Suppose you keep saying, “No! Get down!”—but your dog keeps getting up on the couch. You get annoyed and say, “I’ve told you so many times!” You think to yourself, the dog is probably deliberately disobeying.
But the reality is—most dogs are not ‘disobedient’, they just don’t understand what you want.
We often think that discipline will make the dog okay. But in the world of dogs, the most important thing is clarity—meaning, clarity of rules, language, and habits.
In this article, we will learn why not punishment, but clear instructions and consistent behavior can teach dogs well.
What Does “Discipline” Look Like to Dogs?
When we, as humans, discipline—shouting, scolding, sometimes touching the body—we think that this will make the dog understand that he has made a mistake.
But the world of dogs is a little different. They don’t understand “future consequences,” they only see “what is happening right now.” If you go and scold him after 5 seconds, he won’t understand why you did it.
And yelling or hitting him will only scare him. It may stop a task, but he won’t understand in his mind why it’s wrong. In addition, it reduces the trust between you and the dog.
Many times, it seems that the dog doesn’t know what you want or don’t want. If you let him sit on the bed one day and scold him the next day, he may get upset.
What Dogs Actually Need: Clarity Over Control
Clarity indicates following the same rules every time. You have to give commands in the same words and maintain consistency in body language.
For example, when you say “down,” it should always mean going down. Never say “go down” or “don’t do that,”. This will confuse the dog. They can’t understand which command to obey.
Another thing—mixed signals. For example, one day you let him sit under the table during dinner, and the next day you tell him to “go away”—this dilemma is very confusing for him.
Your dog becomes confident when he has clear rules. He knows that you will be happy if he does something, and that he will not. He is more cooperative, but not out of fear, through love and understanding.
Signs Your Dog is Confused, Not Disobedient
Many times we think, “He knows he can’t do this,”—but the dog doesn’t understand what you want.
Below are some signs that indicate that a dog is not disobedient, but confused:
Not wanting to make eye contact: It means he is not comfortable, he cannot understand something.
Stopping suddenly or becoming completely restless: A sign of stress.
Repeating the same mistake: He has no clear idea, so he doesn’t understand exactly what is wrong.
Backing away in fear or wagging his tail: His confidence has decreased due to fear of punishment.
If we see that the dog does not understand how to respond, then it is our responsibility to guide it.
5 Ways to Train Your Dog with Clarity
1. Use the same rules and commands repeatedly
Once you say “down”, use the same words again and again. “Get down”, “go down”, “no that”—saying these things every time will confuse the dog.
And everyone in the house should follow the same rules. If one person lets you get on the bed, and the other puts you down, which one will the dog catch?
2. Reward good behavior immediately
Always praise dogs when they do something good. Bad behavior does not always have to be stopped by shouting. You should sometimes ignore it.
3. Use short and clear commands
Dogs do not understand long sentences or complex words. “Sit”, “stay”, “come”—give instructions in 1-2 words like this. The less you say, the better he will understand.
4. Create a routine
Eating, walking, and playing at a specific time every day—these rules create security in dogs. Knowing the routine helps dogs stay calm and learn easily.
5. Body language and tone are very important
Dogs pay much more attention to your body language and tone of voice than to your words.
If you get angry and talk with your hands and feet, they may get scared. On the contrary, if you speak calmly and steadily, they will gain confidence.
Conclusion
All dogs want a guide who explains to them what is right and wrong. If you just shout or punish, the dog will be afraid, but will not learn.
Always teach your dogs with the same rules, simple language, and teach patiently. The dog will become confident and cooperative.
Your dog does not know what the world is like. You are his world. So, try to make his world beautiful with your behaviour.
If you explain well instead of punishing, you will see that your dog will be by your side not only today, but always.
