Meeting Dogs Safely in their home.

February 21, 2023

Dogs aren’t naturally disposed to a whole load of new people coming and going in their home. Many dogs struggle with it. People usually apologise on their behalf as their dog jumps up at the strangers thinking the dog is actually friendly and excited to meet them.

Once you have learnt dog listening you realise this is far from the truth. This is a story to help you meet all dogs safely in their homes.

I recently instructed a new family on how to meet the adult dog they were considering rehoming and as I thought about how to help them make it as successful as possible I realised telling the real life story of when and how I first met Jan Fennell was all they needed to know.

Day 1 of my Foundation Course:

I knew Jan had recently taken on a rescue dog called Honey. Half Akita half German Shepherd and I knew she had been rehomed because she had bitten a stranger when tied up outside a supermarket.

I had read Jans book The Dog Listener and done her online course so I knew I could not look at Honey but beyond that was basically just terrified of making a mistake. I knew that when we make a mistake we set the dog up to fail and then I would have failed too.

We entered via her BACK door and her nephew invited us in.

(I was oblivious as to why this was at the time. Actually this was very important. Friends and family enter homes through back doors. Strangers enter via the front door. By taking away the doorbell or door knock, triggers to most dogs, and using the glass back door these triggers were removed.)

We walked through the conservatory into the kitchen. Jan was standing on the far side with Honey on a lead.

( This was important because by using the lead it took away Honeys responsibilities of having to check we were welcome. Jan used warm welcoming words and a relaxed body position which informed Honey all was okay.)

Mugs of tea were made and we stood around chatting. I was studiously not looking at Honey.

After everyone had arrived we all moved into the conservatory and sat down. Honey was sitting by Jan looking very relaxed. She told us she would let her off the lead. So we all studiously didn’t look at Honey, she walked to each of us, gently pressed her nose into our knees once and moved on. We stayed still. After checking us all out she went and lay down on her bed, soon she was fast asleep.

We had passed our first test, Honey had showed us with her behaviour. Later on during our mid morning tea break Honey was walking around and when we sat back down Jan said we could call her to us. She came to me and I stroked her head once then she turned and I stroked her back, the wrath of Jan came down like a ton of bricks:

“ Sarah you only ever stroke the pretty end”.

I hope my real life story helps you all plan your meetings with dogs who don’t know you.

My final words: Never go towards a dog, bend down, look at the dog and put your hand out to be sniffed. You are setting them up to fail and you could get hurt. Your actions could mean the dog gets put down and you end up in hospital.

 

 

By Sarah Greeff

I enjoy teaching families dog listening via video chat so they can solve all their dogs issues. I also breed and raise the best sproodle puppies I can.

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