Through training, they learn that doing as we ask will increase their access to the things they find rewarding.
A Dog’s Eye View: Scents and Sensibility
Dogs and humans share the same major senses, but the scope of information gleaned through these senses is quite different. Your dog’s senses greatly influence his behavior, motivations, and responsiveness to your guidance. They can lead him to be distracted from the task at hand and can also be used to reinforce desired behavior. For example, you can reward your dog for walking nicely by your side by stopping and allowing him to enjoy an interesting scent he may encounter. Alternatively, you can let him pull you toward this enticing sidewalk scent, thus rewarding him for dragging you along for the ride.
Smell
This is where dogs truly shine. Dogs are far more attuned to and affected by smells than we are. They receive a vast amount of information by air scenting and sniffing the ground. It is believed that the area of the dog’s brain devoted to analyzing smells is approximately forty times larger than the same region in the human brain. The dog’s sense of smell opens up a vast realm of olfactory experience and can seem to dominate their brain and their behavior.
It is impossible to truly understand the importance of scent for dogs and how this sense affects their behavior. Humans have used the canine sense of smell to their advantage in hunting, search-and-rescue work, and bomb and drug detection. Dogs have been trained to detect everything from cancer cells to bed bugs, and they deserve our gratitude for the many ways we have benefited from their scenting abilities. They also deserve our consideration for the amount of information they process via this sense, and the fact that they can be distracted by things we can’t perceive. Rather than being frustrated, consider how to best motivate your dog to pay attention in a distracting environment.
TRAINER’S TIP
Because of preconceived notions, some breeds, types, or sizes of dogs rarely get to meet friendly, calm people outside of their family. Try an accessory that will accentuate your dog’s friendly nature, such as a brightly colored bandana. Or teach him to do a couple of cute tricks to encourage social encounters.
Sight
Dogs also see differently than we do because their sense of sight is tailored for hunting. They have superior motion sensitivity and can detect slight changes in the environment at great distances. This is why they easily react to a small, fast moving object I such as a ball or rabbit. On the other hand, they have I less ability to discern details of stationary objects. For instance, your dog may not easily detect you if you stand still 500 yards away. But, the moment you begin to move, he will recognize you.
TRAINER’S TIP
Although we are comfortable with verbal communication, dogs find this form of information processing most challenging. In order to effectively communicate with your dog, get into the habit of using words consistently and keeping them to a minimum, especially in the initial stages of training.
Dogs have superior night vision, and need only about one-fourth of the light we do to see in the dark. They also generally have better peripheral vision, but less ability to differentiate colors. A dog’s ability to perceive colors is the equivalent of a red / green color-blindness. They see green, yellow, and orange as yellowish, and blue-greens as grey.
Hearing
Dogs can detect sounds far higher on the auditory spectrum, from far greater distances. This explains why they react to things we cannot hear. Dogs often tilt their heads in order to better locate the source of a sound, and their ear mobility allows them to maneuver their ears to precisely pinpoint the location of sounds. However, this ability varies. For example, a Bloodhound’s long, low-set ears have less maneuver ability. Instead, they rely on their keen sense of smell. In contrast, the ears of an Alaskan Malamute are high set and highly mobile.
Taste
In this particular sense, we exceed canine abilities with our 9,000 taste buds compared with their 1,700. The dog’s sense of taste takes a back seat to other senses. However, smell plays a huge part in this sensory experience. For instance, a head cold and stuffy nose compromises your ability to taste food. Dogs rely more on their olfactory sense than their taste buds to evaluate the palatability of food.
Touch
Touch plays a vital role in the social structure of a dog’s life, beginning with a puppy’s interactions with his mother and littermates. Dogs touch for warmth and to solicit food, initiate greetings, maintain social bonding, and engage in some confrontational interactions. They may nuzzle, mouth, nibble, paw, bump, push, or lie next to another dog. The broad actions of touch are similar when used for both friendly and unfriendly interactions. It is the degree, intensity, and contact that defines its meaning. For example, a dog may mouth, paw, and mount his best canine friend in good fun. He might also do this with a confrontational intent.
As social creatures, we share our dogs’ need for physical contact. However, dogs, like people, vary in their response to proximity and touch. We must be aware of how they perceive certain forms of touch. A dog’s reaction depends on many factors, including his sensitivity and mood, as well as who is touching him. Consider which areas of your dog’s body are most sensitive (usually paws and muzzle) and which areas he enjoys having touched. Scratching his ear or rubbing his tummy can be used to reinforce desirable behaviors. A pat that one dog considers enjoyable might seem intimidating to another. Restricting or restraining your dog for a prolonged period is likely to be perceived differently than gentle pressure.
A dog’s aversion to touch can be an underlying cause of behavior issues, such as aggression. Dogs can and should be taught to enjoy human touch for bonding and safety, and so that it can be used as a reward.
PAWS TO CONSIDER
Proximity
Dogs typically approach and remain close to people or other animals when they feel comfortable in their presence, but there are exceptions to this rule. A dog may, on occasion, approach in order to intimidate or test the other animal’s reaction to his presence.
Canine Communication
Developing a better understanding of “dog speak” opens the lines of communication by helping to prevent misunderstandings due to misinterpretation.
Dogs communicate through body language, vocalization, and scents. Each indicator can provide clues about your dogs feelings. But, they are not absolutes. For example, a wagging tail does not always indicate a happy, relaxed state of mind. Typical canine gestures can have different meanings when directed toward dogs or people.
