My dogs can greet and move on from strange dogs & humans fairly easily. But you won't find us on trails that get lots of foot traffic.
And when we do see others up ahead, we change directions or move off the side to create lots of space. We don't greet.
But no, I'm not making them anti-social.
1. Interactions with strange dogs are risky and unpredictable. I don't trust the general public to accurately judge their dog's behavior or to safely manage interactions.
2. We're not here for social time. We're here to be dogs — exploring, moving freely, tracking scents, being goobers. This is what my dogs really enjoy and what enriches them. They get their social needs met elsewhere.
3. Learning that they can simply move away to avoid interactions is an incredible skill. We don't have to try barking/lunging because lower level behaviors work perfectly fine. And we don't have to get frustrated, because the default is "we're not saying hi". Dogs and people are just part of the environment, and not a cue to approach.
4. I find it more peaceful. I can focus less on management, and focus more on watching my dogs run with abandon. My head is clearer. Arbitrary interactions with people/dogs we're never going to see again... not my idea of a good time. Maybe it's yours though. I don't know you.
[Video description: two short clips from a hike with my dogs. They're running through some steep rolling hills covered in grass and dry shrubs, a cloudy sky above. Minnow is a small brindle boxer mutt and Juice is a grey American bully. They both wear harnesses and are dragging handleless leashes.]
Juice Box is super comfy wearing his @outfoxfordogs foxtail hood! But one of the first questions people ask me about this protective gear is ... how is he supposed to eat treats?!
If you're here, you know that *not feeding treats* is *not an option*. Giving my dogs snacks on the trail is such a good way to connect with them and make it valuable to hang out near me. We've just had to get a little creative!
If you don't live somewhere with foxtails, this might be quite confusing for you 😅 consider yourself lucky!
[Video description: some short clips stitched together featuring Juice Box the grey American bully. He is wearing a black mesh hood over his head that is designed to protect him from getting foxtails in his eyes, nose, and ears. Juice is trotting along several scenic forested trails. I show how I feel him treats by pulling the back of the mask and dropping them in. I also take the mask off temporarily to feed him, since it is Velcro attached to his collar.]
When we teach Take a Breath in our Control Unleashed classes, I feel like such a new age wellness guru 😆 but it really is such a cool skill.
We can use capturing and shaping to teach your dog how to take a deep breath on cue. And then, in moments where they are activated/stressed, you can gently remind them that it feels good to breathe.
If nothing else, learning to teach your dog to TAB hones your timing and observation skills. Can you notice Minnow's nostril poofs in this video? I slowed it down for you to make it more obvious.
If you're interested in reading more about the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, check out the book "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" by Robert Sapolsky.
[Video description: Minnow the small brindle boxer mutt is lying down on a blanket on the floor. In front of her is a rolled up towel that she rests her chin on. I am sitting next to her, slightly off camera. She looks at me intently, and then breathes through her nose. You can see her nostrils enlarge and then I say "yes" and feed her a treat. Then I replay the same clips zoomed in and in slow motion to emphasize her nose movement.]
Less than 10 seconds of video, packed with body language and feelings!
Play is super fast paced, and even dogs can miss/misinterpret each other's body language.
I am absolutely not advocating for "letting them work it out" and in hindsight I should have stepped in at the first second. Dogs do not have to rehearse distance-increasing signals especially if those signals are not working! However, I know these dogs extremely well and it wasn't a huge risk to lax my management skills for a few seconds in order to take a video. For science or whatever.
If you are interested in honing your play observation skills, Play it Cool is a ~one hour webinar that should catch you up to speed. Once you've purchased and watched it, you can sign up for Play Dates so we can analyze your videos in slow motion, in a safe and supportive learning environment. You know where to find those links!
[Video description in pinned comments]
Watch Juice Box use his LAT (look at that) behavior to "point out" his cat Gilbert behind him!
Juice will often chase Gilbert when he seems him out in the yard. LAT gives him a new behavior to offer when he sees Gilbert, and pairs "cat" with "snacks".
Notice how calm he is, and how he's not looking at Gilbert reflexively out of fear/arousal but rather as an intentionally offered operant behavior.
I bet he had big beautiful ears before someone cropped them. But we love his nubbins, and they still communicate so much.
[Video description: I'm sitting in my backyard with the pups. Gilbert the black cat is wandering around in the background along the fence behind some overgrown weeds. Juice the grey bully is sitting in front of me. I ask him "where's the cat" and then he twitches an ear in Gilbert's direction. I say yes and feed him a treat. Pebbles the tan Chihuahua is at my feet and I feed her at the end too.]
Shreddy box prep ASMR? If you'd like.
I save up my cardboard boxes, tissue paper, paper bag, etc. Tonight I used the crumbs from my @figandtyler treat container and some ziwi peak air dried kibble.
I find this process very soothing, and my dogs rest contentedly after searching & destroying.
Featuring Gilbert who is paid handsomely for his supervision.
