3 KEYS TO BUILDING THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND THROUGH TRAINING
Photo by Sarah DeRemer
January is Train Your Dog Month and I think it’s a great time to remember that the way we train our dogs impacts the human-animal bond, or relationship, that we have with them.
As a games-based Pro Dog Trainer, I have learned three keys to prioritizing the bond that I have with my own dog, a 3 year old rescue Chihuahua mix named Sunny, that can help you, too.
1. Find what makes your dog happy.
Sunny loves to chase. For her, it’s the better half of fetch.
How do I know this? I learned by playing with her. With each training game we play, I pay attention to which games serve as an intrinsic reward in and of themselves, meaning the game is motivation enough, and which games require an extrinsic reward such as a high value treat.
Since I’ve learned that chase brings her joy, I can use this to my advantage when training for recall by playing a variety of games that involve chasing me whether it’s yelling:
“Get me!” while running around the house,
“Find me!” while hiding in the house,
“Race me!” while racing to a toy,
or any combination of the above.
She’s having fun and at the same time she’s learning that the value is in coming to me
(As a bonus, I’m hitting my own January goals of increased steps. Who’s with me?)
Maybe chase isn’t your dog’s jam, but I bet you know what lights them up. And if you don’t? Grab their favorite toys or an irresistible treat and experiment until it feels like both of you are enjoying every minute of your so-called training session together.
2. Give your dog the gift of calm.
I’ve learned in my training that one of the best gifts you can give your dog is to help them learn how to relax. You can help your dog learn how to be calm in a few different ways:
Play training games that slow down their speed or teach them self-control
Give them a filled toy or long-lasting chew
Serve one of their meals on a lick mat to encourage licking
Use a calming touch on them such as Tellington TTouch or canine massage
Create a relaxing environment with essential oils and Wholetones
Practice meditation while they’re in the room
Lie next to them in their favorite sunbeam
These are all techniques that I use with Sunny and despite her Chihuahua-Pekingese-Pomeranian pedigree, she has learned, over time, how to be calm.
This calmness allows her stress bucket to empty so that later—we can have more fun.
3. Show your dog respect.
This feels so obvious, right? But you’d be surprised how far respecting your pup can go.
For me, showing Sunny respect means:
Being aware of language I use about her (e.g. we use training cues, not commands)
Allowing her to “read the message boards” she finds important on our walks
Not forcing her to participate in activities that make her nervous or uncomfortable
Identifying her struggles and training them into strengths
Thanking her for being my very best friend
Sunny and I are training to be a Therapy Dog team, if she decides she wants to partner with me, and our relationship is essential in our training. Over the past three years, we have developed this bond so well that I can almost read her mind and vice versa.
This bond, or advice to “know your dog”, is something I hear emphasized time and time again when speaking with weekly guests on Therapy Dog Talk but no matter what your goals are with your pup finding what makes them happy, helping them learn to be calm and showing them respect are sure to play a vital role in both your relationship and your training.
Not sure where to start? Reach out, I’d love to chat.
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Sherrie Rohde is a Pro Dog Trainer through Absolute Dogs and Host of the Therapy Dog Talk podcast. She is also an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and working towards becoming an Animal Assisted Play Therapy team with her pup, and best friend, Sunny. You can find them on Instagram at @therapydogtalk and @sunnysbestlife or at sherrierohde.com.
