| It took me several years to realize I was | | | | they also might try to hug you. Wouldn't you |
| just talking to my dogs. Yes, talking. Not | | | | try to control unpredictable as best you |
| communicating. In humans, it is well known | | | | could? |
| advice that communication is the key to all | | | | |
| relationships. Of course, communication is a | | | | Unless we humans initiate the action, we are |
| two way street. You can try to make yourself | | | | on the defense to strangers. We have created |
| clear to another human in one hundred | | | | environments where we feel safer about social |
| different ways, but if they aren't open to | | | | human-human interactions...bars, restaurants, |
| listening, you will get nowhere. | | | | and stores. We know on a large scale which |
| | | | of these social places we feel most |
| Surprisingly, your dog is actually listening | | | | comfortable. We like to hang out with like |
| to you. Desperately listening. He is trying | | | | minded individuals. |
| to make sense of your crazy arm movements, | | | | |
| your strange eye contact, your weird | | | | Why is it, that we expect our dogs to just |
| posturing, and of course your loud voice. | | | | "get along" with everyone? We can't figure |
| | | | out why they are shy or aggressive towards |
| I am guilty of it too. I spent years reading | | | | other dogs or people. We want socially |
| everything I could get my hands on about dog | | | | perfect dogs. How many people do you know |
| behavior. What I forgot to do was just | | | | are socially perfect? Surely, not me. I get |
| listen to what MY dog's were telling me. My | | | | tired and cranky after a few social hours at |
| nose buried in a dog training book. My dog | | | | a bar. My friend Kiana can go for hours and |
| across the room watching me. Wondering what | | | | hours. |
| I would do next. Would I scramble to the | | | | |
| kitchen when that loud noise started for no | | | | Maybe what we humans could do for our dogs is |
| reason (the phone). Would I suddenly jump up | | | | just sit quietly and listen to them (keeping |
| and walk into the room with food (pizza | | | | your paws to yourself of course). We could |
| delivery). Would I raise my voice and jump | | | | stop demanding. We could try and be more |
| up and down when that other human showed up | | | | predictable for our dogs. When your dog is |
| (friend coming over), and then proceed to | | | | staring at you, he might not want anything. |
| dominate them with my arms (hug them). | | | | It is just he gets a treat every time, and |
| | | | that is predictable. |
| If I were a dog, I would growl or cower when | | | | |
| a human approached. To a dog, humans seem | | | | Remember, communication is a two way street. |
| unpredictable. They might have a pizza, but | | | | |