Some of us are party animals while others are definitely not. And dogs are the same. It’s one reason why our classes are group classes but we still give dogs space. This provides the happy medium where most dogs cope well – and we help those that struggle to learn to cope better
Why Himself didn’t want to go out this weekend
Himself and I were having a discussion about what to do on Sunday. It’s Mother’s Day here in the UK so I didn’t want to cook. Equally there’s still a lot of covid around so I wasn’t sure about taking my mum and dad out for a meal.
Himself would prefer to stay in (though there is no way he could do any cooking. The only thing he can make is porridge…) and tried to tell me it was because he didn’t want my parents put at risk.
But I know differently. Himself is anti-social. He will be perfectly polite to people he meets out and about, but his idea of hell is to be forced to interact with people for any prolonged period of time.
I have to admit I’m quite similar in many ways. I love meeting up with my friends and other people who I know and like, and our clients, who are all wonderful people. But I don’t like going to social gatherings where many people will be milling around together and where I know only one or two people and I’m forced to interact with too many strangers.
But I also have two friends whose idea of the best night out is to go clubbing or to parties. That’s not me.
Some of us are party animals
It’s the same with dogs.
Dogs have a very similar range of social attributes as we do. Some are party animals – they are the dogs who adores daycare, who love the dreaded dog park, and who know how to behave around others with polite good manners, like my two friends.
Others are over-excited by those places and end up making other dogs uncomfortable – like the large, perspiring man who stood too close and kept wanting to put his arm round me at a party I once (mistakenly) went to. Urgh. There’s far too many of these sorts of dogs at dog parks. These are the dogs who blithely ignore their owners screeching to “Come HERE!”
It’s one reason why our classes are group classes but we still give dogs space., This provides the happy medium where most dogs cope well – and we help those that struggle to learn to cope better.
While others prefer to stay on the side lines
Yet other dogs are timid wall flowers, who don’t mind too much about going to busy places as long as it doesn’t happen very often, and prefer to stay on the side lines and interact only with one or two others they feel safe with. Like I do.
And finally there are those who dislike any form of gathering and prefer just to see the odd other dog when out and about and prefer to enjoy life on their own. These are Himself dogs.
Which type of person are you? Which type of dog do you have?
You can’t make loners into party animals – and party animals can get frustrated by not being allowed to mingle.
It’s one reason why our classes are group classes but we still give dogs space., This provides the happy medium where most dogs cope well – and we help those that struggle to learn to cope better.
Work out what sort of dog you have and help them have the life they prefer.
Though I’d still be avoiding dog parks.
Keep training and stay safe,
Carol
