Dogs vs humans… the important differences!

As we get into the beautiful weather I wanted to give my clients and fellow dog lovers some useful information on why we do what we do in training our dogs to be able to enjoy our time with them at home and out in the world. Things have changed since the pandemic and so many more people have become pet-parents. Some people just don’t realize the importance of training dogs to be good members of canine society! As much as we love our dogs, we don’t realize that sometimes we are doing them a great disservice by treating them like humans. This can often promote more anxiety in our dogs than we realize.

As we venture out into the parks with our dogs, remember something very important.. we only have control of our own dogs’ behavior, not others. Our dog’s deserve their personal space! We wouldn't want someone coming up in our faces and touching us all over, and we have to remember that our dog’s depend on us to keep them safe and comfortable in their personal space, just as we do. That being said, there are major differences between how dogs view the world as opposed to how we humans do!

DOGS ARE NOT HUMANS

Dogs do not view the world or communicate the same way that we do. Many things that we perceive as normal and friendly are often the exact opposite for dogs.

Dogs are pack animals and look to us for security and leadership. This provides them the confidence that they need to live a happy and well-balanced life.

DIFFERENCES IN HUMAN & DOG COMMUNICATION MAKING EYE CONTACT

Eye contact when a dogs loves you is love! That being said, when a dog doesn’t know you, they can receive it as intimidation, confrontational and it makes them uncomfortable.

BABY TALK/WHISTLING/KISSY NOISES

HUMANS view it as a fun and innocent way of communicating with cute things, whereas DOGS often receive it as confusing, exciting & anxiety inducing, and triggering prey drive.

WALKING DIRECTLY AT A DOG

HUMANS view it as showing interest and intent to interact, whereas DOGS receive it as invasive and possibly threatening and confrontational.

WHY IGNORING DOGS IN PUBLIC SHOULD BE THE NORM

We can all agree that touching someone else’s dog without permission is a no-go, but physical touch is not the only issue. Even the way people approach to ask to pet a dog is a huge problem, and its’ preventing dogs and owners from enjoying the world.

These actions, even though they are coming from an innocent and friendly place, are considered confrontational and overwhelming Ito the dog and can trigger a reaction from many dogs. Whether that reaction is excitement, anxiety or reactivity, none of it is healthy for the dog and makes it very difficult for the owner to take them out in public.

Remember that:

• Owners May be training their dogs and are trying to teach neutrality.

• Owners struggle with saying No, even if it's what's best for their dog, because they don't  want to make the situation awkward and don't want people to feel bad.

• Owners simply want to enjoy their outing without interruption from others.

THIS DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T TALK TO PEOPLE

Of course it's ok to be friendly and talk to people, but putting less emphasis on the dog and keeping those conversations between the humans, at least initially, is the best way to have a successful interaction. The less they can enjoy going to more places. And if you truly love dogs, you'll respect that.