So many of the things that annoy us about our dogs are the result of what we have taught them, yes, we usually don’t realize we have taught them these reactions, responses, or behaviours.

Pat Parelli, the famous horse trainer, writes on spooking (read shyness, nervousness in dogs) “If you stop when your horse reacts, you’ll teach him to react.“, so for the dog showing apprehension, pulling away or more about a situation or an event bear this in mind. It is the jolly, “ow come on, that is rather fun, noisy perhaps but fun”, instead of “oh there there it will be ok” when I concede to you and get you out of here response from you (the mentor/leader/alpha whatever you need to label yourself) that works best.

I have become my dog’s mega-champion in these situation now, now I even just stand there with a jolly (not laughing at, but a laughing off attitude) that may provoke the owners of the yapping hysterical dog but after that reactionary milder flare up from the badly behaved and socially uneducated dog gives my dog the realization that they are safe despite the noise and rocking dog container. Also, what surprised me the other day the badly behaved dogs settled down way faster and were much less inclined to bellow at other dogs or mine on future passings … turns out to be a WIN:WIN situation!