5 easy laws of personal power my dog taught me

Nonverbal is the top dog of communication. Posture and facial expression are its power tools. Together they insert the outcomes you want into the minds of your audience. Then it’s easier for them to accept what you wish to and impossible to ignore.

The look is about looking people in the eye and always getting the message through. Learning to stare at a person until they “get it” is a superpower. The critical skills are timing eyeball and eyebrow position. Head movements are less subtle yet essential. A long pointed nose helps to point out the obvious to idiots. They learn fast that way.

How you sit, stand, look, stare, and sleep (curled vs paws in the air) carried a torrent of data. Even the dumbest humans can get it. However, it’s best to restrict the endless sea of posture to a small, consistent, memorable set. Humans are forgetful and easily confused.

Speaking is a waste of time unless it’s essential. When you speak, keep it short, direct and loud. No one (including the neighbours) can ignore you.

Bad unexpected things happen. No point worrying about sucking things. When they happen, face them with an uncompromising will to survive. Show your trust and faith in the people trying to help you by letting them do their work. Please give them your full cooperation without complaining.

Changing the reality on the ground first is the key to getting what you want (size and strength matter). It means doing what you wish to do first without a preamble. Then everyone else has to go along with it or stop what they are doing to react. It makes resistance to you inconvenient for them. It helps that what you want isn’t a deal breaker or a perceived existential threat to the prevailing power structure.

Routine – exercise, rest and other behaviour are essential. People will accept your actions if you do them with unwavering consistency, like occupying certain bits of territory (e.g. furniture) at particular times. Or a good stretch, signalling it’s time for a walk. However, if people forget, a short, loud reminder (about going for a walk) always works.

Travel is fun and exciting only when you don’t have to handle the logistics. So it’s essential to have a staff who takes care of the details without you having to involve yourself in tedious detail.

Have no qualms about stating your boundaries loudly and clearly. It works well during meets and sniffs with others. Ignore those who use bark to compensate for their size drive inadequacy. When ignoring anything, maintaining a “normal face” is power.

Yet be friendly by default in your mannerisms (tail wags). It disarms and charms people otherwise intimidated by outward appearances (e.g. your size). Show your love to the people you care about by greeting them with extravagant joy. It will make them very happy even if you accidentally knock them over.

What thing have your hound taught you? More than you realise. Find out by typing them into comment box.