Absolutely Pawsitive Canine

It was never about the videos. They were excuses for a decision to do what was easiest for the human, and not what was best for the dog./

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An excellent piece - too often we expect our dogs to be more "social" than they want or need./

They look. Then they pull.
They really, really want to get over there.
So we shorten the lead, walk them over and say hello.

Except not one of those things tells us that a meeting is going to be welcomed.
In fact, sometimes the frantic "I must get over there right now!" is the very reason I wouldn't let it happen.

We really like dogs meeting dogs.
We want the sniff.
The play.
The little greeting.
The excitement we see when they spot each other.
The possibility that they'll like each other.

It makes us feel good.

Sometimes we're so focused on getting there, we don't stop to ask whether they actually need to.

Two dogs can notice each other.
Look.
Sniff from a distance.
And keep walking.
Absolutely nothing has been missed.

In fact, for some dogs, that, exactly that, was a great interaction.

They saw another dog.
They gathered some information.
And they carried on with their day.
No greeting needed.
No play required.
No “Go on, say hi!”

And that's the bit we humans struggle with.
Sometimes we want the meeting more than they need it.

So should we insist that our dogs “just be dogs” and say hi?
Or could giving them the freedom not to meet be just as much a part of letting dogs be dogs?

Yes! Laying groundwork is vital!
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The first time shouldn’t be when you HAVE to do it.

There’s something stuck in between their toes.
An ear that suddenly droops and they’re shaking their head.
There’s a sore patch buried under all that fur that you need to get a proper look at.
Maybe that eye needs a bit of an inspection.

But right now?
The vet needs you to keep their head still for just a moment.

That’s a pretty difficult time to discover your dog really doesn’t like having their head kept still.
Or their ears lifted.
Or somebody looking closely at their eyes.

Maybe they’ve never really had any handling?

Because now it matters.
And perhaps it hurts too.

We practice so many things with our dogs that they'll use throughout their lives.

Sit.
Wait.
Come.

But there are other crucial skills that might sit in our minds that we don’t act on, but know we should.

Handling is one of those “I really should start” skills to have.

It can literally be seconds.
Lift an ear. Reward. Finished.
Hold a paw. Reward. Finished.
Part the fur and have a quick look at the skin. Reward. Finished.
Briefly hold the muzzle. Reward. Finished.

Then, once those things are easy, we can gradually make them a little more realistic.

Hold for slightly longer.
Look between the toes.
Bring a warm damp cloth near an ear maybe even make contact.
Reward.
Finished again.

All these wee rehearsals for things that may one day matter.

And there's another important bit.

Your dog doesn't need to prove they can tolerate it.
If they're becoming uncomfortable, stop.

Go back.
Make the next attempt much easier.

Because the goal here isn't to see how much handling they'll put up with all at once.
It's to make the handling itself increasingly familiar, predictable and normal.

Because if the day comes when you really do need to help them?
Or they need to see the vet?

It won't be the first time.
It’s just “another” time.

Every dog seems to have their own “absolutely not” bit, sometimes for reasons we’d never have guessed.

Yes, THIS!!
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