So many dogs come thru the OperationKindness shelter with things to work on. I see a lot and want to work on all of it with every one of them, which is obviously unrealistic.
Today my coworker asked my opinion on what lead is best to stop leash pulling. So we talket about all the tools that “stop” pulling, and our policy of what we at our facility are supposed to do to teach our dogs not to pull.
In this conversation “the kennel walk” came up. I tend to not waste my energy trying to get a dog to walk calmly down the gauntlet of 15 kennels with dogs in them, some barking some not. What owner is going to go thru that situation?
I do however make sure the dog is calm to receive the leash, and once outside I work with the dogs on their leash manners. So, this could be counter-productive, because energy builds, & for a few moments I allow the dog to not remain in the desired calm state. But I work with the dogs on acting appropriately in realistic situations that will happen once they’re adopted- passing by another walker or the yards with dogs in them.
We also have recently gotten rolling partition walls I am trying to more implement with dogs showing barrier aggression. They break the vision of the dog and barrier, which lessens stress in the dog and most importantly makes it safer for staff & volunteers to get these dogs thru “the kennel walk” (prevents dog from redirect biting). Ideally, with rewarding no reaction, we can lessen the amount of vision the wall is needed block to continue no reaction by the dog.
I also am trying to change the mentality of us getting the dogs out for two potty times, to us really exercising our dogs for 30min on top of those two potty times. We get the dogs into play groups, but until it’s ok to group them (by our policy/their health) some just get put in the yard (which they may or may not do anything), we have a great volunteer base who walks a lot of them, but some kind of slip thru.
Some of my hopes & efforts will work, some will only partially take place, and some may only get people thinking & talking…all are wins in my book.
All of us animals have things we need work on, pick your battles wisely. “Win” when necessary, make a difference in those you might not win (you may win that war in the future).
Hope for perfection, but expect progress. Keep calm & confident, be logical but don’t forget your instincts, fight the right fight.
