In the last week or so, I have had a handful of dogs arrive to their evaluation who were extremely fearful. These dogs were showing signs of flattened ears, lip licking, cowering, raised hackles, hiding behind their owners, avoidance, scratching, tails tucked, and yawning. And no…it is not because the dog is tired. The dog is stressed. Really stressed.
A lot of these subtle signs are often missed or misinterpreted altogether but are the exact signals I am looking for each and every single time a dog comes for its evaluation. Why? Because I want to do what is in the best interest of the dog. Selfishly, as a business owner, of course I love new business. It helps me reach my personal goals and business goals. But while I love growing my business, I also have integrity. I enjoy honestly and accurately communicating transparent feedback that advocates for the dog back to the owner. And while yes, I know the information can be a lot to take in (and sometimes be confusing, overwhelming, or catch people off guard) this is no different than being willing to address that perhaps our children are not “perfect.”
So, let’s begin there. There is no such thing as a perfect dog. I do not care how well-trained or how great your dog is in your home — the more “perfection” you are looking for…the more maintenance and consistency the behavior takes. I think a lot of trainers would agree owners may experience one behavior in their household, but a different behavior elsewhere. Too many times I see owners thinking their happy-go-lucky dog who has been nowhere a day in its life is supposed to thrive and be confident in a place it has never been with a person it has never met before. I don’t know about you guys, but when I meet a new person, it takes me a hot minute to build a relationship with them. So why would we expect our dog to just automatically bond and trust every single person it meets? It is simply just not fair to the dog.
Not only is it the same as taking your dog to a new environment with new smells, sights, sounds and other dogs and animals, it is the same result we get when we are proofing behaviors. Maybe your dog sits perfectly in the kitchen when you dangle a treat in its face, but the second you go on a walk and see another dog it’s like your dog does not even know the word sit. It’s because we have added new elements in. A new environment. New distractions. I think the first thing we all need to learn is to not be so hard on ourselves. We need to let the idea go that our dogs are perfect. We need to be fair and realistic in our expectations. And at the same time, we need to man up, hold ourselves accountable and address the things that should be addressed in fairness to the dog.
When a dog comes for its evaluation it is not about PASS OR FAIL to me. It is about doing the right thing; for the dog. Now, what would happen if that same dog went to a different facility or a commercial kennel? Would they “pass” the assessment? Of course, it is quite possible. Some places are just turning numbers. Some may have an inexperienced evaluator. Some may not care. For me, I try to pretend each dog that comes in for its evaluation is my personal dog. What would I recommend if this dog was mine? Don’t get me wrong, the dogs are still GOOD dogs. But in my opinion, when a dog refuses to eat, cowers and shakes, pees out of submission, or gets bloody stool…it is not in the best interest of the dog. When the dog is a potential bite risk because it is so scared…it is just not fair to the animal. Many people from other facilities will say “oh they always said my dog was great!” Im sorry to be the bearer of bad news, they lied. They wanted your business and wanted you to leave feeling so great about your dog that you would return again. They did you a disservice. They took your stressed out dog and made the problem even worse not knowing how to properly handle it. And to all the other business owners out there who operate like this, shame on you. Raise the bar.
So, what next you say? Is that it — my dog will never confidently be able to go anywhere because it is too fearful or scared? No…not at all. During my thorough evaluation one of the first things I recommend is training. I recommend finding a professional trainer who falls in line with your training philosophies and can help your dog get better (and you with your dog!). Helping your dog heal. Helping the dog build confidence, learning to work through stress and anxiety and receive proper socialization. And when I say socialization I do not mean dog to dog socialization. I mean getting your dog out and about to places like the fire station, parks, stores that allow dogs and so on. Introducing them to a variety of people of different shapes, sizes, and colors. People with hats and beards and sunglasses. And when I say introducing, I do not mean people getting down on their hands and knees overwhelming your dog. I mean exposing your dog from a distance and reading its body language. It is extremely important to learn your dog and how to communicate with your dog. All of these drills and skills are going to build your dog up to be able to exist in new places with confidence. But it will not happen overnight.
So, when I make a recommendation to someone…it is certainly not for my health. It is not because it makes me feel good their dog is unhappy or stressed. It is because the dog truly would benefit from training. Even a “perfect” and happy dog benefits from training. Too many times we avoid instead of address…and we need to address and not avoid.
In addition to training, another option I try to give to people is slowly getting their dog acclimated through spending time here. For some dogs, a daycare day with others dogs is still too much — and an “off” day where their dog can learn to relax is the better option. I think everyone has the same goal — we want peace of mind on both ends, and we just want the dog to be happy.
If you feel like this article is talking to you or someone you know, just know you are not alone. I strongly encourage you to do the right thing for your dog. Find help, find training. Even if you think you are never going to board your dog a day in its life. What if it tears its ACL, goes for surgery and must spend the night at the unfamiliar hospital? What if you need to flee your home due to an emergency and stay at a hotel? What if YOU have an emergency and you HAVE to find help for your dog? Do not wait until the last minute. Please, I encourage you, advocate for YOUR dog the same way I want to advocate for your dog.