Just like communication between humans, in order to communicate with your dog effectively, the conversation has to go both ways. First you have to try to understand what your dog is telling you through his/her nonverbal expressions, and then you will be understood in return. Here are some good little tips on how to talk and listen to your dog.

1. The eyes are the windows to the soul

Look into your dog's eyes, and you'll see whether he is happy, sad, bored frisky or grumpy. If he blinks rapidly, it could mean that he is nervous or feels threatened by something. If he blinks repeatedly after you give him a command, it means he is deciding whether or not to obey.

Dogs don't just bark meaninglessly the same way some humans babble. So listen closely to how your dog barks. A short bark at a medium pitch is a friendly greeting. Long drawn-out barks at a high pitch with pauses between each one imply that he is bored and lonely. If he barks at you falteringly, he is asking you to play with him. If he barks fast and continuously, it usually means he either senses some problems or sees a stranger invading his territory. Some dog owners who know their dog very well can even tell by the tone of their dog's bark whether the person who is approaching their house is a friend or a stranger.

Have you ever noticed how your dog wags his tail? There is a new study about dog tail wagging, which is pretty interesting. The study says that when a dog wags his tail predominantly to the right, it means he is excited and glad to see you. If he wags his tail to the left, he is also excited but in an unsure or anxious way. So if you find a street dog staring at you and wagging his tail to he left, I suggest that you'd better back off.

You should often allow your dog to lick you or lean against you. Young puppies lick their mother's lips when they beg for food. When dogs lick people, it's a sign of affection and submission. When your dog leans against you, it usually means he is counting on you and asking for your protection. If a dog nudges you in the crotch, don't feel too strange or push him off coldly; he's just trying to get to know you from your scent.

Urine marking is a way of communication for dogs. He does not pee on the wall just because he's rude. The areas he unrinates on could indicate his territoriality or possessiveness. So try to observe where he marks and you will be able to understand his concerns better.

Dogs can understand lots of words, but most of them, just like kids, don't understand and don't like hearing lengthy sentences. Therefore when you tell your dog to do things, keep your command short and simple. Try to say it slowly. Enunciating is even better. Believe it or not, dogs can also pick up on your tone of voice and learn what kind of mood you are in, then respond accordingly. So watch your tone of voice when you talk to your dog. A grumpy owner will likely make a mean dog.

When you were a kid, did you like your parents to tell you the same thing over and over again? I suppose you didn't. Well, dogs don't like it when you repeat yourself too often either. In fact, voice commands should be said just once for the most effective result. Most dogs are not stupid. They can hear things better than you do. If they don't respond, it doesn't mean they're not hearing you, but they just decide not to listen. What you can do is find another way to say that same command. Be tricky. Be creative. Outsmart your dog. Don't just simply repeat yourself.

Sometimes when your voice command doesn't work so well, you should also use your body language to maximize the effectiveness of your order. Dogs can actually understand our gestures very well. For example, when you point at something, he won't assume you're just stretching your arm, but will look toward where you're pointing.