Genetics
Genetics are what they are with any dog that you get. While some people spend decades breeding their lines to create their idea of the "perfect dog" — others just grab whatever dog they find at the shelter and that ends up being the best dog anyone has ever seen.
While we should strive to be informed about the genetic traits our dogs possess, we also have to understand that genetics can't be changed and are only a small piece of the puzzle. We have come to expect certain things from certain breeds — barky little dogs, beagles that can't keep their nose off the ground, rotties that rumble, and huskies that will not be contained.
By recognizing their genetics, we can better understand our dogs and can help them feel better about themselves, their environment, their day-to-day lives, and the people around them. It's not all about genetics, but we can't just leave it out of the conversation when addressing each dog as an individual.
These are dogs who were always going to struggle. Does that mean they can't smooth things out and live safe and normal lives? Not at all.
Life Experiences
Your dog's experience of the world is relatively zero in comparison to yours — even if you take your dog here and there from time to time. They will never amass the amount of experiences that you had, and they definitely won't be given the thoughtful, careful, slow introduction to everything the way you were.
This causes a perspective that we have trouble understanding. We hardly ever consider the "pressure" of the surrounding environment unless it's a fairly extreme circumstance — crowds, heights, dark alleys. Meanwhile, dogs that spend 95% of their lives in the living room, backyard, or dog park have such little experience in the world that every smell, noise, person, dog, bird, or squirrel can be extremely impactful.
In other words, you have been desensitized through repeated exposure to meaningless stimuli. Your dog has not.
It's important to understand that your dog's anxiety may not necessarily be due to abuse. Anxiety can develop from a lack of experience just as much as from negative experiences. Our job as pet parents is to guide our dogs to their best possible outcomes.
Lack of Clarity
If your dogs have no idea what it is that you actually want — how do they know how to avoid making you mad? The way I respond to my dogs when they do something "wrong" can either be kind and helpful, guiding them to the answer and meeting their needs — or a confusing mess of emotions and unfairness.
The good news about this scenario is it's usually a fairly straightforward process: stop the problem while building value and satisfaction through play, crate training, and then readdress the behavior from a stronger foundation.
Lifestyle
Dogs with big, deep anxieties need the fullest solutions. The more shortcuts you take and steps you skip, the less likely you are to reach your full solution. You must find the balance your dog needs between:
- StructureandFreedom
- PlayandCalm
- ObedienceandNeutrality
- LeadershipandConfidence
Jimmy, Alyssa, and Jeter struggled with anxiety and reactivity for years. Working together, we discovered that Jeter's lifestyle needed more freedom and less micromanagement. A year later, they welcomed their first child into the world with zero issues from Jeter.
Relationship
When I hear "We've tried everything," I ask: how would your dog answer these questions?
- Is your life satisfying?
- Do you understand what is expected of you?
- What is your relationship like with the humans in your life?
- If you follow your humans, where do they lead you?
- How do you get what you want?
The point is to show you there is often so much more that can be done to help your pup feel better.
Find something your dog loves and little by little use it to push them outside of their comfort zone. Pretty soon, little by little will be a very long way.
