Check-in with your dog’s feelings this festive season – it’s not only stressful for humans

Dog owners will know that their lovable pooch has a wide range of emotions and feelings. They tell us when they are sad, when they need something, when they are excited, when they are scared and they in turn can tell when we have had a bad day or when we need that extra bit of support.

Some dogs, however, can become aggressive when in new situations or around new people. This is especially important to take note of during the festive season when changing routines and an influx of strangers can cause much stress for your dog.

The truth is that dogs look to their owners for how to act and react in certain situations. Dog behaviourist Dr Iva Cinkova, who works with animals at Pretoria Dog Rescue, spoke to Rekord about her work, and also about how owners can make sure their furry friends have an easier time for the festive season.

Cinkova said that one of the biggest issues with dog behaviour is that some owners don’t know enough about how to understand their dog’s behaviour.

“People don’t understand where this behaviour comes from, they don’t understand why the dog behaves the way they do.

“Once you find the cause, for example, is the aggression from fear or some other reaction, then you can start working to desensitise the dog to situations in which they feel uncomfortable,” she said.

A dog’s behaviour is the responsibility of the owner, not just in terms of being a responsible pet owner, but also in terms of South African law. The key to being responsible is spending the time to understand your pet.

“You have to know your dog,” said Cinkova.

“You have to know that some breeds have certain behavioural traits which are there and if you don’t work with them properly, then the dog is not socialised properly. They are not taught how to behave in those situations.”

For this festive season, Cinkova’s advice is to think about how your dog feels.

“What people often forget is to think about how your dog feels. Don’t put your dog in new situations immediately. Let them slowly get used to new places.”

“For example, when you go away and you need someone to take care of the dog, don’t just book a boarding place and leave them there for two weeks and then come for them. This is quite stressful for the dog.

Check-in with your dog’s feelings this festive season
Dog behaviourist Dr Iva Cinkova, from Pretoria Dog Rescue, spoke to Rekord about her work and how owners can make sure their furry friends have an easier time for the festive season.
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— Pretoria Rekord (@RekordNewspaper) December 29, 2022

“If you can, do it slowly. Go for a visit at the place with the dog, spend some time with the dog there, then the next time, maybe leave the dog there for a few hours. Then overnight. That way they can gradually get used to the place.

Don’t forget to reward your dog so that it is not so stressful for them and they know they are doing a good job of being brave.

“Like in every situation where you are teaching your dog something new, be patient with them. Show them slowly so that they can get used to the new things.

“People often think when they get a dog that the dog will know how to behave. But they are like kids, you have to teach them, you have to show them, you have to be patient.”

Some people are bad pet owners and allow their animals to come into harm’s way because the owner hasn’t spent the time properly socialising the animal. For animals such as these, Cinkova and Pretoria Dog Rescue run rehabilitation programs to save these unfortunate animals.

The aim is to teach these animals how to live with people once more after many of them experience trauma.

“Pretoria Dog Rescue is a pro-life shelter,” said Cinkova, “ so that means that every dog that comes in, we will help them whether they need veterinary care, or rehabilitation or if they need intensive behavioural work because they were traumatised from some bad experiences.

“We will help them become dogs that can be adopted.”

“If you don’t feel that you know how to understand your dog then there are behaviourists that can explain to you and advise you. But be careful that the person you are speaking to knows what they are speaking about, that they are careful with the dog so that they don’t do more harm.”

She welcomed dog owners to contact Pretoria Dog Rescue if they need help, as they can put the owner into contact with various experienced dog behaviourists, or help with the work that Pretoria Dog Rescue does.

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