Match Their Energy: Why Your Dog Is Reading Your Frequency, Not Your Words

"Energy is infectious, particularly to a dog. They read us like an open book." — Patricia McConnell

What resonance does your energy have? Are you projecting what you want, or reacting to what’s happening around you? And how in the world does this relate to dog training?

Real Life Experience

Tuesday was the first meeting of Puppy Class at our training center. Hope’s been teaching long enough to know that if class isn’t loud, chaotic, and a bit overwhelming, something’s not right. And we’re talking about the people.

Our line-up is pretty typical for a puppy class:

• Frida is a 12-week-old Vizsla attached to a mid-thirties dad who couldn’t convince his family to join him. It’s been 12 years since he had a puppy, but Frida will find her own way to fill the hole left by their previous Vizsla.
• Ernie is a 4-month-old Golden Retriever with his retired mom and dad. They’re all slated for a pleasant, easy future—experienced dog people having fun with the latest in a decades-long love of Goldens.
• Flirt is a 3-month-old mixed-breed puppy whose people have never had a dog before. She brought her dad and her 15-year-old two-legged sister, who apparently can’t speak in front of strangers. Not to worry—everything will be okay.
• Steve is a 6-month-old Barbet. His people are a lovely middle-aged couple with dog experience who have zero training energy. They don’t need much—Steve seems close to perfect. But he could be so much more!

Too Pooped To Peep

About halfway through class, Steve went into a down, and his mom decided he was too tired to continue. He was so exhausted, she said, that he didn’t even want any more treats.

Hope took a look at Steve’s people—sitting contentedly in their chairs with their legs crossed—and took on the challenge.

With a couple of treats in hand, Hope bent over, met Steve’s eyes, and said with genuine enthusiasm, "Wanna play?" That’s all she did. Steve bounded right up, took the treat, and was ready for more fun. He happily participated in the rest of class, right through puppy playtime.

Your dog will meet your energy. If Steve’s people wanted their practically perfect pup to just chillax for the rest of his life, they came to the wrong class.

Try To Calm Down

Too much energy, exuberance, and noise is a much more common issue in our classes. We wish we had a nickel for every time we’ve heard a handler say, "Calm down!"

Never once has that ever worked.

Meeting your dog’s energy doesn’t mean changing them; it means shifting your own focus so the dog feels connection rather than dissonance. If your dog is excited and bouncing around, match that enthusiasm and channel it straight into a quick game of "Touch!" or “Watch!”. They’re much more likely to listen to you when they feel connected.

When you make an effort to tune into your dog’s wavelength, they’ll seek yours, too. After a long walk or a vigorous play training session, watch your dog as you unwind. Your dog takes emotional and energetic cues directly from you.

It’s not your imagination: you and your dog are connected by far more than just a leash. Whether it's intuition or subtle body language, your dog senses your state. Cue the energy you want from your dog—it’s a match made by choice.