BARK TO BASICS

Understand why your dog won't listen' and simple ways to fix it

- Divya Sanbhwani

Back in the day, receiving a call to train a dog for a case of aggression or reactivity was a phenomenon trainers and experts were familiar with; it would be a classic case of miscommunication between dog and parent of their respected roles, and with the right kind of guidance and letting go of any kind of treats to train or a crate to restrict, we were able to bring back the harmony at home and strengthen the relationship imbibing mutual trust, love and respect.

Here's where it gets interesting; last month we received a query with behavioural concern listed as "My dog is stubborn, he just doesn't listen" - well, considering that this wasn't the first of its kind. I said to my colleague - it seems like this is our new normal!

But how did it come into being?

Where is the loyalty our dogs were always known for? Time to dig deeper and find out! As per Psychology Today, our dogs experience six primary emotions presumed to be largely instinctive and biologically based such as anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise, along with other 16 secondary emotions. In this entire list, both primary or secondary, there is no mention of stubbornness - so how is it possible for such a trait to reach our homes in today's day and age?