This is about an event in October 2021 that I wrote about at the time but did not publish here.
I have been walking around the neighborhood with Clara every day since April. [2021]. Now, remember that when she was a feral puppy, she very gradually got used to the presence of humans other than me. I frequently met with my trainer at an outdoor mall where I could better control the distance. It was difficult for Clara. Although it was a slow process, she was able to happily walk through crowds as long as no one tried to interact with her. I could either stop it or walk away.
At the mall, Clara was exposed to a far greater variety of humans than many “normal” dogs encounter in their lifetime. She sees assistive equipment, hats, sunglasses, belongings, large families, toddlers, children, children on their father’s shoulders, big hair, flowing clothes, uniforms, people on ladders and roofs, construction work. people on bikes and scooters, people moving fast, all of that. That’s great.
While walking around the neighborhood, she remained indifferent to a very wide range of people. I expect her to give me a treat if she wants it, but if she doesn’t, I can ignore her. Recently we passed a man practicing with a fly fishing rod in his front yard. That’s good.
She is great with strangers at a distance of about 8 feet even if they can see her, so social distancing is great. So you can also stop and chat with someone if you want.
But today she finally met her asshole.
There was a small old man wearing black jogging clothes. He walked unsteadily. He was flopping down in the middle of the street, clearly (to me) looking at his front yard from different angles. Therefore, he did not “walk with purpose”, a behavior that Clara recognizes, nor did he “stand still” alone or in a group. This is also a well-known behavior. Jog, sit, or work in the garden. He would stop and start moving (unsteadily) and stare. We were a house or two away when Clara saw him. I was already paying close attention to both him and her. Because it’s difficult to maintain a comfortable distance from him.
“Hmm,” said Clara. This dog hardly ever growls.
I immediately made a U-turn and took a different route. Yes, I probably negatively reinforced the growl. This rare response from her was far better than any escalating behavior.
I thought it was interesting that she’s the only person who pays attention to her only once every few months and is probably the only person she’s ever growled at as an adult. And at that distance!
It took us a while to find someone who looked and acted outside of Clara’s extensive knowledge of the behavior of “normal people” in the south-central United States, but we found him. I wish I had taken a photo.
Back to 2024. From April 2021 until her last night on Earth in late September 2024, I walked with Clara almost every day. She never growled at humans again.
Her walks became her favorite part of the day. None of that would have happened if it weren’t for the excellent training she received at an early age. But she built that solid foundation and has grown into a wonderful dog. I’m so proud of her. And I look back nostalgically at the moment when humans finally went far beyond their limits. It took me quite a while to get that reaction out of her.
What’s the strangest thing your dog has ever encountered, whether it reacted or not?
Related articles
Copyright 2024 Eileen Anderson
