13/04/2026
Another absolute from the bible of dog…
Wisdom from our good friends Eureka Dog Services
Cannot stress this enough!!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18T73BCRN4/?mibextid=wwXIfr
🤔 How Over Coddling Suppresses Potential 🤔
Modern dog ownership often treats dogs like "fur babies," surrounding them with cushy beds, endless treats, and constant protection if they are under the slightest discomfort. While this is well meaning, there is a fine line between providing a loving home & over doing it.
🧐 Why we Overcoddle.
We instinctively want to protect our dogs from stress, but have gone too far one way. This leads to people:
- Carrying dogs instead of letting them navigate diverse terrains.
- Intervening when they encounter a minor social challenge or a confusing puzzle.
- Avoiding all scary stimuli (like rain, vacuum cleaners, or new people) rather than teaching gradual desensitization.
- Not challenging themselves to learn/accept new information that may improve the scope of their life with their dog.
🐺 When a dog is never allowed to face minor stressors, they fail to develop frustration tolerance. This often leads to several developmental issues.
🚩 Learned Helplessness.
If a dog learns that a human will solve every problem, they stop trying to figure things out for themselves. This suppresses their natural problem-solving intelligence and can make them overly dependent or anxious when left alone.
🚩 Fragile Confidence.
Confidence in dogs is built through mastery. A dog that successfully navigates a fallen log in the forest or figures out a challenging puzzle gains a "can-do" attitude. Overcoddling keeps their world small and safe, which ironically makes them more fearful of the unknown.
🚩 Emotional Dysregulation.
Dogs that are constantly "soothed" during moments of mild arousal or minor fear never learn how to self-regulate. Without the experience of moving from a state of stress back to a state of calm on their own, they are more prone to separation anxiety, reactive behaviors, destructive behaviors & self harming (excessive licking & chewing spots that never heal).
🙌 How do we help unlock their full potential? 🙌
⭐By remembering they are A DOG 1st & our pet 2nd. We must always remember they are an ANIMAL not a human.
⭐ They THINK differently to us due to simply their brain's structure. Instinctually they will understand by reading your body language 1st, then what they are conditioned to understand via Words 2nd. Words meaning nothing to a dog unless they are conditioned.
⭐ By taking control of our emotions & allowing the growth they need by way of learning & challenging each other. To help a dog reach their full potential, we must transition from "protector" to "guide." This doesn't mean withdrawing affection; it means providing structured autonomy.
⭐ By providing micro challenges, environmental exposure, delayed gratification by employing consistent obedience exercises, using appropriate social distancing.
⭐ Getting a 2nd opinion. Sometimes what we think our dog is doing/isn't doing/isn't capable of, isn't actually what they are trying to tell you. This can be hard to hear sometimes but comes from a well meaning place, to show you that when we step back and allow our dogs to be capable, adventurous animals, we don't just see a better-behaved dog, we see a more confident, fulfilled, and "whole" version of the animal we love.
