My dog walker says my reactive dog is FINE!

Many people choose to employ a dog walker to exercise their dog.

It may because of being out at work all day, or physical infirmity, or many other reasons.

There are two things to consider here:

1. If you’re not enjoying getting out and about with your dog every day, what did you get a dog for?

2. By abdicating responsibility for his outings, you are handing someone else - possibly not sufficiently skilled - the task of managing and teaching your dog (for your dog is learning every moment of every day!). And this is compounded when your dog is reactive - anxious, shy, “aggressive” . . . Growly.

Knowledge and understanding of reactivity

I’ll take no.2 first.

If you know your dog is reactive, then it may be better for you to avoid having someone else manage his interactions with the outside world.

Dogwalking is an unregulated business. This means that anyone can set up as a dogwalker, with ZERO knowledge of dog training the ordinary dog, never mind a reactive one.

Now, there are some excellent, knowledgeable, dogwalkers. They have studied the subject, they know how to manage a reactive dog, and they’ll be keen to follow your instructions regarding how you do this (force-free and fear-free, of course!).

These unicorn dogwalkers will probably take your dog out solo or with a very small carefully-selected group. Got one of these walkers? HANG ON to them! They are rare beings.

I frequently find that a student dog’s increasing agitation and inability to cope with the existence of other dogs has stemmed from - or been exacerbated by - being walked by one of these inexpert walkers.

And these are the ones who will say, “Yes! Your dog is FINE!” Sadly, they are unaware of what is really going on and therefore have no idea of the damage they may be doing by mishandling the situations that arise.

Dogs are simple souls. And it won’t take many incidents where your dog feels unhappy, for him to don a suit of armour whenever the lead is put on. In other words, his reactivity will increase.

What can I do?

So now you’re saying, “I’m unable to exercise my dog - what on earth can I do?”

And before you plump for all-day daycare, be aware that the same problems exist there. There are very few establishments - in my experience - to whom I would entrust my reactive dog. Like the unicorn dogwalkers, they do exist! But you may have to hunt hard to find them in a location convenient to you.

My own solution, if I have to be out for the day, is to have one of these wonder-walkers visit my home and entertain the dogs there. The active dogs play in the garden with their new friend, the dozy ones enjoy a cuddle instead. The walker can make herself coffee and take a break with them. But they don’t walk anywhere!

If this is you, you are missing out!

Back to Point no.1.

Why did you get a dog?

Presumably to share your life with, to teach, to enjoy, to cuddle, to nurture, to get you out of your armchair and into nature . . .

If you hand what is possibly the most exciting part of your dog’s day to someone else, you are missing out!

You are missing the joy of seeing your dog interact with the world, run, jump, sniff and snuffle, chase frisbees, climb, explore - and seeing his pleasure at doing it all with you.

I realise there are those who for physical reasons are unable to walk their dog. Maybe it would be possible to drive to a suitable place and sit down and enjoy watching their dog’s freedom and joy?

And if you’re out at work all day - how about carving out a space early in the morning or after you get home? Be aware that your dog doesn’t need to be walked every day! This joy should not be a burden. And the reactive dog will benefit hugely from the reduction in stress this will bring.

This is such a valuable part of your dog’s life that you want to make every effort to enjoy it with him!

And if your dog is reactive - he needs YOU to be with him to help him cope with our world.

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CAN MY DOG BE STRESSED? - PART 3

This post was first published on positively.com and is reprinted here with permission.

Here is the third excerpt from my book - Building Confidence in your Growly but Brilliant Family Dog - which points out an area which will be affecting your dog much more than you may imagine. You may want to read the first and second parts of this series first: Can My Dog Be Stressed? - Part 1 and Can My Dog Be Stressed? Part 2 

While you’re doing your best to improve the situation and you take a look at what may be making things worse, you cannot overlook stress.

• Stress causes reactions to be exaggerated

• Stress causes us to snap

• Stress wears us out

And here’s another area of your dog’s life that could be building stress that may surprise you.

3. Daycare or a dogwalker

A very perceptive reader sent me this query recently: “My question is, what do you think of daycare for dogs? Are the dogs actually happy about it, or do dog owners just like to imagine they are?”

Some dogs love daycare. And some people love holiday camps with group activities. I have to say that’s not my kind of holiday, and I would find it very hard to cope and not one bit enjoyable.

I am not going to tar all daycares and dogwalkers with the same brush. There are some excellent ones, with dedicated and knowledgeable owners and good staff education programs. But I will say that you'll have to do extensive research to find a convenient, local one that is truly a safe place for your anxious dog to learn and develop. 

Management skills

Think of the skills you need as a parent to prevent open warfare in your own household! Then picture a gang of dogs being thrown together for a walk - or all day in a confined area - in the care of people who may have no dog training or behaviour qualifications whatever. “I love dogs” may help, but it’s not a qualification. And given how long it takes us to learn how to care for our own species - and that a lot of what people think about dogs is wrong - you’re going to be lucky to find somewhere safe for your dog.

I was recently shown a promotional video for a daycare by someone who’s been sending her very reactive German Shepherd pup there for months. Even in this 30-second video - meant to show how wonderful the place was - I could see bullying and intimidation of this pup by other dogs, and no one going to her aid. Imagine what this sensitive puppy is subjected to for ten hours a day, five days a week! No wonder her reactivity is already extreme at only six months of age. What the owner thought as “being perfectly happy at daycare” was in fact a dog that spent all day trying to avoid the other dogs (quite impossible with those numbers of loose dogs) - shut down, in other words. Not fine at all.

For many dogs, daycare is viewed with the same suspicion I view that holiday camp!

Dogwalkers

If you have a good and responsible dogwalker, you are indeed fortunate! A dogwalker arrived at my regular walking spot recently. She opened her van doors and out flew five or six dogs. One planted his feet on my chest while the others hurtled around the roadside car park alarming other dogs before heading off on their walk. After 20 minutes she returned and drove away again. Would you be happy paying good money for that level of care every day?

My personal solution to an enforced absence from home is to have someone I trust to come in to let the dogs out in the garden and play with them for a while during the day. A “walk” is not needed.

If anything goes wrong in a daycare or with a dogwalker, you will be paying for that for years - possibly the rest of your dog’s life. You can spend time observing at a potential daycare. If they don’t like you quietly watching - move on. Think hard, and do a lot of homework, before handing your dog over.

Regardless of where you live, there will be fantastic, dedicated dogwalkers and daycare facilities that truly put the needs of the dogs in their care above all else. So seek out those above-and-beyond caretakers, and you and your dog will certainly reap the rewards!

Here are excerpt 1 and excerpt 2

Did you find this excerpt interesting? Here's what Book 3 looks like!

Or you can choose to get all three books at once, in paperback or ebook.

For a free e-course to help remove the stress from your life, and your dog’s life go to www.brilliantfamilydog.com/growly

And to get started straight away with lessons to help your Growly Dog, watch our free Masterclass for Growly Dogs