Empathy is a wonderful invention of the brain. Use it. In most cases, it will tell you how to proceed appropriately.
Both humans and dogs are gregarious mammals. We feel pain and emotions. We can love or miss someone; sometimes, we are scared or stressed. Keep it in your mind, and imagine how you would feel if you were your dog.
First, a warm-up: You are a defenceless preschool child. One day, people whose language you don’t understand take you away from your mom and siblings. You see that they are happy. You are not delighted so much. You don’t know what’s going on, what’s going to happen, or where they’re taking you. You want to go back to your mom. You felt safe there.
Hint: take from the breeder a blanket smelling of your puppy’s mom and siblings. This fragrance will help the toddler soothe his fear and make him feel safe in their new home.
Be patient and understanding. This defenceless toddler has the right to feel insecure in a new place. Give him time to get used to the new situation.
Observe your puppy and respect his decisions. You can offer him a toy, but if he is not interested in it, do not encourage him for more than a short while. Give him time.
Let him look at the apartment in peace. If he prefers to lie on a blanket and rest after the journey, let him do so. Evidently, this is what he needs. He will still have time to discover the new place.
Do not take him on your lap, please.
First of all, dogs don’t like to be lifted. Sometimes, of course, it is necessary. Then, remember to hold one hand under your puppy’s bottom. If you don’t support his bum, his spine is heavily strained. Before you pick him up, say a chosen word announcing what is about to happen, e.g. “and now up” or anything else. At first, of course, it will be a meaningless sound for the puppy, but after a few repetitions, he will remember and know what to prepare for. You also wouldn’t want to be suddenly, without any notice, raised to ten times your height. Imagine how you would feel if, once in a while, out of the blue, you flew in an elevator to the height of the sixth floor.
That would be quite a traumatic experience, don’t you think? Most of us also don’t like the feeling that our stomach can’t keep up with the elevator and lands somewhere near our heels. Please pick up your puppy slowly; have respect for his stomach.
Second, I fully understand that you want to pet the puppy you have been waiting for so long. But… does he feel like it, too? This is now when you start building a relationship with your dog. If you want it to be based on mutual respect and trust, you must take care of your new friend’s feelings, wants, and needs. Be aware that you are not necessarily as attractive to him as he is to you. He may not feel like being touched by a stranger (after all, he has just met you; he does not know that he will spend the rest of his life with you and will love you with all his heart). If you want contact, sit on the floor and wait. Dogs are social creatures. In addition, puppies are curious, so the puppy may approach you out of his own will. If you want to pet them, lead your hand from the floor or at the level of the toddler’s body, not from above – this is stressful for many dogs. He doesn’t mean allowing you to sit him on your lap if he approaches you. Wait to see what the little one will do. So that he might start scrambling on you himself. Then you can gently help him. Who knows, maybe he will like it and be happy to fall asleep on your lap? If not, don’t worry. It’s nothing terrible. Your dog’s trust and sense of security are much more important than your momentary whim.
No comments