MY PAST LIFE

WHY DECOMPRESSION?

Decompression is a time period needed for your dog to adjust to a new environment, people, and other animals. This period is extremely important as to not overwhelm the dog thus potentially creating unwanted behaviours and, ultimately, causing the family to give up the dog again too quickly.

Newly adopted dogs often feel lost and overwhelmed in new homes and it’s imperative that the new families are patient and allow the dogs to come out of their shells on their own time. The first 3 days are critical (and often the hardest on everyone) but it must be understood that the decompression period might, sometimes, last up to 3 months… or even more.

Decompression time can be seen as a period where a dog isn’t truly …a dog… yet. It must be shown love but without too much excitement. Shown affection but without too much crowding. Interaction and play opportunities but without too many fast movements or people/dogs/loud noises around. A dog in decompression should be allowed to, subtly, tell you “ok. That’s enough” and have a family understand that they don’t want to play anymore and prefer being left alone. When the dog is really to interact again, it should be greeted calmly yet warmly to show that it’s safe here to be themselves. Eventually, this will happen more often. This will time but, if done right, will be extremely rewarding to everyone involved.

WHY EXPERIENCE?

Dogs all have such different personalities so, it goes without saying that the way they heal from abuse is different as well. Some dogs have an easier time adjusting and make the perfect companion for first-time owners, while for others, it’s a longer, more complicated journey. For these more “difficult cases”, this takes time –sometimes a long time – for them to trust again or to be able to come out of their shells to reveal the beautiful personalities that are hidden within. For this process to be a little easier, people who understand dog body language cues and who have a certain drive to learn and work with the dogs and their behaviors is extremely important. The specification of “large-breed” in the title is simple. Dogs of any size can experience these past-lives traumas however when a dog is bigger, they are much stronger by nature thus it might become a little “more difficult” to “handle and/or manipulate”. A little act can be seen as a BIG act (sometimes scary) without it meaning to be. Understanding that is crucial when taking in a bigger breed living with trauma.

The more “difficult cases” are n̵o̵t̵ 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 bad dogs, but they do require individuals with patience to help them navigate through it. This is what we mean when we ask for people with experience.

SEPARATION ANXIETY

WHAT IS IT? Separation anxiety is a hyper-attachment to the owner that causes your dog to “panic” when you leave their sight.

WHERE CAN IT STEM FROM? Being abandoned and left to fend for themselves, Changing of ownership, Loss of a family member, Entering the home for the first time, Change of routine.

HOW CAN IT BE EXPRESSED IN THE HOME? Excessive crying and barking when left alone at home or in a crate, Destructive behavior, Indoor “accidents” even if house-trained, Pacing and excessive drooling, Trying to escape.

WHAT DOES YOUR DOG NEED FROM YOU?

• Slow-introduction to crate training using positive associations and treats. Be sure not to immediately put your dog in their crate or “place” when you are leaving without any training so that they don't form a negative association between their crate and being left alone. You can start by having them in their crate or room while you're home, when it's quiet, and when they are people in the home. Once they're comfortable in their crate when they're alone, practice entering the room and leaving the room as well. This teaches the dog to be comfortable being there regardless of the situation. Speak to a trainer for more tips on crate training. 

• Keep your greetings low-key and ignore your dog when you enter the home

• Create a very elaborate routine prior to leaving the house to allow your dog to settle with the idea that you are leaving soon (get ready in the bathroom, put on your socks, pick up your keys loudly, turn on the radio, pick up your jacket from the same spot, etc)

• Start with very short timeframes and build-up to longer periods

PREY DRIVE

WHAT IS IT? Prey drive is a dog's ability, and desire, to find, pursue and catch prey. Prey could be squirrels, chickens, mice, flies, a toy, food, cats, other dogs, people, or more dangerously, cars or motorcycles.

WHERE DOES IT USUALLY STEM FROM? Prey drive is instinctual. Passed down in their DNA by wild dogs (wolves). Because hunting was such a huge part of their survival, it is very likely that it made a very big part of their mockup that isn’t that easy to get rid of, even after ALL these generations. It relates to personality and genetics rather than breed. However, domestication and breeding practices have definitely softened this need to survive. The majority of dogs with a high prey drive will enjoy chasing a squirrel but are not likely to kill or even injure the squirrel if the opportunity presents itself.

HOW CAN IT BE EXPRESSED IN THE HOME? Looking out the window for prey, barking, and excitement for moving objects, insecure and distracted on walks, lunging at cars…

WHAT DOES YOUR DOG NEED FROM YOU? The most important thing is to realize that prey drive does not mean aggression. If you have time, there’s a very interesting article here about the key differences. Seen objectively, prey drive refers to a dog's level of excitement or motivation to perform a task involving hunting-related behaviors or going after an object. To curb the behaviors, engaging your dog in play that involves chasing, catching, and retrieving, like playing fetch with their favorite tennis ball, can provide a healthy outlet for their instincts.

Dogs with a high prey drive need help to redirect their focus when they see something that triggers this drive. Redirecting your dog could be asking them to turn towards you, and you ask them to spin, and reward this action with a treat; what you're doing is giving them another outlet to redirect their energy towards. When you begin this process, you need to start far from the object or animal, triggering their prey drive and slowly getting closer over time. Eventually, they will become more comfortable turning to you instead of going towards the prey. This may take several weeks and will be something to work on regularly.

If the prey drive is too overwhelming for the dog, working on their self-confidence and providing a safe, quiet space (like a crate or quiet neighborhood) while training is necessary. The issues will only increase if their needs in this area aren't met as it's part of their genetics. They need guidance in terms of what to do in that situation plus a positive outlet to release the energy. Always containing it will only make the issue worse.

If possible, keep your dog confined to a fenced-in area of your yard. Otherwise, never allow your dog outside without a leash.

• Always use a leash when walking your dog in public areas.

• Only allow your dog to walk off-leash in areas where there are no dogs, cats, or children present, and do so only after your dog learns to reliably come when you call. Never allow your high prey instinct dog to interact with children or other dogs or pets without close supervision. If you have child or dog visitors, it may be necessary to confine your dog to another room or keep him on leash even while inside.

• Be sure his rabies vaccination is up to date and that you have documentation that he received it.
  If your dog is bitten by a critter he tries to chase, that will be one less thing you'll need to worry about.

• Train your dog by learning to be more interesting than whatever they are trying to find/chase. Getting a trainer is strongly recommended for dogs with prey drive.

LEASH FRUSTRATION

WHAT IS IT? First, there’s a clear difference between leash aggression and leash frustration. Leash aggression can be when the dog is fearful and feels trapped when on-leash. they have nowhere to go so can act out by snapping in hopes to scare off the other dog. On the other head, leash frustration is when the dog. is annoyed by the fact that he can’t move freely or is irritated by the pain of the tension of the leash.

WHERE DOES IT USUALLY STEM FROM? Never have been on a leash (for example strays) and learning leash matters. Being chained up most of their lives alone with nowhere to go nor a place to feel safe.

HOW CAN IT BE EXPRESSED IN THE HOME? Being the perfect little dog off-leash and then turning into a fearful, unpredictable dog on-leash. Tugging, biting on the leash. Trying to confront everything that moves around them, etc.

WHAT DOES YOUR DOG NEED FROM YOU? It starts with you. Learning how to handle your dog more comfortably and confidently will be a wonder in showing your dog that there’s nothing to fear while on-leash.

• Use a humane and properly fitted collar (wide, buckle type, tactical collars).

• Begin training in a quiet and controlled area, so the dog feels comfortable in its surroundings and doesn't have to worry about that while getting used to the leash. A great place to start is in your home and eventually working up to being outside.

• Interactions for dogs with leash frustration should only be from afar. Please don't ask your dog to interact with dogs or people on the leash (they should not make contact and physically touch). A great way to get them more comfortable is to have them on a leash near new objects, animals, and people, and reinforce those things by treating your dog each time they're in the area of your dog. Always start with distance and work your way closer as your dog becomes more comfortable.

• Teach your dog how to walk on a loose leash.

• Stay patient and understand where your dog is coming from (their past lives).

• Use positive training techniques with lots of treats.

RESOURCE GUARDING

WHAT IS IT? Resource guarding is when dogs show behaviours like growling, lunging, or biting while with food or toys, or being interrupted. This behavior is also known as “possessive aggression”.

WHERE DOES IT USUALLY STEM FROM? Not being fed regularly (think of a homeless dog), living in too chaotic environments, having trust issues.

HOW CAN IT BE EXPRESSED IN THE HOME? Signs of resource guarding can include stiffening of the body while in possession of an item, a hard stare, ‘whale eye’ (when dogs show the whites of the eyes), lifting of lips, low growling, and baring of teeth, or snapping in an attempt to have you back-off. Dogs with resource guarding usually can’t tell the difference between someone trying to take the item or food and someone who is merely passing by.

WHAT DOES YOUR DOG NEED FROM YOU? Unfortunately in some cases, resource guarding can lead to biting. Training (in short) usually involves tossing high-value treats and removing the item they are resource guarding then, giving it back to them showing that you can share. By tossing high-value treats, you are showing the dog that you are not a threat and you are able to provide a better option. However, this takes experienced owners as it can lead to snapping (and biting) at first. Understanding dog body language is highly recommended prior to attempting such an exercise.

Since the whole point of this page is to protect you and your dog from needing to report incidences, calling in a behaviorist to learn safe practices (for you and for the dog) is the way to go. It’s important to learn the right ways to get your dog’s trust and make them understand that guarding is no longer needed with you. This is especially important if babies or toddlers live in the home. Regardless, children should never be left unattended with any dog. Even if they do not have resource guarding.

By consistent training and understanding the dog’s boundaries, resource guarding can be a thing of the past. This will take time. Be patient.

SOCIAL ANXIETY

WHAT IS IT? Social anxiety in dogs is a fear of people, other animals, or unknown places, sights, sounds, and other stimuli in the environment. A dog may be perfectly fine around in the home but then become anxious and/or fearful around strangers. Proper socialization is essential for all dogs. Failure to socialize can result in a dog with crippling social anxiety, fear, and sometimes even snapping/biting.

WHERE DOES IT USUALLY STEM FROM? Being left chained alone to fend for themselves or left in neglectful situations (think puppy mills), not being properly socialized as a puppy, lack of human contact, only negative experiences with humans (think strays), dogs living in rural communities who don’t get to interact with anyone or anything or being forced to interact with people, animals, and things when they weren't comfortable or ready to interact with.

HOW CAN IT BE EXPRESSED IN THE HOME? Staying away from people. Not wanting to be approached (ears down, tail between the legs). Barking, growling, or jumping toward a person or animal. Timid and fearful behavior, including cowering behind the owner, whining, or even screeching. 

WHAT DOES YOUR DOG NEED FROM YOU? Start small as opposed to throwing them in social situations all at once. You might make it much much worse. Respect your dog’s decompression time and allow them to come out on their own. Ask people to never approach and, instead, let the dog come to them.

• A dog that is no longer a puppy can learn to be comfortable in new situations, but before you can work on this, you need to establish a solid bond and trust with your dog; this is called engagement. The goal is to teach them to trust that you won't put them into situations they aren't comfortable being in before they're ready. Building this trust will teach them to mimic your feelings in new situations. If you're comfortable and calm, they will be as well. And in the case they are uncomfortable, to turn to you for guidance. Note: This is a great article that explains engagement, and this should be something all families work on with their dogs as it solves a good portion of the issues people run into: https://www.myschutzhundlife.com/single-post/2017/03/28/creating-an-engaged-canine-partner

• Once this engagement has been built, you can slowly bring your dog around new situations, people, and animals to show them there isn't anything to be concerned about.

•  While your dog may never learn to love being in busy areas, it can learn to tolerate them if it can associate outings with the "good part" at the end.

• Understand that not all dogs are made to be outgoing. It’s important to respect their boundaries. All dogs are different.

REACTIVITY

WHAT IS IT? Reactivity (as opposed to prey drive) is when a dog overreacts to things in its environment. These reactions can include barking, lunging, and growling. However, these reactions do not make a dog “aggressive.” Although living with a reactive dog is exhausting, it’s important to understand that they are not a lost cause. There are great resources out there to help you.

WHERE DOES IT USUALLY STEM FROM? Reactivity is not uncommon in dogs. This could come from a lack of socialization as a puppy or a particularly scary experience that scars them into being fearful of their surroundings.

HOW CAN IT BE EXPRESSED IN THE HOME? Rigid body, stiff tail, stare that you cannot interrupt, inability to respond to easy cues (such as his name, Come or Sit), straining on the leash.

Barking at sounds, doorbells, new people, dogs, fearful/unpleasant walks with lunging at anything that might be nearby and/or cowering behind the owner, while barking. Reactive dogs are often uncomfortable (as opposed to aggressive or possessive) so anything that might bring that on, will create a reaction.

WHAT DOES YOUR DOG NEED FROM YOU? A reactive dog results from poor socialization and a lack of trust in their handler's ability to prevent something unwanted from happening when they encounter a situation they aren't comfortable with.

It's important to understand that reactivity is an emotional response, not something they do by choice. Instead of punishing the dog for reacting, you need to prevent it from happening. Supporting your dog to avoid being in a situation is the best way to help a dog deal with reactivity. A dog will never be "cured" from reactivity, but with proper and continuous training, they can learn to deal with it to the point where others won't be aware of their reactivity.

When your dog begins to fix on a particular object, person or animal, you need to redirect their attention and give them another outlet to release their negative energy. Ways of doing this could be asking them to turn towards you and spin and then treat them, turn towards you and have them bark and then treat them. There may be times when calling their name isn't enough to turn them away from the situation. If this happens, you can try tapping their back legs to get their attention, and if that doesn't work, push their butt so that it turns them towards you. You need to "snap' them out of the state of mind they are in and help them regain a positive state of mind. Over time the dog will learn to turn towards you on their own.

SHUT DOWN/CLOSED-OFF PERSONALITIES

WHAT IS IT? Shut down dogs are dogs that seem unresponsive to their surroundings. Their posture is protective of themselves and very guarded, when spoken to or touched, the dog may react slowly or not at all. They avoid eye contact and simply look defeated.

WHERE DOES IT USUALLY STEM FROM? Dogs left behind by their families out of the blue. Dogs who were beaten regularly. Dogs that come from neglectful environments, such as puppy mills, breeding compounds (or homes), Dig fighting rings (bait dogs), or places that conduct experiments on dogs (yes, they still exist). You get the idea.

HOW CAN IT BE EXPRESSED IN THE HOME? They do not want to interact with anything and anyone. They look “sad” all the time. They are fearful of new people approaching them too fast. They don’t like to be touched or grabbed by the collar. they refuse to walk on leash or play in the backyard.

WHAT DOES YOUR DOG NEED FROM YOU? Dogs who are shut down are often extremely traumatized and NEED TIME to adjust to their new environment. It’s important to respect their boundaries and let THEM decide when they are ready to interact. It’s very important to allow proper decompression time for fear of making it much worse. Overwhelming a dog whose shut down can result in additional psychological damage and accidental bites. Love (from a distance), a calm environment, understanding of their past lives, and patience are extremely important to allow the dog to come out of their shells and trust again.