How is your mood and energy today? Are you nervous or tense? Are you worried or fearful about something? Are you feeling healthy and happy?
As humans we are going to have days that are great and some that aren’t so great. Your dog is a master at picking up on your mood and this has a great impact on how your dog relates to you. Be mindful of your mood when you are training or wondering why your dog is behaving the way it is.
Some may believe a dog continually jumping, lunging, running frantically back and forth is a happy dog. Imagine if you were continually on the go and anxious without the ability to calm yourself, would you be happy? You may have noticed some people that are uneasy, erratic, unsettled? Do you think they are truly happy? On the outside they often behave as if they are happy and have everything under control. It is similar with dogs. Continual barking, running, tearing things up and frantic play is just not a chilled, relaxed, confident dog.
Your mood and energy level may cause or be contributing to anxiety, aggression, shyness, lethargy and behaviour problems in your dog. Before we claim the dog is ‘wrong’ we should always check ourselves for mood, energy levels and our own frame of mind.
Once your dog knows you have got things under control then they will be calm and happier. Your dog can sense your mood and energy when you are in a good place. This is a necessary factor allowing your dog to relax and be more comfortably confident in themselves. This, of course, may not be the only factor in your dog’s behaviour, but it certainly is an important one.
So what can we do?
Next time you are out on a walk be sure to send those confident, happy and great energy feelings out to the world and your pup.
What if you just don’t feel that way?
One effective thing you can do is to act as if it were true. Put your shoulders back, smile, appreciate the surrounding beauty, think of time in your life when things were great or just funny. Try walking and hanging out with a loved one or a few friends to improve your mood.
Listening to great music, reading or listening to inspirational people can kick you out of the doldrums. Do more of what you love and hopefully one of those things is walking and being with your dog. Make the most of walking and training time with your dog to improve your and his mood and energy.
Don’t forget to keep smiling and have a GREAT day.
