Communications Dog Training

Puyallup, WA

Behavior is a form of communication, between dogs as well as between dogs and people. People use their bodies and voices to talk - and so do dogs! Barking, lunging, hiding, biting - your dog is speaking in their own language. If we want our dogs to learn our language, we should learn how to speak theirs, too.

Behavior is influenced by stimulation level, age, past experiences, physical wellness and mental wellness. By bringing these factors into balance, you and your dog can create a healthy relationship based on communication and trust.

Every dog starts and ends somewhere different. Every training session is tailored to you and your dog's specific needs and goals. Cued behaviors like sit, stay, or come are important, but they're only the first step in creating a consistent, well-behaved dog. Sessions take place according to your schedule - some dogs need to be worked a couple times a week, some dogs do well with sessions taking place once a month, but most dogs need something in between.

Dogs struggling with reactivity, resource guarding, and other behavioral issues are often struggling with communication. The language barrier can be the most evident when dogs continually escalate by growling, barking, lunging, and biting.

All dogs with a bite history should be evaluated by a veterinarian to rule out physical issues such as pain and hormonal imbalances. Many dogs become better behaved after a dental cleaning or other necessary vet care - physical health is a huge part of mental health and emotional state.

Finding what motivates each dog is extremely important. While food and toy rewards work for most dogs, some dogs do best with spatial rewards or opportunity rewards. If your dog doesn't seem to have high food drive or high toy drive, that's okay! Drive can be built, and in the mean time we can use whatever does motivate your dog.

Tools can help add a little bit of clarity in communicating with your dogs, especially when it comes to teaching them how to walk with a loose leash, but they're never necessary. If you want your dog to walk nicely on a harness it can take longer than teaching them to walk nicely on a control collar such as a martingale, prong collar, or head halter, but it's absolutely doable! Some dogs respond best to certain tools, some dogs don't respond well to any tools, and every tool we add increases complexity when it comes to training. Finding harmony between dogs and their people takes more than just putting a new collar on the dog, and putting a new collar on the dog doesn't always lead to the clear communication people hope it will.