1. We don’t speak the same language but I’m learning in every interaction with you and the world, even when you don’t think I am. I learn what instigates play with you, how to tell you I need to go out or when I’m not feeling myself or I’m feeling scared.
Try to meet me halfway and understand when I’m trying to tell you something, what it looks like when I’m overwhelmed or feeling vulnerable or unsafe. I can’t tell you verbally but us dogs use other ways of expressing ourselves. If I plant my bum down on a walk, I’m not being stubborn or lazy or naughty, I might be using a behaviour to avoid something or take a few moments break or say something is wrong and I don’t feel good. If I shake my head suddenly when you’re trying to teach me something new, I’m trying to say I’m struggling and need more time or we’re moving too fast. If I lick my lips when interacting with something on a walk, I’m scared and need space. If I’m frantic, overly excitable and can’t focus on one thing, I’m struggling with the situation and using the only means to cope available to me at the time
2. Advocate for me, you’re the only one who can. You are my voice.
Not every dog likes to interact with every person, dog, experience or situation we come across out and about or at home. If I’m frantic, overly excitable and can’t focus on one thing, I might be struggling with the situation and using the only means I have to manage the situation. I likely need space or time away from the situation. Loads of guests in the house or more children than I’m used to won’t always be fun for me. A long lasting chew on my bed in a quiet part of the house during busy periods is a perfect way to help me cope. I can unwind and calm and not have to be in the middle of all the fuss. This doesn’t put me in a position of having to use defensive behaviours to ask for space myself, you’re preventing me for getting stress or frustrated when it’s getting too much.
3. Teach me the skills for coping with this world. The more time you invest in my training, playing, building up my confidence with proper socialisation and learning the right patterns of behaviour, the more potential I can have to be the best dog I can be as you’re setting me up for success for everything life can throw at us. Spend quality time with me, invest in a training class or sessions with a reputable training professional, enroll in fun doggy activities together and explore new walk and sniff spots.
4. Meet my needs.
I was bred to have very specific behavioural traits over hundreds of years of selective breeding. It may have been to hunt, herd, chase, catch, cover huge distances in very short time, dig, be highly intelligent, have the ability to grab and hold with my strong jaws, swim lengths for hours, tug boats, be lazy at home but full of energy out of the house, have a strong work ethic or have huge physical and mental capabilities, and you’re making all of my decisions for me.
Living in our homes with us in our daily human lives are not always meeting these innate doggy needs and then we wonder when our dog acts naughty or misbehaves or is bored. Help your dog meet these needs through food hunting games, like scatter feeds in the garden, let them lead direction during some walks sometimes, let them spend more time following scent patterns, or give the opportunity to make choices or dig in appropriate, safe areas, like sand dunes at the beach or have a sand pit in the garden. Most doggy training issues can come from a dog being bored, stressed or frustrated without anything to do apart from the same walk every day. There are lots of ways to ensure your dog’s needs are being met. Have a look at some of our other posts to find out how.
