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What did you learn that was new to you?
I learned what a “hock” was and how to approach them to get a dog to sit safely.
How did the dog respond to your approach?
Using one of my Dogs who is a little more reserved when it comes to “grooming/Massage” I found this technique was helpful to communicate my wants non verbally. Robin (dog) who is obviously already adjusted to me was relaxed but confused when his legs were taken out from under him, he was slightly hesitant at not being the one to make the decision and would have gladly walked away right there but thankfully he trusted me enough to allow it.
What facial expression, postures or gestures did you notice, and how did you interpret them?
At first upon approach he is relaxed, mouth open, tongue out and ears relaxed. he was standing a a fairly relaxed manner as he could tell I wanted something from him and he loves a job. During first touch of familiarization his back will stiffen up, his ears stand up and are facing forward and you can feel tension in his body. I interpreted the stiffness as anxiousness (Robin doesn’t like being brushed) over a activity that doesn’t bring him much joy. After trying out the method of using my forearm for his hocks he became even more agitated.
If you are experienced in canine behavior and handling, what aspects of the material do you feel are most essential?\
**NON PROFESSIONAL EXPERIANCE**As a care taker of 5 rescues I believe communication, especially FEEDBACK is vital to proper animal handling.
Do you have a story about an experience with behavior and handling that exemplifies the importance of proper equipment and handling?
the closest example would be attempting to transition some of my dogs to at home nail trimming. I quickly found out that each dog needs to be approached differently. One of my dogs is always comfortable and will allow us to day anything to him, Roll him on his belly, trim nails, give stretches, bathing, you name it he’s cool. Unlike him though, I have a Chihuahua who HATES any type of touching that isn’t back scratches, So we have to use a “happy hoodie” over his ears and use a towel for his body to get him to relax and trust in us. But even so quick movements and attempting to move his body can be quite troublesome…=(
How has knowing how to read dog behavior kept you and the dog(s) safe?
By being able to see the tension shifts in their skin, the darting of ears, what their mouth is doing, has been able to allow me to know where my dog is at mentally and emotionally, thus prevent any unnecessary setback or fear retention on new activities that aren’t comfortable for dogs who has a troubled past and trust issues.