www.TheNewBarker.com 62 THE NEW BARKER One of my first experiences as a dog trainer was observing Dr. A, a veterinarian and trainer, demonstrate to a group of five teenagers how to get a dog named Jupiter to sit before going through a doorway.We had just walked down a set of stairs and were near a door that led outside.The kids and I were observing Jupiter as Dr.A held a leash and treat. Dr.A had made several attempts to get Jupiter to sit, but he continued to stand.When he did not respond to her cue, Dr.A asked me what I would do.“Pull up on the leash and push down on the hip area,” I said confidently.With a slight tilt of her head, Dr.A replied “If you can’t do it to an elephant, then you can’t do it to a dog.”At the time I thought it was ridiculous. I’m a prob- lem solver and that is an easy problem to solve. Nine years later and thousands of hours training thousands of different dogs, I cringe at the thought of applying pressure to a dog’s hip area to force a dog to sit. Have I flip-flopped my phi- losophy? You doggone bet I have! The most important thing you can do is be patient and give your dog the freedom of choice. If he doesn’t respond to your cue, consider what could be distracting him, but don’t force him to comply. Let’s consider Jupiter’s situation. He was available for adop- tion at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay and was on an out- ing at this location. He was standing in an enclosed stairwell, people were watching him, and he didn’t know any of them. Each of these factors can create fear, anxiety, and/or stress in dogs. Fear and stress had probably made it more difficult for Jupiter to respond.What would my answer to Dr. A’s question be today? “Look at his surroundings and make changes in order to give him a greater chance of success.” In this scenario, the observing group could have moved against the wall to give Jupiter more space. Jupiter could have been allowed to sniff and investigate the area to ensure his own safety. Additionally, the door could have been opened to allow Jupiter to see outside and then closed again. Since this was Jupiter’s first time at the facility, it was not surprising that he hesitated to respond to the cue. Everything was new and Jupiter had no knowledge of what could happen next. What if I had applied collar pressure and pushed down on his hips to force a sit? I would have gotten compliance, but not in response to my cue, and it would have contributed to his existing stress. Next time you think your dog is ignoring your cue, consider it from their perspective. Let them decide if conditions are right for them to do what you’re asking. Be patient. If they are hesitant, set them up to experience success and the rewards that come along with it. In the future, they’ll be more comfort- able with the cue. Even old “dogs” like me are learning new tricks every day. Glen Hatchell runs the shelter dog playgroup program at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. He is also available for private dog training sessions through his company My Dog Trainer. “Every day, I work with happy dogs, scared dogs, playful dogs, and dogs that have no man- ners at all,” says Glen. “I want to find ways to help the dog be comfortable in that environment, whether it’s the shelter or a home.” Call Glen at 813.935.PETS(7387) or send him an email at info@mydogtrainer.com Freedom of Choice. –by Glen Hatchell, CPDT-KSA If your dog seems to be ignoring you, maybe it’s just a “language barrier” of sorts. You speak English (or Spanish or some other language) and she speaks canine. It’s not just about inter- preting a bark. Dogs are very tuned into body language. They communicate mostly through posture, movement, eye contact – all without a single spoken word. The next time your dog isn’t listening to you, consider what message your body language is telegraphing to her. What Are You Really Saying? U Y