DECEMBER 2022 CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: BONDI AND TEDDY

Let me tell you about Bondi and Teddy. What a pair, these two. When I first met Bondi, he was terr-i-fied and I mean terrrr-iii-fiiied of me. Poor thing would hide behind his owner and want nothing to do with me. I knew this going in and made sure to set him up in a way where he felt comfortable.

We started our work outside so that he didn’t feel like I was walking straight into his territory. It made all the difference in the world as the next time I came over, he felt more confident. I knew it because of the way he acted upon seeing me.

When it comes to greeting dogs that are fearful, it’s best to do so on their time, not yours. Allow the dog to come up to you. If I was to walk into Bondi’s home, that would be like a stranger walking into mine. Just because you know the person, does not mean your dog is going always going to appreciate them being there, especially if they come near anything of value to them. (Food, Toys, Sleeping Areas, Owners, etc).

Bondi (Left) Teddy Bear (Right)

Humans have thresholds that are much stronger than dogs. They have to learn to trust their environments. If you think about it, each room in your house is different and serves a different purpose. If something about it changes, it usually throws them off. This is especially important to realize if you have moved, lost a loved one, or even bought new furniture. Slight changes to a dog’s routine (depending on how sensitive they are) can dramatically change their outlook on how safe they are and/or how they perceive how their life will run moving forward.

When it comes to Bondi and Teddy, we are best friends now but, one of the reasons is that I let Bondi meet me when he was ready, not the other way around. If you are interested in learning more about how to warm your dog up to friends, family, or the neighborhood handyman, please reach out to me. I’d be happy to get you started on your own personalized training plan to help ease your dog’s fears of anybody and anything.