Proximity Warning Canine Warrior

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Abstract

id="dc84">My pet has surprised me on occasion. Before the pandemic, she would go to daycare once every few weeks to keep her socially stimulated. I was worried on the first few visits since I was sure she’d initiate her defense game. She would be the poster child for getting kicked out of the canine daycare for having a bad attitude. Ugh! Fast forward to current day, and the staff knows her name before mine. She fits right into the toy dog room. If there were celebrities at canine daycares, my dog would walk the red carpet! Then, she’d pee on it.</p><figure id="77a6"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*aaaJHwkTvHxq7_AsA87ONg.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@sofiashultzphotography">Sofia Shultz</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/6EpFnNZiLZU?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h1 id="432c">Parking, no barking</h1><p id="9cc2">Taking this attitude adjustment into consideration, I recently decided to perform an experiment. I knew about a dog park in my part of town. I’d taken her there once before on an exploratory trip when no other dogs were present. I decided to try this week to let her visit the park while others were there enjoying being out of the house. As I walked up, a pack of 7 corgis were yapping away

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at us. I could’ve taken this as a concerning omen, but the corgi owners assured me that this was the pack’s way of saying “Hello!” I held my breath in suspense as I opened the inner gate to enter the enclosure. The corgi greeter in the pack stood at his position by the gate as we entered. My dog smelled the corgi greeter’s butt, and vice-versa. She was in! She traipsed around the dog park like the group was there for an obedience school reunion! I even got to pet a few of the corgis who were amenable.</p><figure id="2fc7"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*DvpSV_7b8x6yvU4pSlzgsw.jpeg"><figcaption>Dog park initiation (From author’s personal collection)</figcaption></figure><figure id="9a8d"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*6EsMiea-1eYok-mB_1ZlNA.jpeg"><figcaption>Sniff, sniff, pass! (From author’s personal collection)</figcaption></figure><h1 id="7091">Howl You Doin’?</h1><p id="69f7">I’m still not hip to all of rules of the canine proximity warning game. I’m sure that I could watch a few key episodes of The Dog Whisperer to determine how to find peace on a walk with her. I may take that step one day. Still, there is joy in finding scenarios where I see my furkid drop her armor and be able to just peacefully scratch-and-sniff to her heart’s delight with friends.</p></article></body>

Canine territory defense adventure game: I guess the rules & she breaks them!

My dog and I play a game. She knows the complete rules. She’s fails to share them with me. The game goes something like this:

I’m walking my dog down the street;

A person approaches with or without a pet;

I rein in the leash;

My furkid growls and barks furiously…with her Napoleonic complex (she’s so small);

Rinse and repeat;

Rarely has she been accommodating to “foreign parties” that innocently approach. I’m always aware of this “game" even when we’re on a family walk and another family member has the leash.

Daycare memories (Photo from author’s personal collection)

Daring To Daycare

My pet has surprised me on occasion. Before the pandemic, she would go to daycare once every few weeks to keep her socially stimulated. I was worried on the first few visits since I was sure she’d initiate her defense game. She would be the poster child for getting kicked out of the canine daycare for having a bad attitude. Ugh! Fast forward to current day, and the staff knows her name before mine. She fits right into the toy dog room. If there were celebrities at canine daycares, my dog would walk the red carpet! Then, she’d pee on it.

Parking, no barking

Taking this attitude adjustment into consideration, I recently decided to perform an experiment. I knew about a dog park in my part of town. I’d taken her there once before on an exploratory trip when no other dogs were present. I decided to try this week to let her visit the park while others were there enjoying being out of the house. As I walked up, a pack of 7 corgis were yapping away at us. I could’ve taken this as a concerning omen, but the corgi owners assured me that this was the pack’s way of saying “Hello!” I held my breath in suspense as I opened the inner gate to enter the enclosure. The corgi greeter in the pack stood at his position by the gate as we entered. My dog smelled the corgi greeter’s butt, and vice-versa. She was in! She traipsed around the dog park like the group was there for an obedience school reunion! I even got to pet a few of the corgis who were amenable.

Dog park initiation (From author’s personal collection)

Sniff, sniff, pass! (From author’s personal collection)

Howl You Doin’?

I’m still not hip to all of rules of the canine proximity warning game. I’m sure that I could watch a few key episodes of The Dog Whisperer to determine how to find peace on a walk with her. I may take that step one day. Still, there is joy in finding scenarios where I see my furkid drop her armor and be able to just peacefully scratch-and-sniff to her heart’s delight with friends.