Imagine what it was like the first time you got on a plane, a rollercoaster, your first day at a new job, or if you have any phobias.
We can all understand how being exposed to a new environment can make us feel, and potentially behave.
Now think about how a dog will likely respond to a new experience.
To a juvenile pup, everything is new and mystical, even a more mature dog could be surprised by a new environment they have never been exposed to.
Dogs are sentient beings governed by animalistic instincts to survive.
The list of super strengths they possess include
Sight evolved to detect the slightest movement in the background
Hearing 4 x more acute than humans
Highly advanced sense of smell = humans 5 million scent receptors - dogs up to 300 million scent receptors in their brain (Olfactory)
Highly sensitive to external energy
Scientifically proven to be acutely aware of others focus of attention
Gradually expose your dog to new things and environments for short periods of time.
Always have contingencies in place, on leash for control, away from too much dynamic activity.
Observe how they are responding to the new pictures, sounds, scents, and energy of this new phenomena.
Give them a little time to absorb all the information they are seeing and sensing by just being calm and quiet to allow them to process.
If you are calm and relaxed, this will be a good signal to your dog (Leadership and trust bond)
Juvenile pups, or particularly anxious dogs might try to avoid or hide by using you as a source of protection.They may seek sanctuary behind or under you.
Try not to use too much physical contact, as hard as this will be, this can be counterproductive, and only increase anxiety.
Try to verbally encourage your dog by using a calm voice, and praise all calm beahviours.
Gently allow them to feel the energy of their new environment by moving around slowly on leash, allowing for exploration.
Signs of stress:
Excessive lip licking
Yawning
Averting eyes
Side eye
Hypervigilance
Avoidance
Tense body
Air snapping
Getting to know your dog will help you read them and realise when overloaded by emotion.
Dogs, like us humans are governed by hormones, these hormones are hardwired and variable according to individuals.
Hormones are linked to behaviours and born out of evolutionary coping mechanisms to external forces.
Anxiety is a way of coping, and an ingrained survival behaviours designed to keep a sentient being safe.
Habituation training involves helping your dog to build confidence. We start small in a controlled way, we reassure dog’s by using calm positive energy, and we help our dogs feel a sense of grounding in the world we live in with them.
Remembering all dogs are individuals!
Some might easily adapt to anything and everything environments can throw at them, some might manage to cope but never be fully comfortable, and some environments may not be for every dog.
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