Training Tips: Body Language

by Rita and Dan Comden

Dogs have their own language too. The intensity and degree of expression differs with breeds as well as individual dogs from the same litter. If you can recognize and understand what your partner is trying to tell you, he will become even more expressive as time goes by.

Caption: Poul and Shocka after a successful flight (35K)

Your own body language is very important when communicating with your dog. Nonverbal cues such as posture, hand/arm movements, pitch and rate of speech, are observed by your partner. By working with experienced trainers you can learn how to match your own body language to reinforce training. Erect posture, firm (not necessarily loud) tone of voice and confident demeanor are tools of the trade for the successful professional trainer and something all dog handlers can learn and use. Confidence and trust is a big part of our relationship with our working partners, on both sides. Not only do we rely on them to do the job, they rely on us to take the lead in new and unusual situations, such as the first time doing hot loads (boarding a running helicopter) or working at night.

We who live with our dogs recognize the vocal and body language signs of: The Happy Greeting; the Submissive Gestures, to the handler and other dominant dogs; the Alarm, saying someone or something is on my turf; and Feed Me, etc. As searcher we must also know how to "read" Aggression, Stress/fatigue, illness/depression, Alerts and Finds.

• Aggression: Look for stiff-legged walking, straight up tail, eye contact, deep growling, and charging. Take control of the situation at the first growl. Aggression towards other dogs or people is absolutely not acceptable in a working search dog.
• Stress/fatigue: This comes on gradually as the dog tires, or becomes emotionally stressed. Watch for heavy panting, curling tongue, drooping head, anorexia and not hydrating. Many dogs will yawn when stressed. Rest the dog more often and use the release word. Get him out of the mainstream of the stress if possible. If the handler is stressed, it's easily transferred to the dog.
• Alerts and Finds: Watch for the subtle alerts, working your dog into more difficult situations gradually, with uneven terrain, deep drainages, cliffs, etc. Make your FINDS mean more to the dog by waiting until you can touch your subject, in practice searches, before rewarding him. There are different ways to have him communicate his find. Whether you train with a bringsel, a bark, or he comes back with a 2x4 and hits you over the head and carries you to the subject, just be sure you know what he is saying.

By knowing what to look for with your dog, you can have control in most social and search situations. This is what makes a professional search team.

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Text and photos copyright Dan Comden, 1995-2004
Dan Comden
Seattle, WA U.S.A.
Email -- dan*@*comdens.com (remove the asterisks around the "@" symbol)