This week I attended an Instagram live with a local VB and an experienced reactive dog owner.
There were a couple of key takeaways which stuck with me.
They talked about how reactive dog owners often feel like it is our fault, feel guilty, and that it must be because of something we did/did not do.
We often hear the statement "There are no bad dogs, only bad owners" which, whilst well-intentioned, is actually pretty hurtful for owners of reactive dogs who are doing everything we possibly can to try and make our dogs feel safe.
Prior to owning a fearful dog, I must admit I would have likely agreed with that statement. I thought reactive dogs (I didn't know the actual term) were just misbehaving or badly trained. I have learned a lot on this journey!
I appreciated the reassurance that it is not our fault - our dogs are lucky to have us! We are taking the time to understand how best we can support them and have often rearranged our entire lives to support our dog.
Dealing with reactivity/anxiety can be all-consuming and the last thing we should be feeling is guilt.
They also talked about changing the mindset of trying to "fix" your dog to understanding that your dog doesn't need fixing, they are just struggling.
I will try to keep this at the forefront of my mind - I'm not trying to fix George, I'm trying to make sure that he feels safe.
Add comment
Comments