Let’s face it, there are times you wish you can step out of your balcony and scream your lungs out just to show how much you love your furry friend. That may make you feel good but not your pooch. Love, (happiness) and anger (sadness or disappointment) are two basic emotions we all wish we can easily tell our dogs. However, humans and dogs communicate differently. While verbal communication is primary for humans, dogs rely on non-verbal communication to pass information across.

Thankfully, with over 30,000 years of close contacts with humans, dogs have evolved communication skills that humans can understand. Wagging of tail when they are excited, eye and ear positioning as well as facial expressions to show anger or disappointment, are some of the ways dogs communicate with humans. So, how can you express basic emotions in a way that your faithful companion will understand?

Love

A big hug is a natural way for humans to show affection. For a dog, the same gesture can feel uncomfortable or threatening if coming from an unfamiliar face. The next thing that will come to the mind of most dog lovers is to give them a treat. While this is not a bad idea, you don’t want your pooch to become obese, particularly if you don’t have an exercise routine for them.

A more effective way of expressing your love for your pooch is by gently rubbing the back of the ears. This is highly effective because it stimulates the release of endorphins, a hormone responsible for the feeling of pleasure. This hormone also serves as a pain reliever. Alternatively, you know how dogs lean into you while you are sitting together? That is their own way of giving hugs. You can reciprocate that if you are extremely.

Dogs love affection and enjoy being cuddled because it makes them feel safe and secure. Sharing your bed with your pooch can be interpreted as an ultimate display of love and affection. When that is not possible, get him a warm winter dog bed. Also, getting a dog coat for your pooch can say more about your love than a million words.

Anger

In case you don’t already know, dogs can read moods. They can sense when you are angry. They rely heavily on their sense of smell for this important task. When humans are angry, there is an adrenalin rush that often results in increased production of sweat. Dogs can smell this increase in sweat production.

Other things that humans can involuntarily do when they are angry is to raise the tone of their voice, tense their muscles, or stop making eye contacts. Believe it or not, it hurts your faithful dog to see you exhibit any of these. So, how will you know the message is received? Different dogs will act in a different way depending on their breed. Some will bark or growl, cower and look for a place to hide, or walk towards you in a sober way.

Training your pooch to communicate

The more you take your dog outdoor and allow them to interact with people, the better they will become at reading different emotions through observation. Also, you can train your dog to communicate through gestures. Creating a routine can help you to communicate better with your dog. Dogs learn faster through repetitive activities and games.

The pointing game is, perhaps, the simplest in the series of games you can play with your pooch. Place two identical cups facedown some centimeters apart. Establish eye contact with your pooch and point at one of the cups. You pooch should obey your gesture and explore the cup. Don’t get so worked up if he didn’t get it the first time. As a motivation, you can place crumbs of food under the cup. Gradually you will begin to say more with gestures than words.

Communicating with your dog is a great way of increasing your dog’s love for you and of course your love for your dog.  In these busy times, spend time each day talking to your dog in their own language – it reaps rewards and your dog will be calmer and more affectionate.

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