How to talk to him so that he understands us? Our advice to adopt the right language.
The opinion of the Veterinary Doctor Claude Beata :
"A good communication of the master towards his dog relies above all on coherence. It's quite simple in the end: you just have to give him the same commands in the same way (with the same tone, the same gestures) in the same situations. This way, the dog understands what is expected of him and everything goes well.
Give him a short name
Snowy, Tango... ideally you choose a short name, with one or two syllables, which allows you to call him easily. Be careful that the dog does not confuse it with a command. For example, if you call him "Elsy", he will hear "sit". ⋙ Cats, dogs: the 2019 list of the most famous names.
For every word spoken, an action
Some dogs understand 300 to 1000 words, but the majority retain an average of ten, provided that they are associated with specific actions. The walk associated with "I'm taking the leash" is quickly understood and memorized for most.
No cheating on our intentions
More important than the meaning of the sentence, the tone of voice used must match the intention. What does that mean? We speak "baby" to our puppy to reassure him, gently to a dog to congratulate him, firmly to scold him, etc... Otherwise, we risk confusing the issue!
Talking with your body
Gestures are one of the keys to good communication with your dog: the body leaning forward is a threat, crouching is an invitation to play. To know what gestures to make or to avoid, the easiest way is to take positive dog training courses, via the website www.scc.asso.fr.
Knowing how to say "no! "when things aren't going well
Has he done something stupid? Yelling at the animal is not effective. A simple "no", said in a firm tone, with eyebrows raised and body tense, is enough to mark the limit. If the dog flattens down and/or moves away, it has understood.