08/20/2024
Quiet doesn't always mean calm!
This is Edith, and she's got big feels about some things that make her uncomfortable. Sometimes, she's very vocal about those things so they're easy to identify. We can then work on desensitization or managing her exposure to them. But other times, she's very quiet. To look at her, you'd think she was calm, relaxed even - she's not pacing, or barking, or seeking reassurance.
She was a training client when she was first adopted, and now her people have some busy work months and tagged me in for training walks. She knows me, we have a good relationship. But on our first walks together she was very "calm." Stayed at a heel or a little behind me. She was very focused on me, paying special attention.
That *sounds like* a well trained dog, right? But we aren't in an active session. This was her time to sniff and roll and relax - yet she didn't, and that told me we had to take a little time working on getting her comfortable with agency. All dogs need it, but we ask them to be so S T R U C T U R E D all the time, you may need to remind your dog how to be "off duty."
Edie and I made some adjustments and look at that face!
Quiet doesn't always mean calm, so the next time your dog isn't reacting at all, let's be sure they're not just quiet but also comfortable.
Happy training!