Today I want to show you the four places to touch your dog and how to use touch
tactics to supercharge your training.
Ian here with Simpawtico Dog Training, and before we get into the touch tactics
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Although verbal feedback is your number one training tool there are places to
touch your dog that will give you big bang for your buck.
These are places wired up with a network of nerves that are routed right to the
brain's pleasure centers. These spots all play a role in reward motivated behavior.
Since most types of reward increase the level of dopamine in the brain you can
compound that with desirable physical affection.
This will turn your dog into a praise junkie. The net effect of that course is
that they will seek praise through good behavior. Spot number one is the chin and
the chest.
This is the first place I ever touch a new dog. As it lights up those pleasure
centers in the brain their first impression of me will be a favorable one.
Stroke here when you approach your dog and offer praise. This is a great one for
sit, stay, come, fetch, and even just checking in for starters. Definitely teach
children to touch a new dog here first instead of reaching over the head. The
sides of the body are the next stop.
Most dogs prefer to be pet this way. Stay away from the top of the head during
training especially from the front. They'll tolerate it from people they
trust, but pretty much all dogs find it annoying. Down the side of the body is a
good place to move to after the chin chest.
I can't even count the number of times I've started rubbing a dog on the sides
and they turn and lean against me like "Oh man that feels so good!"
The inguinal area: this is the spot where the hind legs join the abdomen and
along that soft skin inside the thighs.
This is like crack cocaine to a dog. Stroke here gently when they turn
sideways near you.
This one is great for settle down during stops on walks and while you're just
hanging out together. Many dogs will move their legs when you stroke here as if to
say, "Let me help you get in there." Right in front of the ears is our fourth prime
spot.
This one's great when they face you head-on after a sit, a stand, or come. Tell
them how good they are while cupping their head in your hands and using your
thumbs to rub gently in
front of the ears. When a dog is by your side reach down and rub gently there. If
you get the eyes to close halfway you've just sent them to doggy heaven. That
little flap of soft skin where the ear joins the skull on the front is prime
real estate too. Gently rub this between your thumb and forefinger and watch your
dog just melt. Now these techniques aren't just for praise during training.
Showing your dog affection in these spots when you just hang out together
will strengthen your bond because it's conditioning your dog to love being with
you. Do it right and they can be downright addicted to you. Be careful
though, you may never use the restroom alone again. These touch techniques are
also useful in stressful situations like waiting at the vet's office or during
storms. Just make sure you don't only do these things during stressful times or
you'll condition them to be physical triggers for stress. Your dog will have
their own quirks just like we do. Some of us like certain things that other people
find totally annoying.
Although these four spots are pretty universal for all dogs you'll get varied
reactions based on what their favorites are and their history with people.
You'll also discover other things your dog may like in addition. Capitalize on
all of your dog spots and you'll see how your praise and feedback suddenly carry
a lot more weight. Since one of our ultimate goals is to phase out treats
altogether
you've got to have things in place right from the get-go that start to mean more to
the dog then food. If your voice is king, touch is Queen. Plus your voice in your
hands are fat-free, low-cal, and you always have them with you. So try this out
it's great for your dog and also for new friendly dogs you meet. For those of you
that really like this approach check out Tellington TTouch for some more nifty
hands-on techniques. I'll link to some resources in the description including a
free download of my handout on this approach. Thumbs up this video if you
learned something useful and don't forget to connect with me in the comments. As
always keep learning, keep practicing and I'll see you soon. Thanks for watching!