Clear Communication: Its all Giraffes in Jars These Days

“Is it okay if we just focus on my dog’s aggression towards other dogs? His not listening to me and being a spaz in the house doesn't bother me.”

Sometimes I hear the above request from clients. However only treating your dog’s most annoying problem without addressing the root issues is like having brackish water coming out of a faucet. You can buy one of those water filter pitchers to clear the water but you never solve the water problem at its source. You continually correct the issue as the primary problem continues to exist.

So how can you get to the source of your dog’s issues? Even though each dog, owner, and case is different, there tends to be one truth: success starts with improving communication between dog and owner.

Let’s say your dog is like an unruly teenager named Alice. 

“Uh no wa-haaay! Like, I’m totally going to Tweet that you compared me to a dog. As IF! #DogTrainersRStoopid.”

Barbara has tried everything to communicate with Alice. She’s tried different strategies, reading books, looking on the internet, talking to friends, and even watching Dr. Phil. 

“You can’t lead a teenager to a giraffe hunt in a pickle jar!”

Okay, that cleared things up Dr. Phil.

Barbara has tried being more strict, using boundaries, praise, getting interested in Alice's music, but in the end Alice seems disinterested, and still acts out. Barbara's terrified of ruining their already fragile relationship. 

This IS a giraffe hunt in a pickle jar!

So what about the dog relationship? No matter the dog, nor the dog’s problem, when basic communication is brought into the equation, something shifts in the dog. Dogs that were disengaged become present. Hyper dogs start calming down. Anxious dogs focus. Reactive dogs relinquish control.

Owners also shift: Their frustration melts away, hope comes in, and a sense of pride in their dog and what the two of them can achieve together surfaces. This new way of communicating isn’t something you can practice for 15 minutes a day. Every interaction with your dog is an opportunity to either strengthen or weaken those lines of communication. And when that communication is solidly in place at home, outside, in the car, on the trail—that’s when you’ve gone to the source and cleared up the confusion. 

Now somebody let those poor giraffes out of that jar.