Know your dog

KNOW YOUR DOG – IT’S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY – DOG TRAINER ADVICE

I want to talk to you about something very important; knowing your dog. I recently met an owner who is taking his aggressive dog to dog parks to play with other dogs. His reasoning for it was that he would love his dog to be able to socialise with other dogs and that it’s not really the dog’s fault, the ‘other owners just react badly when incidents happen’.

He thought that because the dog didn’t mean to hurt anyone other owners shouldn’t get upset. I found this meeting quite upsetting and the owner very irresponsible. It got me thinking about the biggest problem in dog training, in my opinion, seeing our dog the way we want them to be rather than the way they are. As a responsible owner one needs to understand not only what it is that our dogs need on a daily basis but their personality too. Here are three questions that will give you an idea of your dog’s personality.

Does your dog like other dogs?

This is one of the most important questions to ask yourself as a responsible dog owner. We would all love our dogs to be able to socialise and more importantly enjoy other dogs’ company. But that’s not always the case. Just like people, dogs are different and breeds are different. So next time at the park pay attention to your dog’s behaviour.

Does she play with other dogs?

Does she stay close to them? Does she sniff them and let others sniff her? Or does she stay away from the other dogs, walk away from them or even snap at them?

What kind of breed do you have?

Some dogs and breeds are more social and playful than others and just like people, not all dogs enjoy having other dogs around. Some breeds, for example, have been bred to be cautious around other dogs. So do your research and study your breed. Dogs have been bred for hundreds of years to have certain qualities and even though they might not be used for the same purposes any more the qualities are still there. Know your breed!

What kind of dog do you have?

Even though the breed can give you some idea of your dog’s personality at the end of the day they are individuals just like us. And just like us, there are many things that can affect their personality. Is your dog confident and independent? Or timid and insecure? Playful or antisocial? If you are at all insecure about the nature of your dog, contact a trainer. They can help you to understand your dog’s personality better.

One of the most powerful things affecting our dogs are experiences, both good and bad. Socialisation with other dogs, people and different situations should always be positive ones, especially within the first year of your dog’s life. If you have an insecure puppy, you have to be extra careful and encourage the puppy in a positive way because even little things can scar your dog for life.

When you take your dog to park to play with other dogs, it’s always your responsibility to make sure your dog is suited for it. You’re not only responsible for your own pet but also all the other dogs around you. Dog parks are designed for dogs that enjoy each others’ company, so it’s everyone’s duty to make sure they don’t pose a risk to other animals or people. Injury or trauma can happen quickly and the effects of what may seem like a small incident can be long-lasting.

So before running off to the dog park with your dog ask yourself, ‘is it what my dog wants?… Or is it what I want?’