BODY LANGUAGE

consent + interaction with people

Comfort with people’s hands and being touched is something you can help create in your dog. I recommended the consent test petting activity if you want to work on building trust around handling (including being picked up) with your dog. Even if your dog is okay with you touching them, you can prepare them for the vet, dog walker, and random stranger or child that ends up handling your dog.

To play, do the following:

1. Watch the videos in this playlist

2. Slow down interactions with new people and do not shy away from telling people you cannot stop to greet at the moment, because you are training. It’s GOOD for the dog to learn that not all people are an opportunity to greet.


3. Teach your family and friends the petting consent test, counting to three then removing hands from the dog, taking a five second deep breath and resuming petting if the dog asks for more petting calmly. If you have kids, talk through what they should do and what they should not do with the dog.


4. If/when the dog asks for space, have a list of alternative activities your guest can do with your dog. This may include any of these:


—giving the dog a chew stick or food puzzle to work on or toy to play with


—practicing quiet skills with you, such as giving a paw, or nose targeting 


—walking together, side by side with the new person