11/10/2024
Batman is heading off to a new home in Taupo on Sunday. With this in mind, walks by the beautiful lake taupo likely and summer coming on I thought I'd help Batman to realise that water is quite a nice way for a dog to cool down.
So up to the blue lake, I was clearly not prepared clothing wise 🤦♀️ but took one for 'Team Batman' and off with the shoes and socks and rolled up the leggings.
My soft white winter feet were not prepared for the cold water or stones underfoot so if I look uncomfortable... I am!
Anyway, take note of the progression... Batman is very unsure...he tries to avoid the water by running either left or right, this is stopped by the retractable lead BUT I am doing NO pulling on the lead at all. Watch my thumb, I stop it and as soon as he turns back to the water edge my thumb comes off. I need him to trust that what I'm asking him to do is safe and give him time to process that in his own mind. I can see he will end up going in the water and is not terrified because he is facing the water and will look at it.
Small increments are rewarded and encouraged. Looking at the water, lowering his head to the water, moving a tiny step towards the water.
It pays to take the time to let the dog figure it out.
Then once he has made a big effort and got a couple if paws in the water I take the pressure off by stepping out of that water. Rewarding him then just stepping back in and seeing how willing he is to follow. As you will see in less than a 4 min video he has realised water is not too bad.
If I had got impatient and pulled on the lead to get him in he would have opposed that lead pressure and pulled back away from the water and been much more wary of it for much longer.
If I had picked him up and put him in the water I could very easily have lost a lot of trust that he has in me and that may have transfered through to other situations.
We need to build trust with the dog. They need to know we have their back, we will not put them in a dangerous situation even if their senses tell them otherwise and we need the dog to look to the handler for reassurance rather than trying to take control of situations.
Batman showed today how trist in his handler can help him overcome anxiety in what was initially for him a rather confusing and unsure situation.
