JE-UK

I'm struggling with something in my own head, and curious about what others do. On the one hand, too much stress is bad. On the other hand, too LITTLE stress may impair the ability to adjust to new/changing situations or occurrences.

I try not to needlessly stress my dog. We train in as stress-free a manner as I can engineer, and I'm quick to stop or do something else if I see signs he's not enjoying himself. I try to keep to something of a predictable schedule. I don't expect him to read my mind. Some things, of course, we will never agree on (rolling in fox poo!), and he just has to suck it up and do it my way.

On the other hand, I recognise that I can't control every facet of his life, and I want him to have the resources necessary to deal with the unexpected. So he gets some unavoidable stress, like traveling, and I expect him to deal with it. I also try to keep him 'proofed' against stuff. My father-in-law has early-stage dementia and adores dogs, but is prone to showing his affection in stressful (for the dog) ways, i.e. hugging. So I occasionally pick V up and hug him, followed by chicken.

I do this in a really haphazard way .... anyone have a proper plan in place? Things that you proof for that I haven't thought about?

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"Yes is so much important than No." Dominique Barbier

fjm

It is an interesting point. I keep things that my dogs dislike to minimum, while keeping the range of people, dogs and other stuff they encounter as varied as I can. I also try to remember that they have very different personalities - we have been visiting my sister's former neighbour in his nursing home, and Sophy practically drags me in, and wants to check every open door in case there is someone in there who would like to meet her. Poppy is rather more circumspect, and chooses who she wants to talk to in ways I have yet to understand. So I will get Sophy certified as a PAT dog, but will wait and see with Poppy.

The other thing I have come to realise is that even happy things can leave the dogs stressed and in need of some down time. Visiting relatives, with all the new people and new walks, training sessions, fun dog shows - they enjoy them all, but too much and I can see the overtired toddler behaviour begin to emerge. So I try to make sure that stress - even good stress - is balanced by safe routine and settle down time. It helps that they settle down and go to sleep in their crate in the car, so most outings are followed by a nap.

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To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera