Show 71: How to Make a Dog Listen to You: The Power of Silence and Calm Energy

If anyone comes to me for tips on how to get dogs to listen more, I always ask them to do this: “Think of the most connected, most effective conversations you’ve had with a loved one. Were they done with shouting, or were they filled with calm, understanding energy?” Surely, you would say the latter. And it’s true. As a parent, the most effective conversations I've had with my children are ones done in absolute calmness. No anger. Without raised voices. No hurtful words. And like what I mentioned in my book “What The Dogs Taught Me About Being A Parent”, it’s the same with our dogs! One of the best ways to make dogs listen and connect with us is to practice silence and calm energy whenever we communicate with them. Read on to learn more about this. Key Takeaways: Dogs listen and connect with us more when we have a calmer energy. Starting the day with a calmer energy helps our dogs become calm and receptive to us. What we consider as regular noise can already be too overwhelming for our dogs. Making sure our energies and noise are regulated can help dogs tune in better. CONNECT WITH YOUR DOGS BETTER WITH THE DOG CALMING CODE™️ Table of Contents: How to Get Dogs to Listen: We Listen More to Silence Than the Noise Why Silence Is Important in Making Dogs Listen to Us More 5 Reasons Why a Dog Is Not Responding To You3.1 Reason #1: They Are Overwhelmed3.2 Reason #2: The Energy You Have Speaks Differently Than Your Voice3.3 Reason #3: You're Shouting a Lot, and They No Longer Know What's Urgent and What's Not3.4 Reason #4: You Are Not Connected with Your Dog3.5 Reason #5: They Don't See You as a Leader They Can Trust Use this Quick Exercise on Silence and Calm Energy To Make Your Dog Listen More4.1 Step 1: Start Your Day Quietly4.2 Step 2: Observe the Effect on Your Dog4.3 Step 3: Call Your Dog Calmly How to Get Dogs to Listen More: Why Yelling Is Not the Answer5.1 Reason #1: Yelling Tells Your Dog You’re Not a Confident Leader, Making It Hard for Them to Follow You5.2 Reason #2: Yelling — as a Knee Jerk Reaction — Rarely Builds Any Connection5.3 Reason #3: If We Go About Yelling Every Time, Our Dog Will Constantly Carry a Stressed Energy With Them The Dog Calming Code: The Program That Helps Calm Dogs Down and Makes Them Listen More   How To Get Dogs to Listen: We Listen More to Silence Than The Noise Let me share a simple story that shows why quiet moments matter when communicating with dogs.   My wife and I went on a double date with our friends one evening. We all started chatting in the car and having a great time. But during the trip, something interesting happened. My friend and I stopped talking and focused on listening to our wives speaking softly. My friend turned to me and said, "Hey, mate, I think they're talking about something important!" We spent the rest of the drive in complete silence, eager to hear what they were discussing. This experience made me realize that sometimes, being quiet and calm helps you communicate better than shouting! This lesson from everyday life also applies to training dogs. Our dogs respond better to calm and quiet energy than loud noises. If you really want your dog to listen, focus on the silence and the calm. LEARN HOW TO CONNECT WITH YOUR DOGS BETTER WITH THE DOG CALMING CODE Why Silence Is Important in Making Dogs Listen to Us More Important note: I have to add here that when I say silence, I don’t mean you say zero words to your dog. It is being intentional with words, ensuring we keep what we say, and our energy, in check. So, why is silence important for dogs? In the wild, dogs are calmer and quieter. They are not used to hearing shouting. In fact, they only use their sound — like barking and howling — to communicate danger and to protect the pack. They use noise for the REAAAALLY important stuff. It’s a different story for our domesticated dogs. Every single day, they have to deal with different kinds of noise like: The hustle and bustle of morning p