Dog Whispering

Dog whispering is a form of communication between humans and dogs. The theory revolves around training your dog in a calm, kind way by reading their body language and using your own body language to communicate with them. The end result is a relationship based on mutual trust and respect connecting the owner and their dog.

Mel Downing: Canine Communicator

Mel Downing became a professional Canine Communicator 3 years ago. It all started when she adopted Scooby, a female Doberman/German Shepherd Cross 5 years ago from the RSPCA. Scooby was given up as she was considered ‘too boisterous and wild’ by her previous owners. Mel could see Scooby was clever, strong willed, excitable and easy to wind up so sought ways of calming her down. As Scooby was clever she quickly responded well to obedience training. But it was obvious Scooby had never been socialised as she could get aggressive with other dogs. Mel tried all sorts of dog training techniques but could never get to the root of the problem.

One morning whilst on a walk Scooby ran into a field which had, unbeknown to Mel, recently been sprayed with fungicides. Later that dog Scooby’s skin blistered up, she had second degree burns and was in immense pain. Fortunately Mel managed to keep her alive with the use of homeopathic remedies but psychologically she was scarred. She was more aggressive around other dogs and even nipped another dog at a dog training session.

Nothing was working for Mel so she looked for some other form of dog training. This is when she found dog whispering. Over time through using the technique of dog whispering Scooby became calmer and more trusting towards Mel.

After the success she achieved with Scooby she decided to volunteer for a local rescue centre training the dogs there. The key to gaining the trust and obedience of a dog is to ensure they know that you’re in charge. But has Mel told me you don’t need to do this is a harsh way, some of the techniques she has seen such as squirting a dog with water will simply freak a dog out. She stated 50% of getting a dog to know you are in charge is to believe yourself that you are in charge, if you don’t believe you are, nor will the dog. If the dog believes they are in charge the dog will feel as though they need to protect you, hence why some dogs go crazy when their owner leaves. A common misconception is that they are howling and panicking to get you back in order for you to protect them whereas it may be the other way round.

The service Mel provides

Mel is based near Worksop, Nottinghamshire. She offers consultations to dog owners in their own homes to explain why their dogs may be behaving in the way they do. She observes the dog in its natural environment and teaches owners simple rules about how to stop the dogs behavioural problem/s.

Behavioural problems Mel deals with

There are a number of problems which Mel has resolved in dogs over the years such as:

• Pulling on a lead. She teaches ways to walk a dog without it pulling, when a dog pulls it is saying that it is in charge, the leader of the pack.
• Excessive barking. She informed me dogs bark to warn their owners of any danger nearby. She teaches owners how to thank the dog for the alert and to satisfy the dog that there is no danger so they can stop barking.
• Nervousness
• Aggression
• Separation anxiety
• Excessive chewing. One client of hers had a dog which chewed excessively every time he left the house. The dog began chewing a door frame which had a glass inner panel, the dog got so close to the inner panel that the guy had to replace the door (with a cheap wooden door as it might chew through that too!).  But Mel helped the dog overcome its separation anxiety.
• Running off on the walk
• Jumping up at people
• Spinning, yelping and other obsessive behaviour

My final question to Mel was about whether she got a sense of satisfaction from the work she does. Her answer as you can imagine was ‘Yes’. What she does leads to animals lives being saved, their behavioural problems are minimised or totally eradicated meaning if they are in a rescue centre they don’t have to be put to sleep. Her work helps owners gain control of their life again which may have been controlled by their dog for some time. The dogs are happier as they know their role and because their owners can understand them and see the world through the dogs perspective.

I learnt an awful lot whilst chatting with Mel, she gave me an insight into where I was going wrong with my own dogs and why they do what they do.

If you are interested in a consultation with Mel or just want to find out more about her head to her website, just follow this link.

Dog Whispering Books

The Dog Listener:  described as ‘Jan Fennell’s remarkable gifts have earned her the nickname “the dog listener”. Her unique understanding of the canine world and its instinctive language has enabled her to bring even the most desperate and delinquent of dogs to heel’. To find the book follow this link.

 The Dog Whisperer: described as ‘a comprehensive and essential guide to training your canine companion. Based on the premise that the modern dog still shares many of the behavioural characteristics of its ancestor, the wolf, this book will show you the ten keys to effective training and how to put those keys into practice’. To find the book follow this link.

Tags: canine communication, dog, dog advice, dog behavioural problems, dog listening, dog tips, dog whisperers, dog whispering, dogs