Must Love Dogs…The Right Way!
One of the cringiest moments a good dog trainer has is when he/she sees another “trainers” improper reaction to a dog they have never met. What is that reaction you ask? Well, if it’s the same reaction a 5-year-old kid has to a puppy then my advice is to NOT hire such a trainer!
I see it all the time myself at my local Petco or walking through a store…it normally starts off with “I’m a trainer, can I pet/hold your dog?” Really? You’re a trainer and that’s your first reaction to a dog you have never met?
If a trainer you might hire approaches your dog the first time with hugs, kisses, and or verbal praise JUST BECAUSE it’s a dog they have never met, then you should not only forget about hiring that person, but you should also keep that person FAR away from your dog.
Say what??? Yes, you heard me correctly. I am advocating ignoring a dog. Loving every single dog you meet without knowing ANYTHING about them is a recipe for disaster. Will most dogs take that free praise you give them with stride? Of course they will and there are also some dogs that will have a negative reaction to your free praise which I recently discussed in another blog post.
The first impression you give a dog is a big step in either the right or wrong direction. If your first impression is to give them free praise (hugs, kisses, petting, positive tone etc) for absolutely no reason then you can count on them viewing you as below them in the pack.
So, what should your first impression be?
No talk, no touch, no eye contact. That sums up the proper first impression with ANY dog. Let’s go through these three things.
No talk…don’t say anything to the dog. Keep in mind whatever words you say to a dog are not that important…the tone is what’s important. Positive tone equals positive energy, negative tone is negative energy. Unsure tone, unsure energy. The dog is listening to your tone and watching your body language.
No touch…don’t touch the dog. Yes, we know that pug is adorable but picking him up and showering them with love is equivalent to a wild fan at a Michael Jackson concert in the late 80’s storming the stage and attempting to hug MJ…and unless that dog can moonwalk we don’t recommend such an action.
No eye contact…don’t look at the dog or establish any eye contact with them. This means you keep the dog in your peripheral vision but don’t look right at them.
These three little things are a huge step in the right direction for that first impression any human gives a new dog. Want to learn more? Contact your local Always Faithful Dog Trainer and become the pack leader today!