| One of the most common challenges facing many | | | | I quickly called out to the owner, "CROUCH |
| dog owners is getting their dog to come to them | | | | DOWN - CROUCH DOWN", with a definite note of |
| when off his or her leash. For this reason I am | | | | urgency in my voice. The woman heard me and |
| going to share an informative story with you that | | | | immediately crouched down at which point the |
| contains some useful dog training tips that you | | | | dog ran directly to her. |
| can easily implement immediately with your own | | | | Behind me I could hear the crowd let out a |
| dog. | | | | collective cheer as she picked up her dog and held |
| One weekend early this summer a couple of | | | | it tight in her arms. |
| friends and I went up north to Fenelon Falls, | | | | At this point she turned to me and said a very |
| Ontario to do some fishing. Of course, upon | | | | heartfelt thank you, as one could imagine, she |
| entering the town our first move was to make a | | | | was extremely relieved to have her dog back |
| pit stop at the local coffee shop for a coffee. | | | | and to have avoided a terrible fate for her pet. I |
| Because the coffee shop is the main focal point in | | | | too was never more relieved that all ended well |
| the town, many people gather there. | | | | and my friends and I proceeded on with our |
| When we pulled in with my Alpha Paws dog | | | | fishing trip, now with a very interesting story to |
| training van we noticed a large group of people | | | | share when we returned home, and this was no |
| out front with their dogs. As we were leaving | | | | ordinary fish story that's for sure! |
| Timmy's with our coffee I observed a little black | | | | What we can learn from this incident is that dog's |
| Pomeranian dog cross my path. The dog was | | | | are very in tune to their owners body language |
| NOT wearing a leash and while I didn't immediately | | | | and we, as dog owners have to understand this |
| see that anything was wrong, I quickly noticed | | | | and adjust our behaviour to meet their needs. |
| the owner following behind the dog. It became | | | | What she didn't understand was that by |
| apparent that the owner was trying desperately | | | | continually stepping toward her dog she was |
| to retrieve her wayward dog. | | | | actually pushing her dog onto the road and in fact, |
| What was happening was the dog was in a | | | | was preventing her dog from coming to her. |
| strange place and I could tell he didn't want to be | | | | Crouching, on the other hand, brings a dog to you |
| there. It wanted to be in its owner's arms but the | | | | because it brings you down to their level and you |
| owner was standing tall and taking steps toward | | | | become non-threatening to them. Besides man, |
| the dog. The problem with this was that with | | | | wolf puppies have two major predators; large |
| every step the owner took toward the dog the | | | | cats (links, bobcats, mountain lions) and large birds |
| dog would take a step or two away from its | | | | (osprey and eagles) and both of these predators |
| owner, and in fact, was moving dangerously close | | | | ambush their prey from above. Therefore, the |
| to the busy road behind it. | | | | higher you are the more threatening you are to |
| The owner and dog continued this dangerous | | | | the dog. This is why, when dogs feel threatened |
| dance for a few minutes, with the dog getting | | | | they will hide in a hole/den in the wild and |
| ever closer to the road. Meanwhile a growing | | | | domestic dogs will hide under a table, chair or in |
| crowd was gathering outside the coffee shop and | | | | their crate to feel safe. |
| watching the spectacle in horror, expecting the | | | | The moral of this story is two-fold; first if you |
| dog to enter the street and be hit by a car at | | | | are going to be in a public place put a leash on |
| any moment. Eventually her dog did, in fact, reach | | | | your dog! Second, if you want your dog to come |
| the road. | | | | to you when he is off leash, and you have never |
| When I noticed the dog had actually stepped into | | | | taught him/her any obedience commands before, |
| the road my training took over and I had to act | | | | the only way you are going to be able to get |
| to save this dog, which was clearly in imminent | | | | your dog to come to you is to do exactly what |
| danger. What I did was immediately crouch down. | | | | was done in the story, crouch down and call the |
| When I did this, even though the dog was turned | | | | dog's name in a high voice. Yelling "COME" loudly |
| to look at the owner and the owner took another | | | | from a standing position will only push the dog |
| step toward the dog, the dog noticed me and | | | | further and further away from you. |
| hesitated to take another step. | | | | |