I watched a passer-by laugh with amusement today as a Border Collie tracked her along the opposite side of a garden fence snapping and barking. When the dog turned and followed a shopper heading in the opposite direction she laughed too.
Later I was chatting to a friend in the park when his terrier Bobby charged a dog ten times his size. My friend turned to me and with a big smile said, "Bob's showing them who's boss today."
Remember years ago when people used to laugh at the antics of those suffering from mental illness. Thankfully, we don't mock people any more... we mock dogs instead.
That poor Collie I referred to above was stressed out of its brains. It clearly lived with an owner providing no leadership and had no option but to defend its own territory. Imagine how stressful that must be every day of its life.
My friend's terrier Bobby was clearly anti social. Think of the impact on this poor dog knowing he would never be welcome by his own kind and would attract one attack after another. These dogs needed help not ridicule. No dog can be happy or relaxed in such an unbalanced state yet owners laugh in the mistaken belief that it's funny.
Dogs are by nature social animals, they have to be to live in a pack. They know unbalanced behaviour is unacceptable; they just don't know what to do about it. When you provide leadership and show them the way back to balance they will ALWAYS follow.
My little Lab Ellie had no social skills when I adopted her and trusted no one, especially other dogs. She's now well adjusted, lives happily with my pack and has admirers calling regularly to take her on walks.
It's not magic... it's leadership and (with effort and commitment) anyone can do it.
Check our website www.vicbarlow.com or text me for more information on: 075-905-60012.
