Your dog doesn’t speak English, and you don’t speak Dog, but you can still communicate effectively with each other. Your vocal tones and body language communicate volumes, but you should know that there are some instincts you might have that could set you back in your training.

These are rules of pet communication that everyone should follow.

1. Don’t use your dog’s name to stop them from doing something.

Dogs get excited by the sound of their own name. It’s usually a sound they recognise, and they likely associate it with pleasing their owner! Being mindful to always use your dog’s name in a light and pleasing tone means they are more likely to happily come whenever you call them.

If your dog is in the middle of an unwanted behaviour, chastising them by using their name can ultimately teach them that their name means the same as “bad dog.” You may end up with recall problems later, as they will have come to believe that hearing their name means they are in trouble. To avoid this, interrupt the unwanted behaviour with a quick low tone, instead.

2. Avoid showing your anger.

Physical violence and pain are not acceptable tools for communicating with your pet, period.

If you hit or yell at your dog, they won’t understand why you’re angry. What’s more, if you become physical with your dog by pinning, scruffing, or alpha-rolling them, they may become anxious about you touching them in general. Worse, they may learn that their family deals with problems by fighting. This is dangerous, as a threatened dog is likely to bite, and it is often a child who is bitten.

3. Don’t punish your dog after the fact.

Dogs live in the moment, which means they only learn in the moment. When you come home to discover a destroyed cushion, or a smashed vase, becoming angry and using a gruff tone will only confuse them, or make them worry that you are unstable! Dogs’ brains do not work in the same way ours do, so your dog is simply not able to connect your current displeasure with their past behaviour.

In a moment like this, you should still praise your dog for coming to you, and make sure they consider you to be a safe, inviting place to be. Model and reward the behaviour you do want, every day. Correct the unwanted behaviours next time—as they happen—or better yet when you see your dog getting ready to do them. Once the moment has passed, anything they did prior to that is in the past, and they are unable to reason back in time.

Of course, if you need some one-on-one guidance, your local Bark Busters trainer would be more than happy to help!