Bangs, Pops, and other Scary Stuff...
Do you find yourself racing home ASAP at the first clap of thunder, or flash of lightening; dreading the mayhem & destruction you’ll find when you get there? Do you circle July 4th and New Year’s Eve on your calendar every year, for all the wrong reasons? Is cutting the grass or vacuuming the living room a strict no-go, unless a certain ‘someone’s' safely locked down?
Common human/dog misunderstandings:
Weather is inherently frightening.
Fireworks spell death
Yard equipment, electrical appliances and swiffer jets need to be immediately wiped off the face of the earth
When it comes to stuff like the above most of us tend to fall into one of two camps:
The more we ‘comfort’ the ‘better, right? No doubt about it, reassurance is important and all species do it for each other one way or another. It’s just that comfort can look a little different from a 4-legged perspective than it does from a 2-legged one…not that a quick scritch under the chin ever hurts!
If we can only get better at the gentle art of distraction they may not notice what's going on? We wish. And nothing like adding a hefty dash of guilt to the mix when you're at it! But could it be it's the human team members who are most in need of comforting?
There’s no doubt certain fears have their roots in common sense, and happily Ma Nature's seen to it that they're instinctual. Eg. Avoid getting zapped by lightening, or putting yourself in the way of loud popping flashes. Keep a wary eye out for threatening ‘mechanical intruders’ who make horrible noises and smell weird…
Key is that just as we do, dogs have the ability to gather experiences and use them to to make rational judgments. Which fears are appropriate and keep the group safe? Which ones no longer make sense and can safely be kicked to the curb?
The really great news is that every storm, every vacuuming session, or flash of fireworks; every time you whip out the dreaded weed eater, is actually a valuable learning opportunity.
The trick is to think 'show not tell’. If you’re relaxed enough to send out the right kind of body language (this is the biggie) and get on with your own agenda; believe it or not that's by far the most comforting message you can possibly send out. So this is a fantastic time to get cracking and get productive. Reorg your CDs, cook up a pot of spaghetti…better yet get busy with some home-made dog treats <yum>. Soak in a bath till your toes shrivel, meditate, listen to music, catch up on your favorite telly. Teach your best friend to do a Google search and see what comes up.
Try it out and let us know how it goes!
Magic With Dogs team member Rocky demonstrates 'watchful but keeping it together'