The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs

by Patricia B. McConnell

Frustration is a common reason that dogs—or most any other mammal, for that matter—get aggressive. If you want your dog to be a polite house dog who is part of your family, then you need to raise her as you would any youngster and teach her how to tolerate not always getting what she wants the instant that she wants it.

All of our instincts seem to have us look at our dog, just as primates do when they are trying to communicate directly with another individual in the troop. But the look that works best, that we use ourselves when we’re not thinking about it, is that slightly snobby, hard-to-get look when we turn our head away in dismissal.

Try writing a symbolic equivalent of what each word sounds like when you say it. Does “Down” rise up in the air as you finish the word (like a question) or descend (like a statement of fact)? Start listening to yourself and asking your family and friends to pay attention to what you actually do say to your dog.

Your dog’s life will improve immensely if you learn to use a different command for each behavior that you want her to do.