Whatta Dog K9 Training

14/08/2024

**Mission Statement for Whatta Dog K9 Training Center**

To provide comprehensive, positive reinforcement-based training that fosters a deep bond between dogs and their owners, ensuring well-behaved, confident, and happy pets.

Core Objectives

1. Quality Training Programs: Offer a variety of training programs tailored to different breeds, ages, and temperaments, from basic obedience to advanced skills.

2. Owner Education:
Empower dog owners with the knowledge and tools they need to maintain training consistency at home.

3. Community Engagement:
Build a supportive community for dog owners through workshops, events, and social gatherings.

4. Dog Well-being:
Prioritize the physical and mental well-being of dogs through humane training techniques that encourage learning without fear or force.

5. Continuous Improvement:
Stay updated with the latest dog training methodologies and incorporate them into your programs.

** Services provided **

*Puppy Training:
Focus on socialization, basic commands, and crate training.

*Obedience Training:
Teach essential commands and behaviors, including sit, stay, and leash walking.

*Behavioral Training:
Address specific issues such as aggression, anxiety, or excessive barking.

*Advanced Training:
For dogs that have mastered basic commands, offering advanced skills, agility training, or trick training.

*Group Classes/Private Sessions: Provide both options to cater to different learning styles and needs.

*Staffing/Certified Trainers:
All trainers are certified and experienced in positive reinforcement techniques.

10/08/2024

Let's have a talk. Even after all this time we still hear the same old myths about Bully breeds get repeated as fact.

Let's get to it shall we?

1. There is no such thing as "locking jaws"
There is no mysterious magical mechanism that Bully breeds possess that " locks " their jaws shut.


2. Bully breeds cannot be with any other animals.
Another crock of nonsense. Bully breeds are extremely social dogs. Yes, like any other dog they can be dog selective and particular about what other dog shares their space. I've had harmonious packs of 15+ dogs that were 50% Bully breeds. We enjoyed many years of fun and silly antics with those dogs. The occasional disagreement....always started by my Chihuahua gangsters.

Learning to read ALL dogs behavior and stress signals and energy levels will help you control stimulation and keep your household in harmony.

3. Our least favorite phrase...." It's all about how you raise them"
No it isn't. While we agree a loving and affectionate environment is ALWAYS a plus for any dog, it doesn't guarantee you a perfect and well mannered dog.
Understanding your breed and their general genetic characteristics helps you understand some tendencies much more clearly.

Example....Cattle dogs. What do we always hear....

" I have to give this dog up because he is always nipping my kids feet"

Did you bother to do any sort of research into exactly what that kind of dog is bred for? What is hard wired into their DNA? They herd large livestock. How do they do that? Say it with me folks....they nip at their hooves and the backs of their legs. That is how they get them to move their b***y. So why are you surprised they nip at your kids feet and legs??! 🤦‍♀️

Training...lots and lots of training and structure are the most important building blocks for molding and shaping a stable and enjoyable dog. The most important relationship your dog should have is with YOU. Establishing firm boundaries. Teaching your dog what their role is in your home. All these things begin with you. Making the investment of time and effort yields great results to the benefit of all!

06/08/2024

Balanced dog training is a training method that uses both positive reinforcement and aversive consequences to teach dogs that their actions have consequences. The goal is to create a healthy balance between positive and negative consequences to achieve desired behaviors more efficiently than positive-only training methods

23/07/2024

Do you have a Reactive Dog?

Here's how to know if your dog is reactive or aggressive.
While reactive and aggressive dogs can exhibit similar behaviors, the main difference is intent:

• Reactive dogs
Become overly aroused by common triggers, such as frustration, excitement, or fear. They may bark, growl, lunge, and become so preoccupied that they can be difficult to control. For example, a dog might react reactively if it sees something through a fence or is trying to reach something while on a leash. Reactive behaviors can be caused by genetics, lack of socialization, bad experiences, or lack of training. Some breeds, like terriers and herding dogs, are more likely to be reactive.

• Aggressive dogs
Show similar behaviors to reactive dogs, but with the intent to cause harm or destruction. Aggressive dogs may bare their teeth, growl, stare directly at you, and maintain a stiff posture. An experienced dog caretaker might be able to sense tension in a dog that's about to bite, but inexperienced people might not realize the signs and put themselves at risk. Aggressive behaviors can include biting, shaking, and repeated bites in quick succession.

Since I want to specialize in helping reactive dogs I will focus on them in this article.

Punishing a reactive dog can make the behavior worse. Instead, you can try these techniques to help your dog:

• Avoid triggers
• When your dog is triggered, try to block their line of sight or turn away from the trigger. You can also try to put distance between your dog and the trigger.
• Use positive reinforcement
• Reward your dog with treats or praise when they look away from the trigger or exhibit calm behavior. You can try giving them treats as the trigger passes by, or from a safe distance so they feel comfortable.
• Redirect
• Try redirecting your dog's attention to a positive activity.
• Use behavior modification tools your trainer gives you.

Whatta Dog K9 Training can help pet parents build respect and trust with their dogs for a happy home with Fear Free - Positive Reinforcement training!

03/07/2024

It's that time of year to get the word out about Firework safety and your dogs! Here are some tips for keeping your furry friend comfortable during the celebrations! Make sure your Micro-chip information is UP-TO-DATE in case your dog gets out of the house or yard.

19/06/2024

Public Service Reminder for your doggos as summer approaches.

06/06/2024

25/03/2024

Repost off my Whatta Dog! K9 Training and Simon the Am Staff Terrier pages. It's an important reminder for reactive dogs and fearful dogs! It's a long post but an important one.

Are You Being an Advocate for Your Dog?
We hear the term “advocate” used in a handful of ways:
Advocate for yourself in the workplace
Be an advocate for those who can’t speak for themselves
She is a big advocate of protecting the environment
But have you heard it used for your dog?
Being an advocate for your dog is just as important as being their caretaker. It’s another way you can keep them safe, comfortable, and thriving. Let’s take a closer look at what it really means to be an advocate for your dog, and how to put your advocacy plans into action.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DOG?
In simple terms, advocating for your dog means being their voice to speak and acting in their best interest. This is such an important role for a few reasons. While our dogs are great at communicating with us about a lot of things, they aren’t able to voice exactly what it is that they need during times of stress or fear. But knowing they can count on us to take control of a situation or avoid triggering situations in the first place is comforting to them.
They can navigate their surroundings knowing that we are looking out for their best interests, and they will be a lot more comfortable – they may even learn to look to us for help rather than getting stressed in the first place!
Being your dog’s advocate also protects them (and others around them) from destructive or potentially dangerous behavior as a result of extreme stress, anxiety, or fear.
In other words, everyone in a situation benefits from you advocating for your dog!
HOW TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DOG
We wish it were as simple as saying “I want to be an advocate!” and having everything fall into place. But the reality is that it takes some time and a lot of hard work to become an advocate for your dog – but it’s so worth it.
There’s a two-part approach that we recommend taking here:
1. Identification
2. Action plan
Let’s talk more about each!
PART 1: IDENTIFY YOUR DOG'S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
“Advocating” is not a one-size-fits-all thing. It only works if you know your dog’s unique needs that you need to advocate for.
Here’s how to do that:
1. LEARN DOG BODY LANGUAGE
Your dog tells you a lot more than you would think through their body language. Their posture, facial expressions, and tail positions for example give great insight into how they’re feeling about a given situation. You can learn more about your dog’s body language in Basics of Dog Body Language – What Your Dog is Trying to Tell You. Learning your dog’s body language cues is the first step in understanding their needs because you can understand when they are experiencing stress, scared, or otherwise need you to step in and change something about the situation. You’ll learn to better anticipate future stressors and better gauge when you need to intervene.
2. PRACTICE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
You’ll also want to start paying a little bit more attention to the details of a situation when you’re with your dog, especially when they’re experiencing fear, anxiety, or stress.
The goal here is not to completely shield your dog from things that make them uncomfortable, but rather get a good idea of all the factors that contribute to your dog’s feelings – good and bad.
Practicing situational awareness is pretty straightforward, but it takes a bit of effort. It requires you to slow down in situations and use all of your senses to get a full picture of what’s going on. That way, if your dog has a reaction, you can take note of what was happening in that moment and create a plan to avoid it.
Related Reading: How to Talk to Your Dog + 3 Reasons You Should
3. IDENTIFY YOUR DOG'S TRIGGERS
We can’t advocate for our dogs effectively if we don’t know exactly what we’re advocating for. Learning your dog’s body language and practicing situational awareness will help you identify your dog’s specific triggers, so you know what steps to take and what boundaries to put in place. It may take some experimenting or trial and error to identify triggers since a lot of things present themselves together. For example, if your dog gets overwhelmed when there are visitors, you may need to do a little experiment to find out if it’s the people, or the sound of the doorbell that’s the actual trigger.
Tip: If you need help replicating scenarios to figure out what is triggering your dog, the Training and Desensitization Sounds resource is a great place to start for replicating common stimuli.
PART 2: PUTTING IT INTO ACTION
So now you know you can really understand when your dog is showing stress signals and what causes them. Now it’s time to make an action plan so you can truly advocate for them.
What does an advocacy plan for your dog look like?
While it may be a little different for each dog, here are some action steps you can take:
• Protect your dog’s home environment. For example, if your dog is reactive around other dogs, don’t allow others to bring their dogs to your house.
• Place a “Do Not Pet” tag on their collar or harness if they are nervous when people approach. Layer that with a verbal warning not to approach your dog, in a calm tone of voice.
• Decline invitations to take your dog with you to places that will overwhelm or stress them. Your dog will be infinitely happier at home in their comfortable environment than surrounded by their triggers.
• Step in when someone violates any boundaries you set around your dog. Use a firm, yet calm, tone of voice and clearly state your intentions – for example, “We do not give our dog food from the table” or “Please do not come any closer with your dog.”
• Get further help when it’s needed. It’s okay not to have all the answers right away, and often it’s even difficult to know where to start.
Now that you have a full understanding of how to advocate for your dog, let’s ask the question again: are you being an advocate for your dog?
Hopefully, this article helped you strategize how you can continue showing up for and supporting your dog when they need it most – strengthening your relationship in the process!

10/01/2024

This is one of the best things you can do for your dog!

08/01/2024

This is an area of expertise that I hope to work within for the dog and his people so they can all enjoy the world around them.
Sharing from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Managing reactive dogs. Reactivity is hard on dogs — without support your dog could become aggressive.
You want to take a relaxing walk with your dog, but at just the sight of another dog or a person, they start barking hysterically, forcing you to drag them away. This is a reactive dog — one who overreacts to normal situations that other dogs would take in stride. Reactive dogs are not necessarily aggressive dogs, but reactivity can turn into aggression, so your attention to training becomes extremely important.
Reactive dogs become overly aroused by common stimuli. They may lunge, bark and growl, becoming so preoccupied with whatever is triggering the emotion that they can be difficult to control and move out of the situation. A reactive dog is usually a fearful dog. Causes can be genetic, but they are more likely due to a lack of socialization, prior bad experiences or a lack of training.
Aggressive dogs show similar signs but are determined to cause harm and destruction. Any reactive dog can be pushed into aggression, which is why a reactive dog needs to be taken seriously.
Avoiding reactive dogs. Ideally, you don’t want a reactive dog in the first place. Adult dogs can be evaluated or taken on a walk for a “test run,” but predicting a puppy’s adult behavior can be more challenging.
Dr. Katherine Houpt, the James Law Professor Emeritus of Behavior Medicine in the Department of Clinical Sciences, recommends asking to meet the parents of a litter if possible, since puppies do often take after their parents’ personalities and reactivity can have a genetic link. If that’s not possible, at least visit the litter before weaning. Mother dogs are protective of puppies, but they should not be aggressive. Puppies should be friendly, confident and outgoing, approaching you for attention instead of cowering or hiding.
Identifying triggers. The first thing to do is to identify the specific triggers that set your dog off. Houpt says that trigger is anything that acts as a stimulus to make your dog react dramatically. This might be a strange person, other dogs or both. Classic scenarios involve things like someone wearing a funky hat, men with beards, other dogs and children.
Some dogs are reactive to these stimuli in all situations, while others might only be reactive in certain contexts. Some dogs are fine with other dogs off-leash, but become reactive when they are on a leash (this is referred to as leash reactivity). Other dogs might be more likely to show reactive behavior in congested or crowded spaces, or when out walking at night.
After you’ve identified triggers, try to avoid them while you work on a training plan. You don’t want the behavior to become an ingrained habit. “Walk your dog when others aren’t out, and avoid the dog park,” says Houpt.
Protect your dog. Immersing your dog in situations that where they are not comfortable will increase their fear and may make their behavior worse. When you’re out with your dog, be vigilant. If you see a person or dog who is likely to upset your dog, avoid them if possible. Give your dog a chance to have some walks and calm outings, so you can praise them for being a good dog and they can start to relax.
Remember that your dog does not have to be friends with all people or every dog. Houpt says the assumption that all dogs should love all other people and all other dogs is mostly an American phenomenon.
“In Italy, dogs go everywhere, but they keep them away from other dogs, and people aren’t constantly coming up to pet them,” she says. In this regard, they treat their dogs more like people by respecting a dog’s personal space.
You need to be your dog’s advocate. For example, protect them from a stranger looming over them to keep them from feeling like they need to defend themselves. If the person continues to approach your dog or tries to pet them, calmly but firmly tell that person that your dog is working, shy or in training. This usually will help most people understand the need to respect your space.
Counter-conditioning. Of course, avoidance isn’t a permanent solution. Behavior modification and counter-conditioning to help make your dog’s triggers less scary are the long-term answer — giving them coping strategies to deal with stressful situations.
Start by always having treats with you. “Reward the dog as soon as the trigger appears,” Houpt says. Feed them treats while the scary thing passes by or as you move by it. At first, you will want to give the reward at a safe distance from the trigger, if possible, so that your dog feels comfortable. This might mean keeping an entire soccer field between you and some kids playing, for example.
With consistent and frequent training, your dog will start to associate the trigger with something positive. With luck, eventually, they will see another dog and look to you for a treat. Toys and praise can be used for positive reinforcement too.
Over time, you will be able to move closer to the scary stimulus. Enlist the help of a friend to make sure that you are in control of the situation. For example, if your dog reacts to other dogs, ask a friend with a calm dog to walk across the street from where you and your dog are working, while you use treats to refocus and reward your dog's attention. If your dog remains quiet and focused on you, ask your friend to move a little closer. If your dog starts to get stressed, ask your friend to go farther away. This can be done with children or people in hats, for example, too.
It is important to make a plan to continuously work with your dog and make triggers less scary by helping associate them with a rewarding treat (or toy or praise). If you have difficulty, talk with a veterinary behaviorist or a fear-free dog trainer to customize strategies for your dog.
Don't forget to praise your dog for a job well done!

15/12/2023

Repost from April 2022. Always a good refresher!

I'm weak for those block head dogs and responsible as hell when it comes to them!

Top 15 Tips for Being a Responsible Dog Owner

1. Obedience - Train your dog so he/she is a star in all situations.

2. Neuter/Spay your dog - This will curb territorial aggression, prevent more (and more and more) unwanted puppies and prevent your dog from roaming. All dogs are MUCH nicer to be around when they have been fixed!

3. Socialization - Encourage your dog to be a Social Butterfly. Socialize him/her with as many different people as possible, such as kids, seniors, disabled folks, and people of all ethnic groups.

4. Socialize your dog with other dogs at a level that is GOOD for your dog.

5. Become a dedicated student of 'dog body language' and get to know your dog like the back of your hand. This will help you be able to anticipate and prevent potential dog to dog conflicts. Learn about behaviors that indicate a dog is raising the stakes during a play session. Be ready to intervene and watch for other triggers that could excite your dog into conflict. Pay careful attention to the behavioral changes that develop as your dog moves through the changes in its life. Particularly any anticipated 'shift' from a social dog to a dog that has less tolerance. This is common and normal in the terrier breeds, so keep your eye out.

6. Respect the leash laws - Leash laws are a dog owners best friend. They help you navigate situations where another dog may provoke your dog into a fight. Know your rights as a dog owner.

7. Understand aggression, as any sign of aggression towards a human is a major red flag and should be dealt with immediately. Enlist the help of a BREED EXPERIENCED trainer or behaviorist. Dogs that show an inability to improve should be safeguarded from the public (in secure housings for example) or in some cases, humanely euthanized. Pit Bulls were bred to be exceedingly friendly with people.

8. Exercise - Your dog needs regular exercise so he/she can burn off that famous bulldog energy. Pit bulls are intelligent athletes. Young dogs need at least 2 hours of your time each day. A well exercised Pit Bull is a happy Pit Bull, which makes a happy owner!

9. Understand fear - Many people have had negative experiences with dogs and are sincerely afraid of them. Give them reassurance when you can rather than allow them to be unnecessarily frightened. Pit Bull owners have to go above and beyond the call of duty sometimes to help some people get over their fear and prejudice. What Pit Bull lovers see as ADORABLE - others may see as scary.

10. Try to develop a thick skin to help you endure rude or hurtful comments about your pet.

11. When out with your dog, pay attention to your surroundings and balance the needs of the public with your dogs needs. This means picking up dog messes, not letting your dog jump on or annoy others, and avoid off-leash dogs that may run up and instigate a fight.

12. If worse comes to worse and you have to break up a dogfight, stay calm, take a deep breath and be prepared to do it quickly and safely. Pit Bull owners should know exactly how to do this with as little fuss as possible. You may want to carry a parting stick with you in areas where you might encounter loose running dogs that may harass or attack your leashed dog.

13. Research your dogs breed - Your research should include the history and original purpose of terriers so you can understand Pit Bull behavior. It's no secret that Pit Bulls can show dog intolerance when challenged. Becoming familiar with canine behavior will prove to be a big help so that you can enjoy a great success with your pet. Spread the word to other Pit Bull owners and be a responsible example for others.

14. License and microchip - Licensing and microchip your Pit Bull so that if he/she gets lost, your beloved friend can be returned to you.

15. Enjoy your dog - Despite all the work, enjoy your dog! Whether your buddy loves a long hike, a fast swim or just a rip snoring power nap, you and your friend deserve to enjoy all the good bully love!

11/12/2023

I am beyond proud of the work my friend Christopher Hannah his dog Cole the Deaf Dog- The Team Cole Project are doing. This year they were recognized by the ASPCA and Cole was named Dog of the Year! The back story of how Chris adopted Cole is beautiful, the life Cole lives because of Chris is beautiful, and the love they share and spread thru their community is beautiful! As an advocate for bully breed dogs my heart is bursting with joy to see that they are Making a Difference by being Different for bully breed dogs, people with disabilities, hospice homes and veteran's homes. Amazing doesn't even cover it! So PROUD to call you friends!
These are my kind of people!

This award is so well-deserved!

23/11/2023

Dog owners be aware of a nasty illness going around with dogs! Be alert and diligent on getting your dog to a vet as soon as you think they have been exposed or showing symptoms!
This respiratory illness is currently known as Atypical Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease (aCIRD). Cases are currently defined as having a negative canine respiratory PCR test panel, which tests for common viruses and bacteria identified in dogs with similar symptoms, PLUS one of the following clinical scenarios:
· Chronic mild-moderate respiratory infection that lasts more than six weeks that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics;
· Chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics; or
· Acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and often leads to poor outcomes in as little as 24-36 hours.
Given the lack of knowledge about the cause of this disease, veterinarians and dog owners are advised to be on the lookout for symptoms such as cough, sneezing, nasal discharge, and lethargy (lack of energy) in their dogs.
If a dog is experiencing these symptoms, owners should take the following steps:
1. Contact their pet’s veterinarian so the pet may be evaluated, and, if indicated, the appropriate tests and medications may be provided.
2. Isolate sick dogs at home for a minimum of 28 days past the first day of the onset of illness. Dogs exposed to the sick dog should quarantine at home and away from other dogs for 14 days to monitor them for signs and symptoms of illness.
3. Clean regularly and disinfect surfaces, doorknobs, keyboards, and animal equipment. To disinfect, use an EPA-registered disinfecting product or a stronger bleach solution.
4. Keep the dog home and away from day care, boarding kennels, grooming facilities, and dog parks.
5. If a dog becomes ill after being boarded or being in a facility, owners should take it to a veterinarian for evaluation and they should also notify the facility about the illness.

08/11/2023

Look who gets featured on the Fall cover of our dog training academy!

06/09/2023

3 Biggest Reactive Dog Training Mistakes

Your reactive dog’s barking, growling, and lunging can get WORSE if you do these 3 mistakes:

#1: Punishment
Do you punish your dog when he’s a bad dog?
This can make your dog’s reactivity WORSE. If you associate negative feelings to your dog’s triggers, your dog will only be more stressed and more reactive. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Instead, you can associate positive feelings to your dog’s triggers.

#2: Long Training Sessions
Do you train your dog for hours?
This can also make your dog’s reactivity WORSE. Reactivity training can be very stressful for your dog. If you train your dog for too long, your dog will be more stressed and more reactive.
You can instead do short 5-10 minute reactivity training sessions that are very effective.

#3: Distraction
Do you lure your dog away with a cookie every single time you pass another dog or person?
This can work in the short-term but it doesn’t change the root cause of your problem. Distraction or redirection doesn’t change the emotional response your dog has to his triggers. If you change your dog’s emotional response, he/she will stop being reactive.
You can train your dog to stay calm even when you don’t distract him.

Here’s how:
Positive 5-10 minute training sessions that change your dog’s emotional response to his triggers.

23/08/2023

Can learning occur without motivation? No! Learning and motivation are intertwined to the point where one doesn't exist without the other. Dogs are motivated by something. You need to find what their motivator is. Is it food, treats or toys and play?
An experienced trainer can, over time, teach a dog that they must mind and when they do mind, they will be rewarded with cool things.

21/08/2023

Training motivators. You, your dog and behavior motivators.
Remember, the value of the motivator is up to the dog - not the trainer. Every dog is different. Pay attention to what works for each individual.
There are two types of motivators, Intrinsic motivation which is natural and comes from within the dog, without learning being necessary. Then, Extrinsic motivation which is learned or a reward based motivation used to teach a desired behavior. Reinforcement history is "money in the bank" for desired behaviors.
It is very important for the trainer to have control over a motivator that matters to the dog in order to:
1. Teach new behaviors,
2. See learned behaviors performed reliably.

So have fun training your dog and building that relationship on trust and respect and most importantly - Praise Your Dog for a job well done!!

20/08/2023

K9 training facility loses everything to fire in Medical Lake, WA. Anything helps if you can donate!!!

Hi my name is Melissa, I am making this for Karin Wagemann, Narsil, Kov… Liss Steele needs your support for Nine Realms K9 Recover from the Medical Lake Fire

19/08/2023

Are You Being an Advocate for Your Dog?
We hear the term “advocate” used in a handful of ways:
Advocate for yourself in the workplace
Be an advocate for those who can’t speak for themselves
She is a big advocate of protecting the environment
But have you heard it used for your dog?
Being an advocate for your dog is just as important as being their caretaker. It’s another way you can keep them safe, comfortable, and thriving. Let’s take a closer look at what it really means to be an advocate for your dog, and how to put your advocacy plans into action.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DOG?
In simple terms, advocating for your dog means being their voice to speak and acting in their best interest. This is such an important role for a few reasons. While our dogs are great at communicating with us about a lot of things, they aren’t able to voice exactly what it is that they need during times of stress or fear. But knowing they can count on us to take control of a situation or avoid triggering situations in the first place is comforting to them.
They can navigate their surroundings knowing that we are looking out for their best interests, and they will be a lot more comfortable – they may even learn to look to us for help rather than getting stressed in the first place!
Being your dog’s advocate also protects them (and others around them) from destructive or potentially dangerous behavior as a result of extreme stress, anxiety, or fear.
In other words, everyone in a situation benefits from you advocating for your dog!
HOW TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DOG
We wish it were as simple as saying “I want to be an advocate!” and having everything fall into place. But the reality is that it takes some time and a lot of hard work to become an advocate for your dog – but it’s so worth it.
There’s a two-part approach that we recommend taking here:
1. Identification
2. Action plan
Let’s talk more about each!
PART 1: IDENTIFY YOUR DOG'S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
“Advocating” is not a one-size-fits-all thing. It only works if you know your dog’s unique needs that you need to advocate for.
Here’s how to do that:
1. LEARN DOG BODY LANGUAGE
Your dog tells you a lot more than you would think through their body language. Their posture, facial expressions, and tail positions for example give great insight into how they’re feeling about a given situation. You can learn more about your dog’s body language in Basics of Dog Body Language – What Your Dog is Trying to Tell You. Learning your dog’s body language cues is the first step in understanding their needs because you can understand when they are experiencing stress, scared, or otherwise need you to step in and change something about the situation. You’ll learn to better anticipate future stressors and better gauge when you need to intervene.
2. PRACTICE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
You’ll also want to start paying a little bit more attention to the details of a situation when you’re with your dog, especially when they’re experiencing fear, anxiety, or stress.
The goal here is not to completely shield your dog from things that make them uncomfortable, but rather get a good idea of all the factors that contribute to your dog’s feelings – good and bad.
Practicing situational awareness is pretty straightforward, but it takes a bit of effort. It requires you to slow down in situations and use all of your senses to get a full picture of what’s going on. That way, if your dog has a reaction, you can take note of what was happening in that moment and create a plan to avoid it.
Related Reading: How to Talk to Your Dog + 3 Reasons You Should
3. IDENTIFY YOUR DOG'S TRIGGERS
We can’t advocate for our dogs effectively if we don’t know exactly what we’re advocating for. Learning your dog’s body language and practicing situational awareness will help you identify your dog’s specific triggers, so you know what steps to take and what boundaries to put in place. It may take some experimenting or trial and error to identify triggers since a lot of things present themselves together. For example, if your dog gets overwhelmed when there are visitors, you may need to do a little experiment to find out if it’s the people, or the sound of the doorbell that’s the actual trigger.
Tip: If you need help replicating scenarios to figure out what is triggering your dog, the Training and Desensitization Sounds resource is a great place to start for replicating common stimuli.
PART 2: PUTTING IT INTO ACTION
So now you know you can really understand when your dog is showing stress signals and what causes them. Now it’s time to make an action plan so you can truly advocate for them.
What does an advocacy plan for your dog look like?
While it may be a little different for each dog, here are some action steps you can take:
• Protect your dog’s home environment. For example, if your dog is reactive around other dogs, don’t allow others to bring their dogs to your house.
• Place a “Do Not Pet” tag on their collar or harness if they are nervous when people approach. Layer that with a verbal warning not to approach your dog, in a calm tone of voice.
• Decline invitations to take your dog with you to places that will overwhelm or stress them. Your dog will be infinitely happier at home in their comfortable environment than surrounded by their triggers.
• Step in when someone violates any boundaries you set around your dog. Use a firm, yet calm, tone of voice and clearly state your intentions – for example, “We do not give our dog food from the table” or “Please do not come any closer with your dog.”
• Get further help when it’s needed. It’s okay not to have all the answers right away, and often it’s even difficult to know where to start.
Now that you have a full understanding of how to advocate for your dog, let’s ask the question again: are you being an advocate for your dog?
Hopefully, this article helped you strategize how you can continue showing up for and supporting your dog when they need it most – strengthening your relationship in the process!