Help your dog use his Scenting Superpower and play scent games on your walks and an amazing transformation will occur, especially if your dog likes to approach other dogs
What’s your dog’s superpower? For some dogs it appears to be bothering other dogs.
A cautionary tale about poor recall and an alarming morning walk
After my Talking Tip last weekend, another owner said:
“I couldn’t agree more with your talking tip about the perils of dog parks and dogs who “just want to say hello”.
I’m just home from the Saturday morning walk with Luca. We go early to a huge local amenity area to avoid people and other dogs – during the day it’s mobbed but early morning there’s loads of space and very few people or dogs. But, this morning, just as we’re heading back to the car, I hear a guy calling “Fido, Fido, come here, come here” and he’s whistling like mad.
From 300 yards away there’s a beautiful looking cockapoo locked on my dog, Luca, and driving straight towards us like a SCUD missile. The dog doesn’t have a hope of listening to his gormless owner. Everything you taught me about such a situation ran through my mind like a checklist: other dog’s body posture, lack of attention from the dog to owner, owner not understanding the situation, my dog not noticing initially because he’s sniffing but I knew what to expect when he would notice.
I called to the owner, but he was 300 yards away and had no intention of doing anything but whistling like a loon. With nowhere to go I scooped Luca up, turned sideways to the other dog who had, by now, slowed to approach us and I really didn’t like what I saw: the tension, the ears pulled back, the eyes wide open. Luca didn’t like it either because he started to growl, a deep, guttural growl. I had a stout walking stick and was prepared to use it if necessary but really hoped it wouldn’t come to it.
I know that cockapoos are generally placid and pleasant but there is always an exception and the missile-like behaviour as this doggo had come at full speed towards us didn’t do anything to give me confidence that he was harmless. We backed away slowly and the other dog followed, looking like it wanted to lunge.
By now my own adrenaline was pumping. We kept going backwards slowly and after a bit the other dog seemed to lose interest. He turned back to face his owner, finally. We turned to continue and then suddenly he was coming at us again. The owner was still nowhere near us. I shouted to him again. Just as I did, another man with a dog appeared and that was sufficient distraction for the cockapoo to leave us and turn his attention on this new dog. He rocketed towards the new dog and that little one stood stock still as he was inspected from top to toe by the cockapoo. We got out of there as fast we could so I didn’t see how that encounter ended.
What the encounter taught me was that main culprits are owners who, in the case this morning, disregard the law by having their dogs off-lead (this was a public park where dogs must be on lead), and who think that it’s OK for their dog to run up to every other dog and give them the once over. The advice you gave me during our training sessions meant that I could deal with this much better than I would have before – thank you.
Afterwards when we got home, I made myself a nice cuppa and sat down for a few deep breaths. Then, as I was drinking the cuppa, I was reading your email about dog parks and decided to write to let you know that I agree 100% and that what you discussed was exactly what I experienced.”
Does your dog have poor recall skills?
There is no excuse for your dog bothering other people and dogs. If your dog doesn’t have a good recall, they should not be off lead. Simples.
But if you help your dog use his Scenting Superpower and play scent games on your walks an amazing transformation will occur.
Your dog will be laser-focused on you, ignoring other dogs and people, delighted that you’re finally talking his language!
Use your dog’s desire for sniffing to your advantage
To find out how you can achieve this, come and join me at my free webinar, “Your Dog Nose Best”, at 7pm on Wednesday 10th February.
You’ll find out:
- How wonderful a dogs nose is
- How dogs smell things
- What’s a walk to a dog?
- How you can use your dog’s nose to help with walking nicely on lead
- Why scent might be behind certain doggy behaviours, and
- Why nose work is the best way to calm and tire your dog
If that date doesn’t work for you, don’t worry. We’ll record it and everyone who is registered will get the link to watch the replay.
Book your place here.
Your dog will thank you!
Keep training and stay safe,
Carol
