The following is a repost from Tails From the Lab - a blog written by our friends over at Photo Lab Pet Photography. This is the second of five posts from their "Learning to Speak Dog" series Part One can be read here: Learning to Speak Dog Part One
Contributed by Natalia Martinez,
Written by Jessica Dolce
Space. Some us us like a lot of it and some of us prefer closeness… whether we are old friends or just met. Either way, it is a personal preference; one that should be respected. Believe it or not, it is the same in the world of dogs, except in their world space is a HUGE deal. Expercts believe in fact that all aggression-relted issues in dogs tend to be about space: taking it, protecting it, you name it.
A key to understanding canine behavior involves understanding a dog’s needs; and since space is such a huge part of it, I could not have been more excited to have Jessica Dolce, dog lover, dog walker, blogger and the person behind the hugely popular DINOS: Dogs In Need Of Space guest blog for us today! Please make sure and visit the Team DINOS Facebook page and check out the Team DINOS shop, filled with great products (designed in collaboration with Jessica by our very own Design Lab Creative Studio!) to help support people living with DINOS dogs and spread a positive message to the community.
I’ve been dog walking for almost ten years. I’ve also worked and volunteered in animal shelters and in just about every pet related business on the planet. I hang with dogs full time and they’ve been kind enough to teach me what they need to feel safe and happy in our world.
One of the lessons I’ve learned from dogs is a simple one that we humans have a hard time understanding: dogs have personal boundaries. Just like people, sometimes dogs needs space.
They need space for a lot of different reasons. Some of the dogs I walk need space from other dogs because they just had surgery and are in pain. Or they’re reactive and are learning how to stay calm around dogs in public. Many of them are adolescents with no manners who need space in order to learn polite greetings. And some are fine with dogs, but terrified of strange people. A bunch are just old and don’t want to be bothered. Fair enough, right? But day after day, as I walk my pals, I encounter a real problem for us: many well meaning people have no control over their dogs (or themselves). People allow their dogs to drag them across the street, forcing nose-to-nose greetings with strange dogs. Or they ignore leash laws and let their dogs run loose in designated on-leash areas.
Giving dogs space allows more dogs to be successful out in the world. Here’s a few reasons why:
- Many, many dogs need slow introductions to strange dogs. Most dogs dislike nose-to-nose greetings. It’s not natural for them.
- Leashed dogs are typically not comfortable meeting an off leash dog. It’s an out of whack dynamic. One dog is restrained, the other loose and moving freely.
- And some dogs are comfortable meeting dogs any which way, but are working and need space, like service dogs. Service dogs need space to do their jobs properly.
- There are even some dogs with illnesses, like epilepsy, that make it dangerous for them to interact with strange dogs.
Here’s what we can do to help DINOS and please remember to have compassion. One day your dog might become a DINOS due to illness, injury, old age, or a bad experience with another dog. At one time or another in their lives, almost every dog is a DINOS.
- Please have your dogs under your control at all times. If there are leash laws, please obey them. Even if your dog is friendly.
- Ask permission before you allow yourself or your dogs to approach an unfamiliar dog.
- Wait for an answer.
- If it’s no, please don’t be offended or speak harsh words. You never know what another person and their dogs are going through
- Allow them enough space to pass safely.
Be polite, be responsible, be compassionate.
To read Jessica's full post, visit the Tails From the Lab blog.
Jessica Dolce is an animal welfare advocate. She’s spent the past ten years walking dogs and working with shelter dogs in Philadelphia and Maine. Jessica blogs at notesfromadogwalker.com and can be found cheering people on over at the DINOS: Dogs in Need of Space Facebook page.
