5 Things I Did That Made Luca Different
When people see Luca and I on the street, they often marvel at his behavior and ask me what I did to train him. I’m always a bit hesitant in my reply, because the honest answer is… not much. These days, there are many schools of thought surrounding the best dog training methods and naturally each dog and family situation is different. Many people choose to hire a dog trainer or to enroll in puppy classes, and that certainly isn't a bad route to take, especially if you don't have any prior dog training experience. When I adopted Luca, however, I was in my 3rd year of veterinary school and didn't really have the time or resources to formally dedicate to dog training, so I just stuck to my gut and went with what felt right to me at the time. My methods weren't totally conventional, but in the end, resulted in arguably the best-trained dog that anybody has ever met. If you're able to do these things, you'll be off to a great start.
Here are 5 things I did that made Luca different:
1. I always made eye contact with him.
Making eye contact with your dog is important for several reasons. First, it locks the dog's attention onto you and into the present moment. When they're in the puppy phase, dogs are extremely excitable, easily stimulated, and easily distractible. They may find it difficult to remain focused on you or the task at hand -- especially when doing training outside, where there are a multitude of stimuli constantly activating their senses. Maintaining eye contact with your dog and lengthening the time before they break eye contact will serve to improve their focus and attention. This will, in-turn, facilitate all other areas of training and improve their ability to continue to learn from you long-term.
In addition to improving the dog's focus and long-term training ability, making eye contact physiologically strengthens the bond between you and your dog. This is, in my opinion, the most important aspect of training and is something I really can't harp on enough. When a human makes eye contact with their dog, oxytocin, the neurochemical associated with emotional bonding, is released in both the brain of the dog and the human. In other words, making eye contact will physiologically develop and strengthen the bond between you and the animal. Over time, your dog will also learn to pick up on the expression in your eyes and respond accordingly. Because Luca and I are well-bonded, I find that, amongst many other things, he is more conscious of my location and proximity, less likely to wander far off on his own, and has a very high level of emotional intelligence.
2. I spoke to him like a human.
Most people speak to their dog like they're just a dog, utilizing standardized commands that perhaps don't flow naturally with the way they would otherwise communicate. This didn't feel natural to me, so instead I spoke to Luca like I would a small human. Again, I always made eye contact. Beyond the standard "dog commands," I utilized my full vocabulary and was conscious of my tone and expression. Sometimes I spoke to him in English, sometimes in Dutch, and sometimes in Italian, as my parents had done with me. The bottom line is that I communicated with Luca in a way that was natural to me, which brought ease and flow to our communication long-term, and resulted in him developing the emotional intelligence to pick up on nuanced human conversational cues and the ability to respond appropriately in real-time.
As with human communication, it's important to note that the communication with your dog flows both ways. Listening is just as important as speaking. I am very in tune with Luca and continually make it a point to learn and respond to his non-verbal cues. Over time, this built trust. Whereas contrarily, a lack of acknowledgement repeated over time could result in a lack of trust on the dog's part, potentially resulting in undesirable behavior. Paying attention to what your dog is trying to tell you is just as important as what you're trying to tell them, and will serve to build their trust and compliance long-term.
3. I brought him everywhere.
Most people don’t bring their dogs along with them as they go about their day to day lives. At worst, they only let them out in the backyard, and at best they’ll take them on an occasional trip to the dog park. This is either because they think the dog won’t be allowed inside, that it will be too much of a hassle, or because they’re worried about the dog's behavior in public and how that will reflect them. Indeed, their behavior won’t be perfect at first, and some older dogs may have behavioral issues (such as aggression) which would preclude them from being brought out in public. In the case of a new puppy, however, it’s important to expose them to as many situations as possible. I think you’ll be surprised at how understanding and accommodating people will be.
I did, and still do, bring Luca everywhere: from coffee shops to clothing store dressing rooms, to barbecues at friends apartments, the post office, the grocery store, the hairdressers, and the beach. Whether by plane, train, car, or bicycle-- no matter work or leisure -- he is always by my side. If I'm not sure that he will be permitted inside a particular venue, I call ahead to consult the staff and amend my plans, if necessary. There are times when I leave him home alone, of course, and these moments are equally important for a puppy to ensure that they grow into an independent dog that is comfortable being alone. But more often than not, I treated Luca like a Guide Dog in Training and tried to maximize his exposure. This resulted in an extremely well-adjusted and adaptable dog that is comfortable and behaviorally appropriate in every environment, and highly in tune with my lifestyle.
4. I socialized him often.
From the time he was a puppy, Luca has always been surrounded by many people. Through frequent social engagements and puppy-sitting stays, he developed strong relationships with each of my friends and family members. In addition to the constants in his life, he frequently encounters new people in varying public spaces. Whenever possible, I try not to limit the extent of those novel interactions and allow him the freedom to engage on his own terms. For example, instead of keeping him on the lead and pulling him away from strangers in a café, I allow him to walk around on his own and engage with the person to the extent that they're both comfortable. Over time, Luca grew to be very trusting of and comfortable around new people. He also developed the emotional intelligence and self-awareness of how to behave around people from all walks of life (i.e. moving slowly and gently around babies). On the contrary, dogs that aren't well-socialized may develop anxiety, fearful aggression, or other undesirable behavioral responses when around unfamiliar people.
In addition to socializing him with people, I made it a point to ensure that he developed strong connections with other dogs as well. We regularly went to the park so that he could play with other dogs, and for the dogs that he played best with, I became friends with their owners and organized playdates.
Recent studies have reported that dogs with strong social connections (both human and canine) have better long-term health outcomes. So, beyond ensuring that your puppy grows up to be a Good Boy, proper socialization is key to ensuring your dog remains a healthy boy as well.
5. I didn’t reward him with food.
Food is the fastest and most obvious way to reward desired canine behavior, but I would argue that it's not always the best way. Because Luca is a Labrador and prone to obesity, I was very conscious of his intake and wanted to avoid any unnecessary weight gain that might result from offering treats. Instead, I rewarded him with praise, love, and affection. When he exhibited an undesirable behavior, I responded by physically separating myself and ignoring him.
Dogs love to learn and thrive off of the praise that they receive as a result. We humans tend to project our dietary habits onto our dogs and therefore feel like they deserve a treat after finishing their dinner or learning a new trick. But treats are really for people, not for dogs. Dogs don't need them. As for Luca, I've found that the praise-only reward system served to further enhance our bond. Now, he listens and comes to me simply because he wants to, not because he thinks he's going to get a treat.
You've probably noticed a common theme among the five points listed above. In one way or another, each of these elements served to strengthen the bond that I have with Luca. When we think about raising a new puppy, the goal shouldn't be control, but connection. Naturally, we need to ensure that we’re in control of the situation and that the dog isn't being a nuisance or posing a danger to themselves or others, but let’s allow them the space to be a dog as well. Respect their need for exploration by letting them sniff for extended periods on a walk. Allow them to exercise natural instinctive behaviors by chasing after pigeons and jumping into ponds, and to release their energy by rough-playing with other dogs in the park. Choose vacations and activities that both of you can enjoy; and above all - make every effort to fully bring the dog into your life. If you build an inclusive life that is enriching for your dog, and focus on developing the bond that the two of you share, you will wake up one morning and find that your puppy has grown into a friendly, easy-going, adaptable, and well-adjusted dog that is eager to learn and completely in-tune with you and your lifestyle.
Best of luck.
Dr. Sami