10/06/2025
was hard at work on Friday… serving as Henry’s therapy dog. 😊 Little Henry is afraid of a number of things - especially loud things like cars. Fortunately, Henry thinks Jack is really cool.😎
Now, Henry still had some questions about WHY we would want to casually walk around while there were cars running in the driveway, but since Jack was doing it, he could muster up the courage to give it a try, too.
Jack didn’t give him treats. Jack didn’t pet him and tell him it would be okay. Jack SHOWED him that it would be okay.
This is why the YOU FIRST principle is so important (even if/when we add food, toys, touch, etc). It’s okay to experiment, try different motivators, and adjust accordingly - but we must not forget that safety, trust, and relevance come first. For Henry, Jack intrinsically oozed trust and relevance because he’s a dog. While this exercise may not have worked well or been appropriate for all dogs, for Henry, it will hopefully have been a big step in the right direction. 🐾 ♥️