04/02/2023
WHY I 'IGNORE' YOUR PET
When I walk into your home, I always 'ignore' your anxious or fearful pet (cat or dog) and wait patiently for them to make the first move.
I don't crowd them or touch them without consent. I don't face them head-on or stare them in the eye. I just observe them without putting them in a worse emotional position. Even when they venture close to me, I refrain from touching them. And no, I don't extend my hand so that they can smell me as they could smell me when I entered the gate already due to their keen sense of smell. Extending my hand just scares them. No sudden movements. No loud voices. Just calmness. I wait patiently for them to initiate contact and communication with me. Even then, I limit contact to 3 second bursts.
Sniffing me is not an invitation for me to touch! The dog is gathering information about me. I wait for him to nose me or paw me or lick me and then may pat them. Even then, I pause for corroboration (wait for another sign) to ensure that it's OK to pat them. Rather err on the side of caution and go slow.
I 'ignore' your pet out of love and respect. I give them choices. Choice based behaviour modification builds self-esteem and confidence.
Now you know why I 'ignore' your pet...
Edit - when I say ignore, I mean respect 🙂
📷 Megan Karnes
