for them to take in new information.
Being kind is not the same as being permissive, you will still need to train your Labrador puppy to obey you, but you can do so without making him fearful. Of course, no-one sets out to frighten their puppy or undermine his confidence, but many people do so inadvertently.
Learn your puppy’s language
It is beneficial for both you and your puppy to have an elementary comprehension of your puppy’s language in order to effectively understand his attempts to communicate with you, which can be challenging at times.
Observe the position of your puppy’s ear base and notice the alterations in their posture which are influenced by their emotions. If they feel anxious, they will move their ears backward on their head. In case your puppy is frightened, they may hide their tail between their legs, or exhibit immobility. In extreme fear, your puppy may lie prostrate to the ground.
Puppies’ growling is frequently misunderstood, as it can indicate both playful behavior and an invitation to play. Even if your puppy growls loudly, if they assume the position of sticking their bottom in the air and their elbows on the ground, they are actually inviting you to play with them.
First days
When separated from his mother and put into an unfamiliar household with people who don’t communicate like dogs, your puppy will struggle to comprehend your words at first. If he grows up in a family that frequently reprimands or punishes him, he will eventually learn to recognize cues of frustration or displeasure in his owners. However, he won’t comprehend the reason for their reactions and will simply aim to restore their happiness towards him.
It is important to keep in mind that your recently acquired puppy is not yet proficient in interpreting its own body language, let alone understanding yours. Consequently, it might incorrectly interpret the body language of older or unfamiliar dogs, necessitating the need for vigilance and safeguarding during its interactions with other canines, just like you would with a toddler.
Helping your puppy
The initial days can prove to be extremely perplexing for numerous puppies as they endeavour to comprehend the things that please or displease their human companions. However, there are ample measures that you can adopt to assist your puppy in understanding our human language.
Dogs have developed a remarkable skill in comprehending human body language after being domesticated for thousands of years. They frequently follow human cues and gestures instinctively. While your puppy may not comprehend your verbal communication, due to their innate ability to differentiate between slight variations in posture and expression, they can perceive a significant portion of your actions.
Building a bond
By comprehending your puppy’s language, you can create a comfortable environment for them. A fundamental understanding of communication like this can establish a strong connection between you and your puppy. It’s difficult to communicate with someone who isn’t interested in you or fearful of you. Therefore, developing a bond of affection and trust is a significant aspect of getting along with your puppy.
The connection is established by being nearby and touching physically, as well as participating in activities together, specifically play, workouts, and primarily instruction.
Training your puppy
Puppies do not acquire the English language through immersion like children do, but they can be trained to respond to verbal cues. The essence of dog training is teaching your pet to understand and react to your verbal language, which serves as the basis for a strong bond and comprehension between the two of you.
Using positive reinforcement training methods on young puppies is crucial due to the reciprocal influence between you and your puppy’s bond. It is also important to keep in mind that training requires patience and dedication, often exceeding the expectations of inexperienced puppy owners. Therefore, it’s crucial to avoid hastening the process.
Dog training 101 — How to set realistic goals and where to get started
Kayla Fratt, owner of Journey Dog Training and a certified dog behavior consultant, believes that ensuring every dog feels at ease in their own skin and comfortable with their lifestyle is a fundamental objective.
Training is a useful tool for all dogs, regardless of whether you just got a puppy from a breeder or if your dog has been with you for a long time.
But where to begin the process? If you recently searched the internet for “dog trainers near me,” there’s a good chance you became immediately overwhelmed by the options, certifications and vocabulary. There is a lot of information out there! So we consulted some experts on where to start. Here’s what they say:
Identify your training goals
Essentially, there are two types of training for dogs. If you want to teach your dog basic commands, such as sit, stay, and lie down, you’ll need a dog trainer. However, if your dog has issues such as anxiety, fearfulness, or aggression, then you’ll require the services of a dog behavioral consultant like Brianna Dick from Pack Leader Help.
“The way that I approach dog training is behavioral psychology based,” says Dick, who is a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals. “We’re not looking at just the physical behaviors of dogs. We’re looking at their emotions and the relationship they have with their humans.”
Begin with behavior training if you require both skills and behavior training. A dog behavior consultant is knowledgeable in instructing your dog on sitting as well as aiding them to cope with separation anxiety, whereas a dog trainer is not as proficient in addressing the latter.
Be realistic.
Fratt states that not every dog can be taught to enjoy visiting the dog park, similar to how not every human can be taught to love attending raves.
An applied ethologist named Kim Brophey, who owns The Dog Door Behavior Center and works as a family dog mediator, authored a book titled “Meet Your Dog: The Game Changing Guide To Understanding Your Dog’s Behavior.” Brophey employs the L.E.G.S framework (learning, environment, genetics, self) to illustrate dog behavior. For instance, if your guests are being barked at by your dog.
Brophey suggests that the particular dog breed could have been bred over centuries to protect against intruders entering through the front door. As the genetic tendency of German shepherds to defend their territory cannot be eliminated through training, one may have to alter their anticipations.
Decide how you’d like to train your dog.
Fratt suggests that there are different training methods available including group classes, one-to-one training, board and train, day training, and self-led training. Group classes are less personalized, whereas board and train facilities are pricier and potentially more hazardous.
“If the trainer spends all this time training the dog in this really specific context and then basically just hands you the leash, takes your check and walks away, there’s a very good chance you’re not actually going to be able to implement those new strategies and skills … successfully in your home.”
The decision you make will be influenced by your budget and the objectives you have for your training. To illustrate, if your canine exhibits hostility towards a fellow dog in your household, it would not be beneficial to utilize training methods that occur outside of your home.
Keep in mind that you’ll need to train your dog, but it doesn’t need to occupy a significant portion of your day. Fratt claims that she devotes only five minutes each day to training. Many of the assignments given by trainers can be enjoyable and integrated effortlessly into your daily routine as well.
Our experts recommend free or affordable online resources for dog training if you are not willing to spend a significant amount of money.
- Kikopup on Youtube and Instagram
- Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
- K9 of Mine
Understand the methodologies.
There is no regulation in the dog training field, allowing individuals with a website, Instagram page, or storefront to declare themselves as dog trainers. Thus, there is no established standard for dog training techniques, creating a disagreement among trainers. However, trainers can be sorted into two major categories.
The initial group consists of trainers who use positive reinforcement techniques similar to Fratt’s. This approach entails rewarding a dog with a treat or other pleasant stimulus when they exhibit desirable behavior, encouraging them to repeat it. The same method can be used to help the dog form positive associations with things they perceive as frightening.
Another type of trainer is the balanced trainer, such as Brianna Dick, who employs positive reinforcement techniques while remaining open to using corrective tools such as e-collars.
E-collar training involves “a collar that your dog wears, which you control via remote, that emits a stimulus to your dog’s neck — a shock, sound or, say, a citronella spray — whenever they need a correction,” Dick explains. E-collars are divisive in the dog training community, especially the ones which emit a shock.
Dick advises caution towards trainers who utilize e-collars for all dogs, as it is a generic approach that is unlikely to yield satisfactory outcomes. According to her, it’s preferable to work with a trainer who takes the time to understand you, your connection, and how you live with your dog.
Find a good trainer.
To find a reliable compilation of positive reinforcement trainers or balanced trainers in your locality, it is recommended to consult catalogs put together by diverse professional associations.
