The Art of "Having" Attention: A Deeper Look into Dog-Human Relationships

When you're out walking your dog, and he's running along, and then he just veers in your direction, but he doesn't come all the way in, that's another way of just checking in. Sometimes they'll do that just so that they can catch you in their peripheral, so that you get onto their radar, and if you just acknowledge that with a “good dog”, just for turning in towards you, they don't have to come all the way in. But again, for me, when I'm working off leash, if they come in, then they get a reward. Otherwise they just get the good dog. They still get the acknowledgement. They just get the real high value stuff if they come all the way in.

dog behavior, dog training, dog training podcastLaura BourhenneSeptember 21, 2025dog behavior, dog communication, dog attentionComment

Are You Talking AT Your Dog or Communicating WITH Them?

He knows how to affect the outcome. He says, I know how to do this. I can do this one and and I know how this is going to come out, right? And I can make the decision about how I'm going to make this come out, so I can do this and know, Oh, guess what? Aren't I great, and you're going to be totally responsive to me. And I know that it's, it's completely clear in my head, right? I know exactly what's going to happen here, yeah. And so that's empowering, and that's actually even though the other is a very loving gesture for the dog that is a more loving gesture for the dog, that's an easier thing for them to understand. So if you have a dog that tunes you out, and then you because you talk, talk, talk, talk, or other, there are other ways that you can get it right, tune you out, and then you suddenly throw something at them, and they don't do it because they've learned to tune you out.

dog training, dog behaviorLaura BourhenneMay 22, 2017friendly dog, petting new dogs, is your dog friendly, Dog behavior Dog friendliness Social interactions Dog body language Canine etiquette Dog training Petting dogs Stranger interactions Dog aggression Dog safety Canine socialization Polite dogs Dog communication Understanding dogs Asking permission Responsible pet ownership Dog-friendly misconceptions Public perception of dogs Dog bite prevention Dog-human interactions, dog behavior, dog friendliness, social interactions, dog body language, canine etiquette, dog training, petting dogs, stranger interactions, dog aggression, dog safety, canine socialization, polite dogs, dog communication, understanding dogs, asking permission, responsible pet ownership, dog-friendly misconceptions, public perception of dogs, dog bite prevention, dog-human interactionsComment

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