You Get What You Pet

I have been finding myself saying this a lot lately–you get what you pet. So, I thought I would take a moment to elaborate on this straight to the point, creative little saying (if I do say so myself!) with a few scenarios.

petting dog

Scenario 1:

You and your dog are going for a walk. You are aware that your dog is fearful of other dogs on leash as well as bikes and skateboards. The trifecta hits you: a dog, a bike, and a skateboard all coming in your direction at once. You and your dog stop walking. Your dog is clearly tense(or maybe you don’t realize he’s tense). You automatically start petting your dog (or picking them up) repeating over and over in soft, calm tones that it’s OK. As the trigger’s get closer, with the petting still in progress and the leash held tight in your hand, your dog snarls and lunges. End scene.

Scenario 2:

Your dog is fearful of people in the home. If they are small, you may already have them in your arms when answering the door to let a guest in. Your guest enters the home, and your dog is hovering around you. You sit on the couch, and your dog either sits on your lap automatically or, sits/lies on your feet. As you and your guest chat, you are petting your dog (consciously or subconsciously).  Your guest comes over to sit next to you–your dog snarls and/or bites your guest. End scene.

Scenario 3:

Your dog listens to commands beautifully. They walk better on leash than any other dog in your neighborhood. They wait until they are given the OK to eat their meal.They can be left alone for hours at a time without a fuss. Your toddler aged nephew comes over for the day. His high energy and general lack of impulse control are making your dog nervous. Your dog makes the decision to lie in their bed and ‘wait out the storm’. The toddler follows unrelenting. Your dog is trying really hard to hold it together, and you think nothing of the situation because ‘he’s just so good.’  With your dog still frozen in its bed, you decide to go over and show your nephew how to pet the dog. You get on the floor with him and take his hand to the top of the dog’s retreating head with ears pinned back and eyes wide as saucers, and BOOM! — the dog bites you both. End scene.

In all of these real life scenario’s–literally,these are all based on real life situations I’ve worked in the past–the common denominator is giving physical affection at an inappropriate time. Each of these scenario’s require a slightly different protocol approach in order to help the dog get through the situation successfully. However, none of them include petting as part of the protocol initially. I cannot stress enough how important it is to learn to read a dog’s body language. They will always be honest on how they are feeling in any given moment–including when they are feeling nervous and/or threatened. Since petting is an exercise meaning affection that one gives as part of a reward for doing well, to pet a dog that is in a negative state of mind creates a sense of mixed messages. Basically, you are praising them when they are feeling like shit–instead of directing them through the problem successfully–and then petting and praising them for succeeding! Each negative outcome of these scenario’s was the direct result of improper direction, and inappropriately timed physical affection OR attempting to give physical affection when the dog is clearly indicating that they do not want to be bothered.

So, you get what you pet! Learn how to combine physical affection and praise in the right moments, and you will have a dog that is confident and trusts your leadership. Continue down the road of giving your dog physical affection during moments of anxiety and insecurity, and they will continue to exhibit a plethora of issues. You don’t know what’s going on with your dog or what you may be doing wrong?–get help from a professional that can get you back on track in communicating with your dog successfully!

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Can I Pet Your Dog?