THE UNEXPECTED
SNAP! Why shy dogs don’t like to meet strangers. H
Paula Bergeron - Grafton, NH
ave you ever gone to pet a dog who seems to want your affection but at the last minute they shy back, growl, or even snap in your direction? Generally when this happens owners are baffled and embarrassed and guests feel surprised or put off by what they deem an unfriendly dog. In truth this is not necessarily the reaction of a grouchy dog, it is a natural reaction of a shy or anxious dog. Why is it natural for a dog to run or snap when you go to pet them????? The answer is as old as time… the instinctual response to a threat; Fight or Flight. When any creature, including humans, feels threatened we instinctively respond to either run for our lives or defend ourselves and our dogs are no different. When a dog is looking to flee you may see them crouch, crawl, turn their head away, or actually bolt in a panic. To defend themselves a dog may growl, become suddenly still, raise their lip, air snap, or lunge forward and bite. The fight or flight response becomes confusing when it seems that the dog was seeking attention by coming towards you with a wagging tail. Why then do they suddenly feel threatened??? Well, it is more than likely that when the dog came forward to seek attention, you also came forward to meet them. At some point, we overstep the dog’s tolerance for a stranger in their space. Space is an important instinct to maintain safety, and even we feel this as humans. We all know the uncomfortable feeling when
18 4 Legs & a Tail
someone steps in too close… usually we feel the need to move. lean, or at least tilt our head away from the invader. Our dogs tend to have a stronger reaction… taking away their space means we have taken away their ability to flee…. now have nothing left but their fight response. How then can we meet shy dogs without triggering the fight or flight response? EASY! Don’t move. Allow a dog to come up to you. Do not walk into, bend over, or reach out your hand to invite a dog to sniff. Just be still, allow the dog to come to you. Let dogs get to know you by their favorite method of investigation, sniffing. Be still as they sniff, then ALLOW THEM TO LEAVE. BUT…. I WANT TO PET DOGS screams every dog lover who can hardly restrain themselves from touching every dog they see. (by the way, I get these folks… I feel the same way) Well, the rule of thumb is if a dog chooses to sniff you, when they are finished they will turn away. If they return to you within 3 to 5 seconds they are probably comfortable with your presence enough to be touched, but to play it safe I let the dog do their sniffing routine a second time, before I attempt to touch them. Before I go in for an under the chin scratch I always ask owners if I have their permission to engage with their dog. And let’s be clear don’t ask for permission as you are reaching out to the dog, look at the owners and be ready to accept the answer of no. Remember you do not want every person on the street to touch you, then why on earth do we expect our dogs to be any different. If you love dogs, then you will be willing to give each dog what they want and need, and shy dogs need space. So next time a dog attempts to come to meet you, stay still, allow them to sniff, and allow them to leave if that is all they want, they will truly love you for it! Happy Training! Paula Bergeron and the gang at Good Dogma embrace a holistic approach to bringing balance to your dog’s behavioral issues. Exercise, training, relaxation, massage, grooming, play, socialization, and energy healing are incorporated into your dog’s routine. www.Goodogma.com Fall 2020
