You can say hello to my dog – but don’t touch
WHENEVER I take my Lab Del to a pub, restaurant or café people remark on how well behaved she is.
Most establishments don’t even know I have a dog.
She settles down beneath the table next to me and just watches the world go by.
“Is it okay if I say ‘Hello’? people often ask me.
To which I reply that she is a working dog in training ‘but you can give her a little smile…but no touching, please.’
I have learned from experience that allowing passers by to feed her treats and fuss her always ends in her jumping up and many people don’t like it – such as restaurant managers, people with allergies wedding parties in their best dresses, etc.
Far better for her to lay at my side quietly and observe the passing crowd.
Remember dogs get around 80 per cent of their information of the world through their nose.
Compared to their eyes the nose is a very powerful tool which can change smell into taste.
They don’t need to touch another dog to socialise.
They can do it through their nose.
Dogs have decent eyesight but rely on movement to help them.
Stationary objects are much harder for dogs to detect. You can probably see a stationery object faster than your dog, but when it comes to scent you are not in the game.
All my dogs are extremely sociable and well-mannered with other dogs but they don’t need to jump all over them to say ‘Hello.’
They can do it from smell and body language.
I go out of my way to ensure my dogs learn about the world around them.
If they have any fears I always make those fears into a training exercise.
I want Del to be comfortable and relaxed in the world she lives in.
I had a dog that was terrified of cows and horses and that is just where we went every morning always on the opposite side of the fence where everyone was safe.
No patting and fussing just a few quiet words of encouragement plus a couple of small titbits.
If you want your dog to be confident and relaxed in all situations it’s all a question of training.
You can join one of my classes by texting me direct on 075905 60012.