Fri 10th Feb: And continuing on a theme…..

It’s funny how things work in sychronicity.  No sooner had I posted my blog about bad trainers, I got an email from an adopter of a small and very young poodle who had decided to ignore our own trainer’s advice and instead pay (in advance for twelve sessions which is how these people work – be warned) to have the dog’s behaviour completely ruined.  Why, I have to ask myself again and again, do dog owners think that anyone who calls themselves a trainer must be right without question?  If you employed a tutor for your child and saw that person whacking the kid on the head with a rolled-up newspaper would you stand by and think that it must be OK because you’ve been told that’s the way it’s done?  Of course not.  So if you hire a dog trainer and feel uncomfortable about the methods being used, stop.  And don’t sign a twelve-session contract in advance.

There was a case reported in the international media yesterday of a TV anchor in the US being bitten in the face by a very large dog, a mastiff, who had been brought into the studio with the two guys who had saved him from drowning.  Watching the video you can see the anchor constantly petting the dog in a manner which was clearly too much, and the dog was showing all the classic signs of stress.  At the end of the interview the woman put her face right up to the mastiff’s to give him a kiss, and got her lip bitten as a result.  So who was at fault?

Many dogs don’t like being cuddled at all and most don’t feel comfortable being hugged by total strangers.  Why would they?  And if you pet or massage a dog, it should be done with a long and slow calming movement, not a high energy rub (unless the idea is to start a game or get the dog excited).

Here are some very good posters by Dr Sophia Yin, one of the trainers and behaviourists that I can highly recommend.  Subtle signs of fear and stress are licking of the lips and yawning, two things that might not be obvious if you don’t know.  Understanding the way dogs communicate how they are feeling is the key to a good relationship with your pet, especially if you have children.  Make sure they learn these signs too and you can avoid unhappy accidents.

Understanding a dog's signs of stress and fear can save a lot of trouble

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