Reading Your Dog’s Reactions
A dog with a good owner will invariably be a happy dog. However, the fact is that just like humans, dogs are prone to certain moods. This does not mean, of course, that a grumpy dog will scowl at you on the way to the kitchen in the morning, but what it does mean is that the average dog will sometimes be subdued, sometimes manic and a lot of the time will simply be its usual cheerful self. Knowing how to read your dog’s moods can enable you to train it in the best way possible. Even though your dog doesn’t know what you are doing, it will feel better about it.
Teaching a dog is inevitably easier when it is in a good mood. The dog will want to have some fun, and you can turn training into a game that the dog will enjoy. By giving it treats to reward good behavior, it will really get into the spirit of what you are trying to do. Every dog likes to enjoy the confidence of its owner and, just like humans, they will work the best in an atmosphere that contributes to their readiness to behave well. You will know from your dog’s eyes and its general bearing how it is feeling, and you can react to that.
It is perhaps not a good idea to train a dog when it is in a manic mood. Introducing treats into an environment such as this will send the dog into a hyperactive rush which can end up being destructive to furniture and injurious to your dog’s learning process.