Dogs respond to body language in the same way that we do. So when you approach your dog with an upright posture and a calm, confident voice, you instantly demand respect. On the other hand a tentative voice and stooped profile indicates uncertainty, while shouting and waving your hands at the dog just creates confusion.

It therefore stands to reason that you need to pay attention to your body language when interacting with your dog. If you want your dog to obey you need to stand tall and convey an air of calmness and confidence.

Body posture is very important in all this. When you stand straight and upright you exert control, when you stoop forward your dog sees it as an invitation to approach. So if you’re playing with your dog and he begins to get a bit too boisterous, standing up straight will normally bring him under control.

Something else to consider, especially when walking your dog, is where you stand, in relation to him. When you walk in front you are in the leadership position, but when you allow your dog to walk there you give him that responsibility. As the leader, it is his job to protect the “pack”, so he’s more inclined to become aggressive while walking in front. Get him to walk beside you, and he will immediately relax.

Your dog’s tone of voice is also important. Listen closely and you’ll pick up all kinds on nuances. A growl for example is not always a threat, and with a certain inflection is actually a playful sound. A bark may be a sign of excitement, a warning, an attention getter or many other things, depending on how it is vocalized.

In the same way, your dog can read a lot from the sound of your voice. A confident voice tone will quickly get his attention and force him to look at you. Think of commands as short, sharp barks. The dog may not understand the words, but he knows they are important because of your tone.

Other tones of voice are useful too, for example a soft, loving voice conveys much the same to your dog as it would to a human and should be used for giving praise and affection. An if you want your dog to join you in a game, a high-pitched tone will soon get him worked up.

Remember also that yelling is like barking to a dog. Yelling is counterproductive, so don’t do it. It won’t help with training, in fact, in most cases it will have a negative impact. It can also damage the bond you have with your dog.

Bear in mind that tone of voice is more important to your dog that the words you use. When you first begin to teach a voice command the words will actually mean nothing, but tone will still convey your intention until he begins to associate the word with the action.

One last thing about giving commands, dogs are intimidated by staring and regard it as a threat, so don’t stare directly at your dog. Rather tilt your head slightly upward or to the side.

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