Suzi Walsh

Yeah I know because people get really excited and it's such an exciting time to bring home a dog to your family and you're trying to give them all of the things especially coming from a shelter where they mightn't have had everything and we try as humans to compensate for that and we might try to provide them with everything that they've never never had before in their lives but that can be a lot for a dog you know you're thinking about the mentality of a two or three year old child and it's very easy to overstimulate a two or three year old child so

The same goes for a dog.

They do panic because, you know, what we imagine in our heads isn't necessarily what happens in reality.

It would be lovely if it was.

But always remember, there'll be rescue or shelter or people like me on the phone for some advice and some help.

And I never mind giving advice or help if someone has just had a dog arrive into their new home.

I certainly won't be going out to see them the first few days because they do need time to settle in.

But the expectation and reality can sometimes be a little bit challenging for people.

Yeah, you need to build a relationship with the animal first.

So they need to know, you know, find their feet with you.

And sometimes we can go in a little bit strong and be trying to teach them everything all at once.

You know, I kind of concentrate on house training.

And one of my favorite things to do with a dog is to teach them to settle.

So that's teaching them.

So like with yourself, David, I can tell you to lie down and that's great, but I can't tell you to relax.

and you know giving the tools to an animal to be able to relax so we're all very good at pointing out all the the things that dogs do wrong and all correcting for all the naughty things which is fine or giving them attention when they look for it which is also fine but what we tend to lack is giving them attention when they're being really really calm so if you see your dog lying down chilling out

not looking at you, just being really relaxed and you go, my God, isn't that wonderful?

Then toss them a treat, you know, engage with them, you know, mark that behavior.

If you spent a lot of time tossing a treat to a dog who's lying down and relaxed, that's the same as you sitting on the couch and being relaxed and me coming and giving you a chocolate biscuit.

You'd be sure, damn sure you'd be repeating that behavior.