Dogs Don't Drive

Sundance: Why do people treat dogs like humans, feeding their excited dominant mindsets? We dogs don't know how to read books, wear dresses, drive cars, make dinner, or perform surgery. These activities would make us MAD! Yet this past week we were called on to help alleviate dog problem behaviors and I see the same typical symptoms and signs: treating us like we're human. 

James: Some people do not know know how to differentiate from emotion and need. There is a whole generation of humans with unstable minds. Humanizing can come from a nurturing behavior and it's sometimes difficult to break the emotional chains. Dogs live moment-to-moment and are  ten times likelier to change than humans.  Lots of people shut down and create an environment where they do not block negative energy properly. You are my grounding device, Sundance. You have taught me to become a better leader and use my senses, rather than conducting myself with an agenda or following my whims. 

Sundance: I know this! BUT why do humans insist on anthropomorphizing us? We are not the teenage anthropomorphizing ninja turtles.

James: Okay! Here where the problem lies. Humans coddle their dogs TOO MUCH! Humans want what is best for them and if they accomplish this through putting clothes on a dog then treating the dog's mind likewise, then the human feels fulfilled. This is not necessarily what the dog needs. Many of the pictures I take of you are evidence of humans fulfilling their own needs. As if you needed a froggy and ducky doll to nap with and wake up next to.  

Sundance: I have learned through you and Mama that dogs need to remove physical energy before they can remove mental energy. This is done with exercise. Why do some owners feel they can provide exercise with only the use of a backyard or dog-park?

James: The nature of an animal is to walk with his master or with a pack of other dogs. And this particular problem involves a lack of identification with a dog, not over-identification. If the human imagined living life with the physical limits they put on the dog (never leaving the property) the human would realize how frustrating that is. If dogs are not allowed to pack-migrate, they will become frustrated. When a dog is not given substantial daily exercise, problems arise that can be costly. 

Sundance: Costly problems? 

James: Dogs are emotional animals, but not in the way we think of humans as emotional. They read energy and observe mother nature constantly. When they come to us at eight weeks or as adult dogs they still need rules, boundaries, and limitations. The position of your leadership must be greater than the position of a downward dog yoga pose. The greatest problem I see regularly is not the behavior of the dog, but that of the owner. Owners only want what is best, and this is a kind, humane trait. However, the best thing for the psychology of a dog is to give him a solid foundation with daily exercise, discipline and affection. Always in this order. If not, you get a dog who is bashful and covers her face with her paws at picture taking. 

Sundance: There have to be more reasons people humanize us.


James: There are. It can come from mothering-needs, empty-nests, loneliness, imbalance, psychological problems, immaturity, or selfishness. But most of the time it comes from simply not knowing. People don't see where they are breaking Mother Nature's patterns; they do not see when they are denying the dog by providing for themselves. They do not see when they are spoiling a dog to its own detriment and creating a monster. But they want to learn, so you are here to teach them. Thank you Sundance!

Dominance comes in all forms

This week we waited and waited for fun-day Sunday. Monday we were blessed to have some snow fall in a flurry. Tuesday we had 80 mph winds. Wednesday was just wet. Thursday just a lit bit more of the same. Friday winds came late, and Saturday we had periods of downfall and flooding around the county. But Sunday, now thats when Mother Nature showed her first sign of force and the power of life.
We were told on Saturday that towards the north end of Bastendorf Beach, a group of large breed dogs meet at 9 a.m. every Sunday. I was game and marked it down in my mental dog planner. Honestly, why wouldn't Mamma and James find this to be a fortuitous opportunity? I could get my dog on, and they could get their social on. What better way to cap off a hard-working week than to share the company of my brothers and sisters from anotha' motha'.

As we closed in on our destination, we found no dogs, just more of the powerful aftermath, and right-now-math, of Mother Nature. Bastendorf's north jetty was about to be swallowed up by the sea, yet that did not stop onlookers from having coffee and breakfast in the their trucks. We looked for a bit, then drove farther south where we pulled over and parked. The ocean left us very little beach to play on, but that did not stop Mamma and me from jumping out and enjoying ourselves. We were running around until another dog and human showed up.

Now many of my friends know me as a friendly and non aggressive dog. But apparently raw dog handlers consider my sexiness to be a bit threatening; one could even naively call me dominant. HA! I LAUGH! James has raised me to be respectful of people and other canines, I follow all canine codes of courtesy since I have been socialized from a young age and learned well in the time I was with my birth momma. I always look to James for approval when onlookers come in and try to join our fun.

"Is your dog friendly?" "Has your dog been fixed?" "Is it okay if we say hi?"

"Yes. Please do."

I find it rather interesting when owners of dogs are so careful to ask first and than let themselves be dragged by their dogs in a rush to meet me. First sign of disrespect. Second sign, who is in charge. Answer: dog. Now don't take my kindness for weakness, but I am not just going to sit there and allow some dog to bump up against me while I am in a submissive position, especially when my personal space is encountered with a charge of negative energy.

Next thing I heard was, "You need to call your dog because he is showing signs of dominance." Now you think James was going to take that? Never. "It's that you need to ease up on your leash, Homey." I do not think the man knew that was coming, and he walked away in a hurried manner, being pulled by his dog on a long leash and barked at repeatedly by his dog. Ce la vie! Do you really think we were bothered? No, just thrown off our groove. But it needed to be told. I mean look at me, do I look like I was affected?

Momma kept having me chase her down the beach, then sending me far away to where Daddy stood whistling for me. Then he would send me back to Momma, and over and over again for 15 minutes until I was panting and drained. Literally. When Daddy told me to go peepee before we left, I lifted my leg and nothing was left to come out. But I'm obedient, so I stood with my leg lifted, then jumped in the truck and panted the whole way home. Then I got a cold bath in the wind from Momma, got a blow-dry from Daddy, and now I'm sitting calmly pursuing meaningful communication and blogging.

Just read my blog!

Dear Sundance,

I see humans guard resources, like bodies of water and land, stocks and bonds, material goods, and people. My issue stems from the covetous way humans allow themselves to establish dominant territorial orderliness, and still become ignorant of the ways their own pets take control of them. My fellow dogs emulate their humans, just from a more basic and instinctual means. Some of my playmates claim resources and view everything in their paths as property to guard and control.

This behavior needs to stop, for the sake of my own kind. Every day there are countless dogs who are euthanized, because human owners do not take the time to learn and understand dog psychology. The simple fact that we cannot converse with humans should be the first sign that we are different. Reading the body language of a dog takes a commitment, and leads to earning trust and respect.

Sincerely,

Please Share Some Perspective

Dear P.S.S.P.,

So true!

My instinctual approach to this issue: Find a resource! There are so many dog trainers and k-9 behavioralist who can help humans understand our kind better. We are a simple breed and willing to learn and adhere to a set of directions. Our first duty to our owners is loyalty. Not resource guarding. Humans are rational, for the most part, and tend to let their guard down on occasion, especially when cute is involved.

They think it is cute when a puppy rottweiler, jumps on them, yet they deem it inexcusable when an adult rottweiler does the same action. Yet humans allow their eight-week-old to walk all over them, in effect creating little monsters who become adult dogs who are feared and put down. Puppies learn not to do this very quickly from their mother when their behavior has gotten out of line; it is not tolerated. Nipping behaviors like this in the butt with a consistentdog psychology approach must be executed.

I strongly recommend new dog owners skim through the yellow pages, ask their veterinarian, search on the internet, ask other dog owners, read books, get videos on how to share leadership, with trust and respect. Just read my blog! There are plenty of resources and there is no need to guard them with white fangs and growls.

Live Happy!

Sundance