The Importance Of Space
GIVE ME SOME SPACE, PLEASE!!!!!! Who among us hasn’t felt like this at some point in our lives? Well, here is a news flash: sometimes our canine friends could use a little space too.
Dog guardians don’t have to look far for examples of their pet wanting a bit more space. Many dogs take their “special” toy or treat and move further away to ensure they are at a “safe” distance before they can enjoy it. In multi-dog households where fights have broken out, the fights very often happen in tight quarters (doorways, hallways, under the kitchen table). The tighter the space, the fewer options dogs have to get their point across. Many resort to snarling, snipping, and biting if they have no other options. Even hugging your dog can encroach on his comfort zone when it comes to his need for space.
Avoiding conflict and providing safety
The importance of proximity in a dog’s life is something that trainers and behaviorists are continuing to study. What we have determined is that a dog’s freedom to give or take space helps create a sense of safety for them. In almost all aspects of a dog’s life, the use of space is the difference between success and failure, conflict and resolution, and stress-free or stressful situations. The good news is that dog guardians who grasp this concept can use it to their advantage! The appropriate use of space is one of the easiest and most underused tools available.
A prime example of this is when dealing with dog/dog introductions. Most guardians are aware that it is wise to keep a loose leash when their dog is meeting another dog. Ever wonder why? A tight leash restricts a dog’s options when meeting another dog. If the leashes stay tight, then the choice to give or take space is not there. Keeping leashes loose lets each dog circle, sniff, play bow, ignore, or walk away from another dog. Without that choice, communication between dogs is limited. Without the ability to communicate properly, stress or frustration builds and that often leads to growling, snapping, or biting. Imagine trying to let someone know that they are standing too close and making you uncomfortable. If they don’t (or can’t) move back and you can’t move back, it can get pretty stressful. I might find myself a bit snappy after a while!
Reactivity and space
Nowhere is having a safe sense of space more important than when working with reactive dogs. Finding enough distance is the number one tool used with these dogs. In all of my reactive cases, the first meeting has everything to do with proximity. The first question is “At what distance can the guardian’s dog handle seeing the trigger without reacting?” Once we find the correct distance, we have a starting point on which everything else is built.
Use space to your advantage
Providing enough space during any type of training is key to helping your dog succeed. I was observing a basic training class at a local pet store last week. Four out of the five dogs in the class were able to “sit” when requested. The fifth dog was too distracted by the other dogs to focus on anything, much less “sit” when asked. Watching from behind the lines, I saw the inevitable happen as both trainer and guardian began to get more and more frustrated. They finally began pushing on the dog’s hind quarters, jerking his collar and hovering over him yelling the cue “Sit!”. This, in turn, stressed and frustrated the dog even more. Needless to say, there was not a lot of success during that exercise.
By using available space to their advantage, things would have likely turned out much differently. It would have been a good idea to move this dog further away from the distractions, get him to refocus, and start again. Guardians must first practice at a distance where their dog is successful and build up to closer distractions over time. Being able to provide enough space is the first step to garnering improved focus from your dog in these distracting circumstances. Guardians that are in classrooms that are not able to provide enough distance may find themselves a bit frustrated. Often, the difference of moving a dog 2-3 feet further away can lead to success! Teaching guardians to creatively utilize space with their dogs can help them defuse many frustrating moments.
Proximity always matters to your dog. Training, meet and greets with people or with other dogs, parties, events, distractions….success with these has everything to do with distance. Using space to your advantage throughout your dog’s daily routine will help you keep your dog’s stress level low, set yourself up for successful training lessons and avoid unnecessary conflicts with other dogs! Now that is a tool we could all use!
