I'm Not Special

 

I'm Not Special

I've been called the "dog whisperer" many, many times. Let's avoid getting into a discussion around that guy. I still take it as a compliment!

I've worked with many Pawrents and their fearful dogs. Within very short time frames, sometimes even minutes, their dog will be engaging with me.

One time I had a session with a dog who was severely abused. This dog was physically punished and even burned! That obviously leads to fear around strangers. As I entered the house their dog kept a distance, no problem. We all sat at their kitchen table which was about 10 feet in length. A few minutes into our session their dog was laying by my feet. I said, "Do you know your pup is lying by my feet?". They replied in disbelief until they looked and saw their dog lying comfortably on its side just a couple of feet away from me. As we wrapped up our session, when I was attempting to leave, their dog approached me and produced the "hip nudge" behavior. This behavior is when a dog turns their butt towards you and leans into you. This is a sign of friendliness since they are giving you their back (a weak point) and putting their teeth away from you (their main defense). This pup was doing this behavior with such intensity that I had to lean into the pup just to maintain my ground! The Pawrents were in complete disbelief on the border of tears forming. They have never seen that friendliness and comfort with ANYONE since they've had the pup, including the family themselves.

These types of situations happen to me often. I show up at the pups' house knowing their main concern. Whether that's jumping on visitors, working on skills, or things in the "reactive" category. Very often these problems either do not display themselves, or they lack the typical frequency or intensity the family usually observes. Again, I get comments about being a "dog whisperer".

These stories are not meant as a brag, quite the contrary. The point I wanted to make is that I am NOT special. I simply have the knowledge and experience to observe what is happening and the ability to adapt as necessary. When a fearful dog requests space, they get it. If that same dog wants engagement, they get it… on their terms. If a dog is jumpy towards me or displays other unwanted behavior I disengage with them to show that's not how I like to interact.

Learning how your dog uses their body to communicate and aiding them in fulfilling their natural needs can result in a well-rounded, content, and safe feeling dog.

"Be a friend. Not an owner."