Puppy Training Mixed Signals & Bad Communication

Dog behavior issues are commonly the result of mixed signals being interpreted by the dog from the owner.  Most of the time, the dog is left to do whatever it wants because the owner may not even be aware that the messages being sent are not being understood, therefore abandoned, and over time this is how a bad condition may occur, such as behavior issues.  Sound is one of many training methods to teach a dog a certain behavior, so one can imagine how programming the dog is directly proportional to the signals of sight, touch, smell, and sound one uses. 

Here’s an example of an owner programming his dog the wrong way by the sounds he uses.  This is an issue of “I don’t understand what my owner means.”  During a long grooming session, a dog owner was not aware of the mixed messages being communicated by using the wrong sound.  The dog became tiresome after some while and attempted to sit.  The owner, wanting to keep the dog standing up, repeatedly yelled out in a commanding – corrective voice, “Don’t you sit, Dell”.  The dog became confused at that moment with ‘not knowing what to do’ and remained stood for a few seconds in a crouched position before sitting back down.  The dog was really just confused about what the word “don’t” meant; it has a “don’t move: stop” kind of feel to it, so of course the dog is going to stop and just sit while it tries to figure out if this is what his master wants.

This is only what the dog thinks is what his owner wants, so one can see how a minor correction of miscommunication can make a huge difference.  Great communication with your dog consists of clear, consistent, distinct messages.  A dog cannot respond accurately if the vocabulary or the rules keep fluctuating and changing on a daily basis.  Non-consistent conditioning is the main reason dog behavior issues are a common hardship in the life of a pet. 

Another example of how an owner can confuse a dog in a major way and reverse, if not completely erase its progress,  is shown by the owner who allows a certain behavior once in a while and punishes the dog for it at other times.  If a dog’s behaviors in not acceptable, the owner must use clear cues to let the dog know what are the limitations and boundaries every time.  For instance, a dog who is praised for jumping up when the owner arrives home from a delightful day may be encouraged at that moment, but the next time, should the owner be very tired after a hard day at work, the dog is not allowed to jump on the owner.  A bad behavior must be addressed all the time right at the moment it happens. 

Allowing a behavior to happen because you don’t feel like yelling at the dog and being mean is only enabling the dog to continue doing the bad behavior.  The dog is confused and learns that jumping up will often be rewarded by praise and other times will receive a correction for no reason at all, and this causes the dog to keep taking chances with unclear signals.  Consistent discipline is necessary in order to achieve a well- behaved balanced dog, and not being clear with your animal about the boundaries and limitations only sends the message that the rules are unstable, so the animal will continue to disobey until the cycle is broken and the objective is clear.

Clear and consistent communication involves teaching a command for each desired and undesired behavior, and sticking to it, to let the dog know about acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.  You can still let a dog be free and allow them to act like a dog; you just need to teach them boundaries and what the limits are.  For example, you can teach a dog a command to jump so they can play and run around, but you can also teach a command such as “off” that tells the dog not to jump on you or anyone else. 

Exercise patience when training dogs, as a lot of the training involves repetition, the reward/consequence system, and consistent supervision of the dog for bad behaviors, and catching in the act to be able to correct them and teach them the right behavior.  This programs the dog to be able to establish a pattern to earn your approval and determine your reactions.  A dog usually turns introvert and disconnects from a family becoming doubtful, fearful, and avoidant.

Signal Instruction

The rule is consistency in order to start making progress.  Learning to use better signals and sticking with 2 or 3 favorite techniques will make you a better dog owner and will give you the power to help your dog understand the rules. There are a variety of resources to learn signaling techniques in books from training pros, dog behaviorists, television programming, and online material.  Find helpful hint and check with your local pet shops for hands-on workshop events in your area.

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