Where a Dog Leads, We May Follow

Source: Stephen Andrews/Pexels

One magical feature of our innate mammalian biology is that it draws us into relationships. Without our conscious direction or awareness, on a deep cellular level, our bodies engage in a neurochemical dance of connection and social bonding.

A vital element of this relationship dance is “synchrony.” It involves doing the same thing as the other individual does.

Being “in sync” strengthens relationships

Synchrony happens naturally when two individuals perform the same movements or behaviors in a matching tempo, much like mirroring. By age 1, most children are able to vocalize, gaze, touch, show emotions, and even focus attention in synchrony with a parent. Synchrony skills enhance a child’s ability to benefit from social learning and to enjoy healthy relationships as they grow up.

For children who have been diagnosed with developmental delays, attachment challenges, and other issues, synchrony is taught therapeutically. Therapists will show parents how to follow a child’s gestures, behaviors, and activities in a gentle manner. For example, if the child makes a silly sound, the adult could match it. During play, if a child stacks toys in a certain manner, the adult might sit nearby and stack toys in a similar fashion. Interactive games, songs, and movement activities that allow such mirroring can increase synchrony between child and adult.

Human-dog synchrony

Synchrony also happens between people and dogs, particularly when we live together. For example, if my dog barks at something outdoors, I synchronize our focus by going to look and see what has caught his attention. Conversely, if I lower myself to the ground to inspect something, he may synchronize by joining me to investigate.

Research suggests that synchrony may be a useful way to approach an unfamiliar dog and nurture a positive relationship. In a recent study, dogs of varying breeds were outfitted with GPS tracking equipment and allowed to roam freely, one at a time, in a large, grassy field. The experimenter, a person who was unknown to the dog, physically followed the dog for 15 minutes, tagging along behind from a distance of approximately one meter (approximately 3.4 feet). In the control group, the experimenter simply ignored the dog and wandered at random. Afterward, when the experimenter walked in a straight line, the dog’s behavior was observed.

Dogs whose movements had been synchronized (followed) by the unfamiliar person appeared to reciprocate. They followed the experimenter in a straight line with greater frequency and duration than did dogs in the control group.

Relationships can be reinforcing

It’s worth noting that, in this study, no food treats or other rewards were offered at any point to influence each dog’s behavior. Whether anxious and fearful dogs who are frightened of unfamiliar people would respond as well to such close tracking by an unknown person remains unclear, as the researchers noted that dogs chosen for this study were confident in the presence of unknown people.

In practice, many progressive animal training and behavior professionals already use synchrony-friendly techniques when working with dogs. While researching my book, Tender Paws: How Science-based Parenting Can Transform Our Relationship with Dogs, I spoke with a number of dog professionals who incorporate synchronous activities to benefit a dog’s well-being and improve behavior. For example, they might chase a dog in a friendly manner during reciprocal play. One woman mentioned that she helped her dog recover from excess stress by letting it wander freely in the woods. She would follow and trail after the dog, sometimes getting low to the ground and sniffing and actually exploring alongside the dog—and the dog loved it!

Synchronizing in this way with dogs requires clarity and intention; it’s not about giving unlimited, perpetual carte blanche to the animal. We must remain responsible for our little one’s safety and well-being. But in the right circumstances, we can offer canine companions the gift of synchrony and, in the process, uncover new opportunities to strengthen the relationship.