DISTANCE DISTANCE DISTANCE
Yes I’m using capital letters!!
When dealing with changing emotions from ‘I don’t like’ to ‘oooh I like’, you have to start at a distance that your dog is comfortable with. Comfortable means:
🐾 Relaxed body
🐾 Watching NOT fixating
🐾 Responsive to me
🐾 Can take food
Wolfie on his training walk today saw 3 dogs!!
He sniffed the grass for sprinkles
He looked back at me after looking at the dog
Ate cheese I’d squished over my fingers
I didnt ask him to DO anything, that’ll come later
We were out for a total of 25 minutes. Any longer and his little stress bucket would be close to full. Just because he didn’t get agitated or bark doesn’t mean that stress wasn’t building up.
Short sessions so as not to overwhelm are key, with lots of destressing activities afterwards ie licky mat, Kong, long lasting chew or in Wolfies case a soft toy to dissect under supervision 🦆
Remember your distance!