10/02/2020
📣 Bodylanguage?! 📣
So... Let's say you're walking your dog and spot another dog bit further down the path. The other dog's owner calls their dog, steps of the path, clearly tries to keep their dog's focus on them, holds the dog's collar or puts it on a lead and stands in between his dog and you.
How would you read the situation? 🤷♀️
Does the other dog want to "say hello"? Is the other owner giving the impression that they are happy for their dog to engage with yours?
Or is that dog owner clearly showing that their dog needs space and does not want to meet your dog?
All it takes now is for you to read the situation correctly and apprechiate what's going on.
This shouldn't even need words. We talk a lot about canine body language and everyone feels they know exactly what dogs are telling us but when it comes to humans, our understanding and interpretation of our kinds body language seems non existent in those vital moments. 🤦♀️
Someone walking along, smiling and waving at you, starting full on conversation about how cute your dog is, with their dog off lead bounching across happily, very obviously is quite happy to meet. As long as you and your dog are sending of similar signals - happy days. 🙆♀️
If you're not sure and struggle to read the other owners bodylanguage, ask BEFORE your dog gets to their dog, if it's ok for them to meet. (BEFORE is kind of the key word here... 🥴). Keep your dog with you until you got the ok from the other owner. If your dog doesn't stay with you, there is loads of training advice me or other dog trainers can give you. I do apprechiate it takes time, work and patience to get to a point of control but meanwhile.. a dog lead is a great management tool.
So please. Apprechiate fellow dog owners moves and keep your dog under control. They will have a good reason for what they are doing - their dog might be nervous, injured, in season, or simply not interested in other dogs coming into their space. We are responsible for our dogs wellbeing and to keep them happy and safe we must improve our own communication skills. 💭💭💭
Happy Monday! 😍