Dogs have been living with us for thousands of years and have become the most diverse species on the planet.
Due to selection processes, influenced by humans (intentional or unintentional) the body and thus physical and mental abilities of the dog got many different forms.
All dogs have their own qualities, talents and down falls...
Eventhough dogs are removed from wolfs a long time ago, they still possess instinctal behaviours.
These instincts can be seen in a variety of intensities, ranging from very low to intensified.
Some dogs were once (and still) bred for their ability to herd livestock, protect the house, hunt certain wildlife or vermin, pull carts or sleds, fight, retrieve, track, sniff or simply as a companion.
Eventhough we might not use our home husky to pull our sled, this instinct and desire to do so can still be found in this animal, and to neglect this desire or to not redirect this desire can make a dog stressed, hyper or simply unhappy.
Finding your dogs qualities
First of all it is very important to find a breed and a dog with the right personality for you and your family. Research the breed and visit people with the breed, of course every dog has it's own personallity, and a good breeder will be able to tell you which puppy in a litter would most likely fit best.
Do not go for looks first, go for the breed characteristics, personality, and finally... looks...
When I got Amber from a shelter, I already knew the breed that she was mainly mixed with. I knew people with Podencos, and I so far loved the breed. I still did a lot of research and found out that these dogs have a strong prey drive, are active outside, couch potatoes inside and dispite their massive gremlin ears, do not always like to listen en go about doing their own thing.
I believed however that all this would be trainable, and my dog would be able to run free and be at my side instantly as soon as I gave the command...
When I got her I soon found out that she was in personallity 100% Podenco. She soon discovered the wildlife around our house, and that it was much more fun chasing those than listening to her owner. She was always very distracted, did not like to do the same thing twice and only played with us when she wanted to, and with the toy that she chose... if not.... you can trow a ball and she just looks at you like..... 'In your dreams'... and walks away.
So lets talk about the good sides, because I still want you to know that Podencos are awesome dogs! She is very cuddly, extremely sweet, funny, humorous and talkative... she is almost scary humanlike sometimes.
Outside she can be very distracted as soon as cats or other animals appear either in sight, hearing or smelling range. She has an amazing nose, can smell a deer from a massive distance, and see and hear the tiniest little animals in the tall grass. She can jump very high and far, and loves to race... as fast as she can!
This ofcourse can all be quite annoying when you want to have a nice peacefull walk in the park... but these are her qualities, her biggest instincts, and her biggest passions. To take all that away will only make her frustrated. Now I am not able to let her loose in a forest to hunt whatever animal she likes, so this energy needs to be redirected in a controlled manner.
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| Always using her nose |
Nose work
First of all, her nose is the most important thing for her.
I regularly play searching games in the house, I hide treats in different spots in the house, and she needs to use her nose to find all of them. I also hide her toys or play hide and seek with her. As soon as I say: zoek! (Dutch for search) her nose goes up and starts sniffing like crazy! She loves it and it tires her out, so no destructive or attention seeking behaviour at all.
I also followed a tracking course, which she really loved! She had to follow a scent track of a person, and on the way she would find small wooded blocks with treats hidden underneath, at the end of the track a little box with high value treats was found. She focusses so well on following the track, that she doesn't even notice or care that deers are watching her from a couple of meters distance! Perfect way to redirect this behaviour and so much fun to see her enjoying herself and getting better every week. (For a description on how to start tracking with your dog, check the outdoor activities section!).
Parkour or forest agility
She likes to explore, jump and climb. So I started with letting her climb and jump on benches in the park, fallen trees, rocks, you name it and started building up from there. She absolutely loves doing it and gets really excited as soon as I say the word 'up'. Amber is a dog who can be a bit insecure, and this really boosts her confidence, and it makes me more exciting to be with during our walks. Climbing on objects gives her another level to use her nose and sight at, and she always likes to enjoy the view for little bit.
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| Showing her climbing abilities |
I am still planning on starting a real agility course, I so far tried to make a small agility course in our garden with poles, old tables and chairs. She likes it... once, maybe twice... but asking her to jump over the same thing three times.... she gets bored and just walks off... Using objects outside stays exciting and new all the time, and this she doesn't get bored with!
Running
She is very fast and loves to run full out. When she plays with other dogs, almost the only thing she wants to do is be chased or chase the other dog. She hates wrestling or fake fighting, especially with dogs she doesn't know. But since she can not go off leash, and we do not live near a dog park she was often not able to run at full speed... which would make our walks very annoying, because she would almost burst out of her skin with energy and a desire to go faster.
I started with jogging, I bought a Canicross belt and let her pull me, but my physical restrictions still did not allow her to fun at full speed.
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| Racing through the snow |
After weeks of looking on the internet for a pulling harness in her size, or someone that would custom make one for her for a reasonable price... I gave up and started building myself.
I handmade a pulling harness and made a whole construction for on the bike (see DIY projects for instructions, photos and videos). It works great and we now cycle at least twice a week with her, letting her run as fast as she likes. This really calmes her down and gets her dead tired, but content. (for instructions on how to start bikejöring, check the outdoor activities section!)
Conclusion
Trying to eliminate or ignore behaviours that do not fit your schedule or frame of mind will not only frustrate your dog, but will also create a lot of frustrations for you. Instead, try to see these behaviours in a positive light, work with them together with your dog and develop them in a controlled manner. This will make the relationship with your dog so much better and a lot more fun!
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| A tired happy dog |
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