Dog psychology can help dog parents understand their dogs better and have a stronger relationship. Just like humans, dogs have their own unique personalities and quirks that can be difficult to understand. But by learning about dog psychology, dog parents can gain a better understanding of why their dog behaves the way they do. This knowledge can then be used to build a stronger, more trusting relationship between dog and parent.
There are many different aspects of dog psychology that can be studied, but some of the most important include canine communication, body language, and socialization. By taking the time to learn about these topics, dog parents can become more attuned to what their dog is trying to tell them.
If you’re like most dog parents, you want to understand your dog as best as possible. And what better way to do that than to learn about dog psychology? So if you’re curious about how to build a stronger, more trusting relationship with dogs, read on! You may be surprised by what you learn.
How understanding dog psychology can help you understand your dog better?
If we consider the human species, our species, then we will basically find two kinds of psychology:
- Male Psychology
- Female Psychology
People see the world differently based on their gender. Often, men don’t understand women and women don’t understand men. This is because both genders have different psychology, and to fulfil each other needs we must understand the basics of it.
Understanding this concept of different psychology in people is critical since it allows you to take action and learn about the psychology of dogs because dogs are a different species.
Let me give you an example of the difference between the way humans behave with a nervous insecure dog and how dogs behave with such dogs:
Dogs generally give distance to such dogs and in mother nature, you will hardly see any such cases.
On the other hand, humans are completely different, most humans nurture insecurity in their dogs by not giving distance and worse by giving affection when the dog is nervous or insecure.
The reason most human nurture insecurity is lack of knowledge of dog psychology and lack of control over our own emotions because it is very hard to see our dog suffer.
Whenever a dog receives affection, his or her state of mind get nurtured. So if you are giving affection when the dog is under stress then you are nurturing his stressed state of mind. This is one of the differences between human psychology and dog psychology.
Now multiply this nurturing of the wrong state of mind, nurturing a fearful state of mind, every day, then over a period of time, the dog will get habitual of living in a fear state of mind always, which leads to a very unhappy life, a sad life just because of the lack of understanding of humans.
How to interpret your dog’s state of mind?
Dogs are part of the animal kingdom and in order to understand your dog’s state of mind, you first need to learn about how animals communicate.
Animals communicate with each other via their body language and their energy, that’s how they understand who is prey and who is the predator.
Interpreting your dog’s state of mind is important because every interaction you have at that time will be associated with that state of mind.
If your dog is not projecting calmness and confidence then he or she requires your guidance and not affection at that time.
When any dog gets under stress, he requires his pack to project calmness and confidence to become balanced again.
If you are feeling nervous, sad or giving affection to your dog when he/she is stressed, then you are actually making things worse for your dog. Dogs take feedback from their environment, so it is important to act with calmness and confidence around them.
Give affection and attention only when the dog is projecting calmness and confidence.
How to raise balanced dogs without any behavioural issues by following the 5 rituals of dogs?
Dogs are social animals and in the wild, they live in packs. In order to have a balanced dog, you need to provide him with the same structure that he would find in the wild.
Here are the 5 rituals to create structure in your dog’s life:
- Walk Ritual
- Discipline Ritual
- Socializing Ritual
- Feeding Ritual
- Play Ritual
I’m going to go into more detail about each of these dog psychology rituals in the upcoming post so you can understand how following them will create a balanced dog without any behavioural issues but let me give you a brief idea.
The Walk Ritual is probably one of the most important ones because it’s where your dog gets to explore and release energy. A good 30-60 minute structured walk two times a day is necessary for your dog’s physical and mental health.
By structured walk I mean when the dog is walking beside you or behind you.
During the Discipline Ritual, you are teaching your dog right from wrong. This is an important part of their education and must be done with patience and consistency. Shouting or releasing frustration is not the dog’s way, they discipline by remaining calm and assertive.
In the wild, dogs who break the rules of the pack are disciplined by the dominant balanced dogs. This is important because it keeps the pack safe and ensures that everyone knows their place within it.
As the leader of your dog’s pack, it is your job to provide this discipline when necessary by remaining calm, confident and consistent.
The Socializing Ritual is essential for dogs because it helps them develop social skills that they will need throughout their life. It’s also a great way for them to meet new people and animals.
The Feeding Ritual is another important one because it establishes rules and structure around mealtimes. By providing regular meal times and following a set routine, you are teaching your dog that there is predictability in his life which he needs for comfort.
Last but not least, the Play Ritual is essential for dogs because it helps them release energy and have some fun! Playing with your dog can be as simple as throwing a ball or playing tug of war with obedience.
Dogs are complex creatures that can be difficult to understand. However, if you take the time to learn about their psychology and how they think, you can develop a better relationship with them and avoid any behavioural issues. By following the five rituals of dogs, as outlined in this blog post, you can create a balanced dog who is happy and content.
If you need more help or advice when it comes to understanding your dog, join OhMyDog Help Center for practical solutions from experts in the field. We hope this article has helped you gain a deeper understanding of your dog and given you some ideas on how to improve your relationship with them. Thanks for reading!
