Dog Commands: Are you Sabotaging Your Dog Training Without Meaning To?

If your dog seems to be struggling with learning your commands, could your body posture be the issue? In order for your dog to learn his commands quickly and effectively consistent body posture is required and is, after all, one of the most important elements in training your dog.

So, what happens when you interject the incorrect body posture? Even the best trainers do so from time to time without really realizing what they are doing.

This may be difficult to hear, but sometimes just a reminder is enough to help. The answer will probably have you rethinking how to train your dog and how using dog commands and body posture should work together to successfully train your dog.

Two Examples of Common, Inconsistent Dog Commands Using the Wrong Body Posture:

  • If you find yourself even slightly bending over your dog before you issue the “down” dog command, then your dog is cueing off of your body language and not the dog command itself. Unfortunately, if you consistently have this type of body posture before the command, your dog is learning that he should be doing the down command when you are bending over.

The solution to this problem is to give the dog command first, and give the command while standing straight up. Always be aware of your posture when training.

  • If you find yourself telling your dog the “heel” dog command and then walking with your shoulders angled back or your shoulders turned slightly at an angle to look at your dog, then your dog is trying to line himself up with your shoulders rather than use your heel position.

The solution to this problem is to give the dog command first, then look forward, keep your shoulders straight. If you want to look at your dog then just slightly tilt your head without movement of your shoulders. Your dog should be walking right beside you.

Minor Changes Do Work When Training Your Dog!

It’s surprising how minor changes make a big difference in dog training. Inconsistent body language when giving dog commands will give your dog a mixed message that will work against training your dog effectively. You need a combination of both consistent language and consistent body language to ensure your dog learns his dog commands correctly.