Wow! So I think maybe it has been a bit too long between posts? One could see this as a good thing, an indication of how busy I have been. And yes, I've been busy. But I am now settling into a nice routine, adapting to working during the daylight hours. My mind and my body are loving it!
My learning curve is steep right now. Two weeks ago I completed the DogSafe Canine First Aid course. I am now certified to assess emergency situations, perform mouth-to-snout and doggy CPR, treat minor wounds and to hopefully get your pooch to vet in potentially fatal situations. The course was excellent, due in most part to the instructor's enthusiasm of the content. We also touched on assessing dog behaviour and communication. We discussed something called calming signals. When a dog is stressed or unstable, another dog approaching will lick their lips and yawn. Don't ask me why this works, but the stressed out dog will relax and let the other dog come into their personal space. This also works when a human approaches a stressed or unsure dog . Since my three dogs are very rarely stressed, I finally had the opportunity to try this out last Tuesday night.
Every Tuesday I volunteer at the Victoria SPCA, walking dogs. Last Tuesday I walked an Aussie Cattle cross for an hour. She was wonderful! I had a hard time not stealing her. When I returned to the SPCA, I found out that we were short of volunteers and I needed to walk another dog so that everyone had exercise and an opportunity to got outside. I selected a dog named Jean who I think had been surrendered that very afternoon. She was wiry thin and a bit frightened in her kennel. When I held up the leash, I don't think she had any idea what it was. Outside of the kennel in the halls, she kept herself low to the ground, another sign she was unsure of her surroundings. Once we got outside, it was another story. She pulled like crazy on her leash. And not just forward. She pulled to both sides, to the back, in circles around me. I thought my arm might rip off and I found myself getting frustrated. I stopped, took a deep breath and tried to see from the dog's perspective. A lovely sense of calm came over me when I realized that this dog had NEVER been walked. She had no clue what a leash was and the outside world was fascinating and exciting! She was sniffing EVERYTHING, leaping from one scent to the next. So then it was OK that she pulled, because she was having the time of her life and I was responsible for giving that to her.
And then the fun stopped. We were walking on a bridge over a highway and she just shut down. Lied down. And would not move forward or back. I crouched down beside her and started licking my lips and yawning like a buffoon. After a minute, Jean scooched a little closer. I kept lip-licking and yawning. And then she yawned. I stood up immediately and started moving forward. So did Jean. It worked!!! We ran most of the way back to the SPCA. I spent some time with Jean in her kennel. She was a lovely and affectionate dog who kissed my ear before I left her. I hope she finds a good home and a family who will spoil her rotten.
This is just one of the many lessons I have learned. Give the calming signals a go. It works! Oh yes, and when you find yourself getting frustrated with your dog, take a walk in his paws. Oh, and one more thing - visit your local dog shelter and share a little love. What you give, you get back a thousand-fold.
