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No You Can’t Pet My Dog

No, You Can’t Pet My Dog

Terie Hansen 

Question… Do you let random strangers come up to you or your child, get into your personal space and touch you, your child? No, of course you don’t. Why? Because you don’t know them, becauseno you can't pet my dog it would be uncomfortable, because it would make you feel nervous, anxious or even scared. Because it’s just plain weird.

Well, it’s no different for your dog. Having someone they don’t know approach them and come into their personal space, make direct eye contact, touch them, talk to them etc… makes most dogs uncomfortable. You just don’t realize it because you don’t recognize subtle cues your dog exhibits to show their discomfort. Cues such as turning their head away, looking away, yawning, exposing their belly or licking their lips are just a few of the cues they display. Furthermore, just because a dog is wagging its tail doesn’t mean it’s happy. Dogs wag their tails for many reasons, even right before they attack.

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The Single Biggest Mistake You May Be Making

The Single Biggest Mistake You May Be Making

Terie Hansen

 

This may come as a surprise to many dog owners but, allowing your dog to meet other dogs or people while on leash may be the single biggest mistake you ever make.  It can result in a multitude of negative outcomes and behaviors.

Repeated on leash greetings can take an otherwise relaxed, happy, social dog and turn it into a nervous insecure dog or an over stimulated excessively excited dog.

When dogs are in an uncomfortable situation they can get into flight or fight mode. In social interactions, where your dog is not on a leash they can move away (flight) if they feel stressed, nervous, fearful or anxious. That would be an excellent choice on the dog’s part. However, when they are leashed, they no longer have that option, and they know it. That leaves them looking for alternate ways to deal with the situation. One option may be to fight. This may not have happened yet, but with repeated exposure to stressful on leash interactions your dog may one day choose the fight option. In their mind, you are not advocating for them. In fact, YOU are placing them in the stressful situation in the first place.

At the very least you can end up with a leash reactive dog (one that barks, growls, lunges at other dogs or people while on leash). REACTIVITY is the way that that many dogs choose to deal with stressful situations. Reactivity can be mild or pretty scary. One thing for sure is, if you don’t address the behavior it will worsen.

Who and how do you let dogs interact with? Happy, social dogs that you know, off leash in an enclosed area (house/yard). Also, doggy daycare is a great choice. It is a social environment that is structured and supervised by trained professionals.

Next time you think it’s a good idea to let your dog meet another dog on leash, put yourself in their place. Would you like to be repeatedly placed situations where you couldn’t get away if you wanted/needed to?

 

Terie Hansen is Owner of Good Dog! Coaching & Pet Care. More information at www.gooddogcoaching.com

Who Advocates for Your Dog? You or Your Dog?

Advocate for your dog. If you don’t your dog will advocate for itself and that doesn’t usually turn out well. Who advocates for your dog?

advocate for your dog

Learn and Understand Canine Body Language.

When we say “advocate” what do we mean? Who advocates for your dog?
We mean, putting your dog’s physical and emotional well-being first. BEFORE your own wants and needs. You protect your dog, not the other way around. This requires you to be aware, alert and proactive. Practice constant situational awareness. Who advocates for your dog?

Learn and understand canine body language. Make sure to look at the dog’s entire body (a wagging tail does not always equal a happy dog). Doing so affords you the opportunity to not put your dog into or to remove your dog from situations where your dog feels stressed, fearful, overwhelmed, threatened or overexcited. Preempting your dog from taking matters into his own hands or practicing unwanted behaviors. [Read more…]

Get Your Dog Walking In Following Mode

Get Your Dog Walking In Following Mode by using these techniques. 

I get so many calls from people that have dogs that are reactive on the leash when they are walking them. dog walking reactive dog

Reactive towards people, dogs, bicycles, cars, motorcycles, kids, skateboards, squirrels, cats and the list goes on. Teaching your dog how to walk properly on a leash in the “following mode” (heel position, their nose should be no further up than your heel) is very important. It puts your dog at ease and helps them to be more relaxed while you share leadership by leading the way!

Start with your dog walking in your driveway. Doing driveway drills up and down your driveway. [Read more…]

Dog Training Tips for Teaching Thresholds

Dog Training Tips for Teaching Thresholds. Do not pass unless invited to do so!Dog Training Tips Teaching Thresholds

Do you own a “Door Dasher”?

 

Thresholds at it pertains to dogs is an important but oftentimes overlooked area of training with many owners and dog trainers. Teaching a dog NOT to move through a threshold unless invited  to do so can be lifesaving. A threshold is a door to the house, car door, crate door etc. So many times, I hear of dogs escaping through a door only to get lost, or worse, hit by a car or engage in dog fights. [Read more…]