You might have come here expecting something completely different than what you are going to read about. I am not going to talk about human relationships here, we all have those....some are good, some not so much BUT let me tell you, it works the same in the dog world.
We form relationships with our dog the moment we bring them home. Some we bring home are just a young puppy. Some are coming to stay with you as a foster situation. Some you might adopt at 10 years old. How you start the relationship, begins at home.
When communicating with dogs, we use all kinds of techniques. When we want them to feel comfortable, we give them food, affection and allowances. How we communicate with these very same things will often make or break a good dog. Let me give you some human examples to help you relate.
Your teenage son just passed his drivers exam and asks for the keys to your brand- new car. Do you give him the keys or do you hesitate?
You're talking to a man or woman on-line you never met in person. For your first meeting, do you meet at your home?
When a salesman comes to your home, do you invite him in, give him a home cooked meal and talk about your most intimate life experiences?
All these examples are geared towards trust and relationships. When someone brings a dog they do not have a relationship with, into their home for the first time, our first natural mistake is, "What's mine is yours now" mindset. Not that it is meant with bad intentions at all, but you allow a species to access everything in your home, with no regard to how they will treat all that space, furniture and other beings in the house. Then, when something does happen because of the lack of supervision, we make excuses for the incident.
"They are just a puppy"
OR
"They are a rescue, they have been abused"
No.
You've just given them the keys to the brand-new car and they have no experience driving!
You cannot expect a dog to just "know". They know nothing of your expectations because you haven't created a history with them. You do not have trust yet.
This is how I treat every dog that comes through my door. I do not greet them, I do not pet them, I do not know that dog and what previous experiences it has, if any at all. I respect that dog's boundaries until I know them well enough to take a step forward. Think about how you meet strangers. You don't open up with your life history, hug them immediately and let them stay at your house. Yet, when it comes to dogs, strange dogs, many people do just that.
This and this alone can be the most leading issue into dog behavior problems. I see it all the time. What we allow, is what we get. Until we get some communication and respect from both human to dog and dog to human relationship.
If you need more information on how to help get a better relationship with your dog contact me or another dog professional in your area.
Lisa Quintero CDT
We form relationships with our dog the moment we bring them home. Some we bring home are just a young puppy. Some are coming to stay with you as a foster situation. Some you might adopt at 10 years old. How you start the relationship, begins at home.
When communicating with dogs, we use all kinds of techniques. When we want them to feel comfortable, we give them food, affection and allowances. How we communicate with these very same things will often make or break a good dog. Let me give you some human examples to help you relate.
Your teenage son just passed his drivers exam and asks for the keys to your brand- new car. Do you give him the keys or do you hesitate?
You're talking to a man or woman on-line you never met in person. For your first meeting, do you meet at your home?
When a salesman comes to your home, do you invite him in, give him a home cooked meal and talk about your most intimate life experiences?
All these examples are geared towards trust and relationships. When someone brings a dog they do not have a relationship with, into their home for the first time, our first natural mistake is, "What's mine is yours now" mindset. Not that it is meant with bad intentions at all, but you allow a species to access everything in your home, with no regard to how they will treat all that space, furniture and other beings in the house. Then, when something does happen because of the lack of supervision, we make excuses for the incident.
"They are just a puppy"
OR
"They are a rescue, they have been abused"
No.
You've just given them the keys to the brand-new car and they have no experience driving!
You cannot expect a dog to just "know". They know nothing of your expectations because you haven't created a history with them. You do not have trust yet.
This is how I treat every dog that comes through my door. I do not greet them, I do not pet them, I do not know that dog and what previous experiences it has, if any at all. I respect that dog's boundaries until I know them well enough to take a step forward. Think about how you meet strangers. You don't open up with your life history, hug them immediately and let them stay at your house. Yet, when it comes to dogs, strange dogs, many people do just that.
This and this alone can be the most leading issue into dog behavior problems. I see it all the time. What we allow, is what we get. Until we get some communication and respect from both human to dog and dog to human relationship.
If you need more information on how to help get a better relationship with your dog contact me or another dog professional in your area.
Lisa Quintero CDT