Cesar says that humans tell stories, while dogs tell the truth. It isn’t until we listen to the truth that our dog is telling us that we can figure out what’s going on and bring balance to the pack.
For example, if your dog is constantly pulling paper out of the trash and scattering it all over the house when you’re away, your story might be, ‘She must have thought there was food in there,’ or ‘He did that to let me know he’s angry that I left.’
The truth from the dog is different, and is probably, ‘I’m bored.’
If you try to solve the problem according to your story, you might make sure to never throw food in a trash can your dog can get into, or you might even lock up the trash. The latter may solve the immediate problem, but it does nothing about the basic issue behind it.
The truth is that your dog is still bored, so you need to leave her something interesting when you’re gone, like a ‘find the treat’ toy or a favorite chewy. You also need to be sure that she is in a calm, submissive state before you go ‘ the state of mind your dog is in when you walk out the door sets the stage for the rest of her day.
When your dog is misbehaving, leave the stories behind and look at what he is really telling you. Dogs can’t lie. Their behavior is direct and honest. It’s up to us to listen to what they’re saying, and then take the proper action to solve the problem.
