5 Stress Free Steps for The Visiting Dog

Have you considered the correct protocol if you have a dog visitor?  Say you have a friend that would like to visit you at your house with her dog.  How would you go about it if the dogs have never met before?

Well, there is a method that you can use which is similar to that of introducing a new dog into your home.

This method is especially good for dogs with behaviour problems, PTSD, or anxiety and stress related issues.

1. You should first introduce the dogs to one another on neutral ground.  This could be done at a park close to your home or at the end of your street.
2. After they have become acquainted, you can then walk them to a more restricted area of your home like the back yard.  It is important not to restrict them to the house yet as they will feel stressed if they don't have a means of "escape" in case either one needs it.
3. Allow them some safe play time and let them get to know one another.  Remember sniffing is okay and it's their "hello", so let them have at it. 
4. Once you sense that they feel comfortable together, you can perform a couple of basic commands with them individually and then together such as sit and stay.  This will allow you to be able to control them if the need arises.  If one dog is generally "superior" to the other, you will know it right away.  You can acknowlege their status by giving them treats accordingly.
5. If you are comfortable with their demeanor and they are responsive to your direction, you can then allow them into the house. 

It's inevitable that some dogs will not like one another, but remember that if they are well socialized, they will generally tolerate one another.

Is your dog stressed because of YOU?

Most of you, if not all of you who read this blog have an understanding that our dogs respond to the energy around them.  All of you are here because you love your dog and want what's best for him/her.  You know that your dog needs to be in a relaxed state in order to deal with the different degrees of energy surrounding them in a positive and healthy manner.   In a perfectly balanced dog, negative energy should be able to flow through your dog.  When it doesn't your dog has an imbalance.  These dogs will experience a build up of excess energy, which we call tension or stress.  This tension, just like with humans, needs to be released.  Since dogs can't verbally express their emotions and relieve stress by talking it out, they express it as part of their behaviour. 

In order to help your dog relieve that tension, we need to be able to sense what our dog is feeling and approach the situation in a calm, centered and relaxed manner.  This means in order to help our dog, we need to help ourselves too!

Be aware of your dog.  Not just of his physical presence but his emotional state of mind by watchnig his behaviour.  Do you see him whining for no reason, spinning around in circles, scratching constantly, panting heavily, muscles trembling and constant wiggling?  These are all signs of tension or stress and can vary in degrees.  These symptoms can escalate quickly so watch for them and observe the subtle ques so you can stop them before they intensify.  Catching those symptoms early are tantamount to helping your dog.  Your ultimate goal is to spot these warning signs early and fix them before they escalate.  Once the tension increases to a fever pitch, your dog just won't listen.  It is up to you to get advice on how to bring your dog "down" by using calming and relaxation techniques.  My blog lists a number of relaxation techniques such as Reiki, Bach Flower Remedies, Relaxation Therapy, Massage and Music Therapy.  However, you can begin the process yourself by working on you!

Most of you know a relaxed dog when you see one.  He will be attentive to you in a calm way, hsi muscles will be supple, not stiff, his breathing will be regular and his movements will be more fluid rather than jerky.

Getting your dog to relax begins with you!

Since you already know that your dog senses your energy, you're halfway there!  YOU are the major source of energy for your dog.  Yep, I said it...YOU!  Before you start putting the blame on your dog, you need to understand your own energy.  Are you tense?  Are you holding the collar just a little too tightly?  Are your shoulders shrugged?  Is your voice elevated?  Are you BREATHING?????

How can you expect your dog to respond to you correctly when they are tense?  They just can't do it.  Well, you can't expect to be capable of asking for them to do something for you if you're not in the right state of mind.

It is important to focus on your breathing. 

So, right now...take a deep breath.  Really! Do it now.  Breathe in.  As you breathe in, you should feel your diaphragm expand.  Take notice of your body as you feel your stomach expand as you breathe in, then exhale through your mouth, releasing the air slowly.  Do this for at least 10 full breaths, not rushing it, just taking your time.  Shake it out and feel the difference.

Now, the next time you're in a stressful situation with your dog or if you "know" you are walking into a stressful situation with your dog, take a moment and breathe BEFORE you approach your dog.  Once you are in a more relaxed state, you are better able to handle potentially stressful situations.

To find out more information about destressing YOUR life and about the Breath, please check out my dear friend's blog: Core Connection Healing for more information.

http://coreconnectionhealing.blogspot.com/2010/04/meditation-made-easy-3-tips-to-start.html

Is your dog Employed?

Bottom line is, if you don't give your dog a job to do, they will become self-employed.  This means they will come up with their own "jobs" to do around the house.  They can become your self appointed host or hostess; jumping on and licking everyone who comes through the door.  They can become great gardeners and replant all your flowers and vegetables in the yard.  They can even become an interior decorator and rearrange the stuffing in your couch.  When you don't give your dog a job to do, you create an improper balance of the mental, physical and emotional stimulants your dog needs.  In short, they become bored!  Boredom then leads to other mental and physical symptoms such as stress and anxiety.

Employment is so important because not only will you provide stimulation but also promote and develop a sense of purpose and pride.  Having a dog "work" for a living eliminates boredom and engages them in life.

Jobs can include retrieving toys, doing tricks and playing games.  My dog's job is to find and bring me my keys when it's time to "go for a ride" and bring me my cell phone when it rings.

Give your dog a job to do and work to create the balance they so deserve.

Do YOU speak dog?

Almost every dog trainer and dog training book advises us that we should pick simple commands and be consistent, but we all know each and every one of us, trainers included, have violated that rule.  We're human, of course!  Humans are taught from the beginning to "use your words", to use the adjectives that make us human, to use words creatively to get our points accross.  Words, words, words!  Not only do we LOVE adjectives but we also love to use our synonyms.  We love to word swap!  Well, we need to understand that a dog just doesn't understand the use of synonym swapping or correct adjectives or verbal nuances.  Dogs just speak dog.

It really is a wonder that our dogs understand us at all.  Dogs actually live and cohabitate with us as if they were living in a foreign land. 

Think about it.  When you visit a region where you don't speak the language, what do you do to get your point accross?  You use hand gestures to signify what you mean.  You use your facial expresssions and other forms of non verbal communication.  Well, guess what.  You just figured out the key to dog interaction.

Dogs respond to our gestures, our facial expressions and the intonations in our voice.   So when you think your dog isn't listening, he may just not be understanding what you are trying to tell him.

Raising your voice if they don't understand you will just cause them to tune you out.  You might as well not be saying anything.

So remember, simple repetition but most of all PATIENCE.