Your dog is clever, and she likes to interact and communicate with you. Your vocal responses, however, aren’t an ideal indicator of your attention because you talk all day long. From her perspective, your eye contact is the surest determinant: eye contact, negative or positive, ensures your interaction.
Remember, if you’re looking at your dog, she’ll repeat the behavior that succeeded in getting your attention, again, 100 percent guaranteed.
Eye contact is so important that it influences your dog’s behavior throughout the day. A few examples:
Jumping: If you look at your dog when she jumps, she’ll jump again. In fact, the main reason your dog is jumping is to see whether she can get your attention. Whether you look at her when you’re greeting her or when she approaches you while you’re relaxing in your home, make sure that she has all four paws on the floor before you say hello.
Barking: If you look at your dog the instant she barks, guess what? You’ll get a repeat performance. If you want a quiet dog, focus on your dog when she’s quiet.
Housesoiling: Many dogs are so lively and bored that they’ll do anything that gets a rise out of someone, including peeing. If your dog eliminates while staring you in the face and then hangs out to watch the cleanup, your eye contact (once again) is guaranteeing a repeat performance.
Excerpted from Understanding Your Dog for Dummies by Stanley Coren, PhD and Sarah Hodgson, c 2007, Wiley Publishing Inc. Reprinted by permission.
