Balboa is like a number of under socialized/under confident dogs - they want to be a part of what's going on but they don't yet trust that the situation, people and/or environment are safe. With each day we are exposing Balboa to more and more and we are seeing really good results. The fact that Balboa is so human focused really helps him to excel. One challenge with helping a fearful/under confident dog, is to help move them through an new situation without shutting the dog down or going over it's threshold. So, we are mindful of Balboa and watch his body language and how he's reacting. In a short period of time Balboa has come to trust us and this has helped him to take bigger risks in new situation.
Last night we met up with a great guy who was happy to just give Balboa the space he needed for Balboa to interact outside of his comfort zone. Balboa is the type of dog that takes a bit of time to trust you. So the fact that he wasn't forced to interact or be touched helped Balboa to see that he can move at his pace - pretty amazing guy huh! Balboa did enjoys some fresh chicken tid bits and felt safe enough to explore a new environment. Way to go brave Balboa!
We often expect way to much of a dog and push dogs into situations we think they should be able to handle. We can do this mindlessly without observing how the dog is reacting. We are advocates for these little pups and that includes being aware and paying attention to what the dogs are experiencing. If one can be patient and aware of their dog the results are amazing. Not only will you see a dog that can take more and more risks but, you will experience a wonderful connection with your dog built on trust and with that the sky is the limit on what can be achieved with this level of teamwork.
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| Exhausted from his adventure |
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| getting some loves from foster mom |
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| All relaxed and just hanging out |
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| Such a sweet and brave boy |
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