mydogsessence

Listening With Your Eyes: The Importance of Dog Body Language

One of the most powerful tools you can have as a dog owner is the ability to read your dog’s body language. Our dogs are communicating with us all the time—but unlike us, they don’t use words. Instead, they use posture, movement, facial expressions, and energy to share how they’re feeling. And when we learn to understand those subtle cues, we become better advocates, better handlers, and better friends to our dogs.

It’s OK If Your Dog Doesn’t Like Everyone

Just like people, dogs have preferences. Some are social butterflies, and others are more selective with who they’re comfortable around. And that’s okay. What’s not okay—at least in our human world—is when a dog expresses their discomfort through aggressive behavior like growling, lunging, or biting.

But here’s the thing: those behaviors are your dog’s way of saying, “Please give me space.” They are often the result of smaller, earlier signals being ignored—like turning their head away, licking their lips, yawning, tensing up, or trying to retreat. When those signs are missed or dismissed, a dog may feel they have no choice but to escalate their communication.

Know Your Dog, So You Can Help

That’s why it’s so important to know your dog. Every dog is different. Learning their stress signals, triggers, and comfort zones allows you to step in before things go sideways. If your dog seems unsure or uneasy, you can redirect, offer space, or use training games to help them feel more in control. These small actions can make a big difference in your dog’s confidence and emotional safety.

It’s Not Just Stress, It’s Excitement, Too

Being able to read your dog isn’t only about recognizing fear or discomfort—it’s also about recognizing excitement. Overexcitement can lead to behaviors like jumping on people, barking, or pulling on the leash. These moments often get labeled as “bad behavior,” when really, they’re just emotional overflow.

If you see your dog getting amped up before greeting someone, take a moment to help them settle before saying hello. Use calm reinforcement, reward quiet behavior, and give them a second to breathe. This helps prevent the jumpy hellos and teaches your dog how to navigate social moments with calmness and confidence.

Use Training Games to Support Your Dog

While you’re working through the situations your dog finds hard—whether it’s being around new people, visiting the vet, or greeting other dogs—you can use training games to help. Games build positive associations, strengthen your bond, and give your dog tools to cope with stress or excitement. Plus, they’re fun for both of you!

If you’d like to learn what games are right for your dog and how to use them in real life situations, reach out to me here, I’d love to help you get started.

To Sum It Up:

Understanding your dog’s body language isn’t about preventing all challenges, it’s about responding with compassion, guidance, and awareness. The more we learn to observe and listen to our dogs, the better we can support them in feeling safe, secure, and successful in the human world.

Your dog doesn’t need to love every person or situation. They just need you, their handler, advocate, and teammate to notice, understand, and help them through it.

So take the time to learn, observe, and grow alongside your dog. Celebrate their efforts, meet them where they are, and let your training journey be rooted in trust and love. The more you understand them, the deeper your bond becomes and there’s nothing more beautiful than truly knowing and loving your dog for who they are.

Want to dive deeper into reading your dog’s signals? Here are two wonderful books I highly recommend:

mydogsessence

Yes! any day is a good day to train… SOMETHING but not ANYTHING!

When it comes to our dogs, every day is an opportunity to train, whether we’re teaching a fun trick, working on cooperative care like nail trimming or brushing, practicing dog sports such as agility, or simply helping our dogs relax on their bed while we work. Even when we’re not actively training, our dogs are constantly learning.

It’s important to remember that while we’re always training, we shouldn’t train just anything at any time. We need to choose wisely what we work on. For example, if your dog has had a scary experience or a frightening moment, it’s crucial to give them time to recover. After a stressful event, their body releases cortisol—a stress hormone—and it can take time for those levels to go down.

In these situations, it’s best to focus on calming activities or enrichment games that allow your dog to relax and unwind. Things like sniffing games, lick mats, or quiet time in a cozy space can help soothe your dog and provide gentle stimulation without adding stress. So while we can always train something, it’s essential to make sure we’re training what’s best for the moment, not just anything.

Let’s be intentional with our training sessions, but also remember that dogs are always learning from us, even when we’re not actively working with them. Use this awareness to your advantage—praise them, reward with treats or affection, and create positive outcomes whenever possible. The more we reinforce good behavior, the more we’ll see it grow.

Whether you’re focusing on basic obedience like sit, stay, or come, or more advanced skills, consistency and patience are key. So no matter what day it is, or what you’re doing, remember that you’re always training. Let’s make it count in ways that strengthen our bond and bring out the best in our dogs!

mydogsessence

Novel Item Week: Building Confidence and a Positive Mindset in Your Dog

What is Novel Item Week?

Every first week of the month, we invite you to join us in “Novel Item Week.” This special week is all about introducing new and interesting items into your home for your dog to explore. The goal is to help your dog develop a positive mindset, reduce their fear of new things, and build their confidence.

The Benefits of Novel Item Week

  • Positive Mindset: Regularly encountering new items helps dogs learn that new experiences can be fun, rewarding or simply uneventful.
  • Reduced Fear: By gradually exposing dogs to new things in a controlled environment, we can help them become less fearful of unfamiliar objects.
  • Increased Confidence: Successfully interacting with novel items boosts dogs’ confidence, making them more adaptable and resilient.

How to Participate in Novel Item Week

Step 1: Place a Novel Item

Place a novel item in a random spot in your home. This could be anything from a new toy to a household object your dog hasn’t seen before or just not in that place. Like a bicycle in the middle of the living room or a kitchen pot in the bathroom floor.

Step 2: Wait for Your Dog to Notice

Wait for your dog to pass by the item without an invitation. Let them discover it on their own.

Step 3: Observe Your Dog’s Reaction

  • If your dog notices the item and nothing happens: That’s awesome! Your dog is comfortable with new things.
  • If your dog sniffs the item and walks away: Great! Your dog is curious and not fearful.
  • If your dog is skeptical but eventually sniffs and is fine: Good progress! Your dog is learning to overcome their caution.
  • If your dog is too afraid to interact with the item: Don’t force them. Calmly say “all is well,” touch the item yourself, and sprinkle some delicious treats around it. Gradually move the treats closer to the item until they are on it, always giving your dog the choice to leave the room if they want. If this doesn’t work, start with an item your dog is familiar with and follow the same process, then try a novel item the next day.

Step 4: Repeat

During the first week of each month, set a novel item three times a week in different spots around your home. This consistent practice helps reinforce the benefits.

Examples of Novel Items

  • Toys: New or unfamiliar toys that your dog hasn’t played with before.
  • Household Items: Safe objects like a kitchen utensil, a hat, or a small piece of furniture.
  • Sports Items: Bicycles, tires, rackets, helmets.
  • Others: Piñatas, fans, lamps, baskets, bags.

“Here’s to More Confident Dogs! Celebrate each small step towards a more confident and happy pup.”

Share Your Experience

We would love to see what your novel items were and what your dogs reactions were! Share your stories, pictures, and videos with us on social media using the hashtag #DogNovelitem . Let’s grow our dog’s confidence together!