Active Solutions

Sundance's Weekly Blog: 

Sundance will explain when and not to go for a walk, how to apply leadership, active solutions for high energy dogs, and why obedience training is important in a dog's world.

Paw Boot Camp with Brave and Sundance in a sit-stay position

James: Hey Sundance, you ready to answer some questions?


Sundance: You bet! 

Sundance demonstrating a pulling dog

James: Let's start with the issue of pulling. Would you like it if I were to pull you down the street in all different directions? How would you diffuse the situation and create a more symbiotic relationship? 


Sundance: I personally would not appreciate being yanked anywhere. It's not fair and would really make me feel like a tool. I just saw some dog owners being pulled down the road by their dogs. They and their small dogs were all walking on their hind legs!


James: How would you remedy such an atrocity?

Pack walk with Opie and Sundance

Sundance: I like to think there are many solutions for one problem. When asserting yourself as a pack leader, you should initiate the walk in a calm manner. Then your pack of dogs, your followers, will reflect your energy. Wait a few seconds before starting off on your journey till everyone one is calm. Sometimes this may take five minutes or even ten. Remember, this is an exercise in self control. As a pack-leader, you may have to conduct this more than once, so that the message is sent clearly. 


James: So when the pack is calm, can I place a leash on their collars?


Sundance: Yes. This is the right moment to do that. Sometimes dogs will begin to get excited with just this small gesture. If this happens, unleash and start over again till the message is sent to your dog that calmness is the behavior you want.


James: You mentioned another approach or solution. Which way is that?


Sundance: Sometimes you will find that some dogs are very excited. It's not their faults. It's a lack of exercise and lack of consistent obedience training. Owners are often impatient and just want to rush through life and this transfers over onto their dogs. I suggest if frantically is how they prefer to approach  situations, they find a dog walker who can offer your dog what it truly needs daily. 

Lulu after a bike ride

The only other option is to vigilantly exercise and take their dog for a run, bike-ride or rollerblading. This allows the dog to burn off all his frustrations from being indoors all day or all week, taking Dog down to Owner's energy level. 


James: You mentioned obedience training. Many dogs are deficient of such instruction. Do you firmly believe this is the solution for all dog owners to follow?


Sundance: Woof! Excuse me, but I needed to assert my nature in the form of performing tasks. I feel bad for my brother and sister dogs who go through life with zero guidance. It's a lot to ask for from us. We do not want to be in charge of every situation, especially if it is not within our job description. I heard many humans complain to friends about how bosses asked them to make coffee, separate recycling,  and "go-for" this and that at work, when their job description was much more sophisticated. You see James, over time when the system fails and ownership does not practice what it is expected to, their will be cracks and implosion will take place. People will become smug, in a sense, and take it upon themselves to direct their own lives. Dogs who have a lack of management will follow suit. This is why it is important to train your dog and grant her a sense of purpose. 


James: In general, pulling on leash can be be solved first with consistent obedience training. Why can't a dog just stay in the back yard and be content with that?

Sundance learning to retrieve

Sundance: The mind of every living thing is meant to be constantly active with the business of life, of staying alive. A badger is constantly working at staying alive: the next things to eat, drink, improve the hovel, to find a mate, to raise the kids. The wild boar is always seeking the same: rooting for food, wallowing to maintain proper body temperature, finding pig-love, raising piglets, staying away from predators, fighting off badguys, and sleeping. Dogs even more so are meant to stay constantly active with not just the business of keeping themselves alive and well, but keeping the pack, the family, you, alive and well. If you want an animal to just "dwell", get a cat, a snake, or a sea anemone. Dogs are active performers, task-oriented, job-doers. If you don't have a job for us (even a façade job like hunting for toys or carrying a backpack full of rice) we'll lose it, maybe slowly over time, maybe quickly. 


James: That's serious. Have I fulfilled your need for structure?


Sundance: Of course! You have me run three miles every day to find my kibble, and you have me search for the tennis ball when you lose it again and again, and you train me to do new jobs all the time. I feel so fulfilled!