This one's for the reactive dog owners
A weekly mantra for dog guardians
A reactive dog will make your world smaller, but your heart bigger.
This one hit me, well, right in the heart! When you’re a reactive dog owner it’s easy to focus solely on how your world has grown significantly smaller and your stress levels have increased. Depending on the severity of the reactivity, it can often lead to limited time spent with friends and family and make it more difficult to do the things you once loved. As a result, you can start to feel like your world shrinks.
But as I worked through the really challenging experiences with Cola, I started to notice a shift in myself personally. I found myself with more patience and understanding for other humans in situations that would have infuriated me before.
I started realizing that what I saw as a dog and owner walked past me was only part of their story. I have no idea where they were in their training journey, just like no one who looked at me and Cola knew ours. And I silently celebrated those same owners when I saw improvements on their daily walks past my house. I found myself with more compassion around dog guardians who were struggling and had no support or couldn’t afford the support they needed. Because I had been there too.
I will be honest though, I’m not all sunshine and rainbows. Off leash dogs can still push me towards the edge. People who let their dogs hang out of windows in moving cars make me cringe. I won’t even get started on flexi leashes. But my irritation with those types of things is because I recognize what could go wrong in those situations. Because as the guardian of a reactive dog you’re always considering what could go wrong in order to help make sure things go right for your dog.
I have Cola to thank for making me a more aware human.
Have you noticed any positive shifts in yourself as you’ve worked through being a reactive dog guardian? I’d love to hear about them!
Don’t forget to tell your dog I said hi,
Mary-Agnes