This Blog
What is the Peaceful People Peaceful Paws Blog about?
Alongside the joys of welcoming a furry friend into your family, is the responsibility and expectations of 21st Century Guardianship.
We are urged to do our very best for our dogs but the advice and support can be confusing. With any number of contradicting posts, Blogs, TV, Facebook ,Insta, You tube, Tic Toc "specialists" giving such different advice for Guardians just wanting to do the right thing.
We navigate the needs of a puppy or rescue sometimes a little in the dark. Every dog is unique and individual and we will look at this and its impacts upon our lives with dogs in other blogs and associated learning opportunities. The unique experience and relationship we build with every dog is different. It is shaped by the dog and our experiences , history, environment and wellbeing as well and especially theirs.
Every Dog Guardian has an experience which is a collation of a range of common "issues"
We experience sleepless nights, over excited behaviours, barking and crying and toileting issues and those settling "Behaviour Problems" (spoiler... they probably are not problems at all!) with pups and new to us rescues.
Our friends and family and the myriad of advice tells us what we should be doing. What we are doing wrong and of course the clashes with our family. There's the common issues Trainers see all the time, barking so the neighbours complain, lead pulling, too friendly, barking and lunging at dogs, people, cars, chasing things. All of these can be embarrassing, stressful and exhausting, causing friction with family and friends.
When we ask for professional support online or in person we often get a brilliant plan to help the dogs behaviour, but there is nothing for us, to help our own emotional needs and sometimes overwhelm.
In a survey we conducted there were so many responses suggesting that the emotional struggles in dog guardianship is common. A majority stated they often felt miserable and overwhelmed in managing their dog (even when there was not significant issues). They felt embarrassed or defensive when others commented on their dogs behaviour. This impacts their everyday resilience. Many recognised that their other stressors and life pressures interfered with their ability to give 100% of what they were asked or knew they should do to help their dog.
76% of respondents said any support they had for their dog, whether foundation or troubleshooting or general advice was entirely task oriented. Obedience led behavioural expectations to change the dogs behaviour with no support for the emotional impact upon the guardian or consideration of the emotional needs of the dog first. They all wished they had been the focus too and that there was a WHOListic approach to finding more about what lay under the behaviour or learning need.
Many said they wish they had been listened to and heard. A majority agreed a toolbox for emotional and physical support for them first, before any "training and behaviour modification" could make a significant positive difference to the behaviour outcomes for the dog and for them. They said that this toolbox and support should be in place BEFORE any training of behaviours took place and a better understanding of the emotions and well being of dogs and guardians would be far more use than a training on basics or some behaviour modification plans without an emotional aspect leading.
Crucially they suggested that if there was better support for the guardian emotional and practical needs as well as the dogs and they felt supported there would be fewer puppy returns or placed in rescue and few rescue returns . Many professionals would agree that too many guardians find themselves unable to continue with a programme that was rightly a careful slow plan- there are no quick fixes and give up. If the emotional support went alongside the respondents felt they would have been able to engage more readily.
This Blog will share information and tools to help all guardians navigate their own world with their dogs more peacefully and support their Pups and Paws to find peace too.
Peaceful People and Peaceful Paws is committed to recognising and offering support for the emotional and practical role in 20th Century Guardianship within our fast pressurised stressful world.
Services include:
- 1-1 support as Emergency First Aid or Triage for those meltdown or overwhelming experiences.
- 1-1 ongoing support to develop resilience and understanding of both our own needs and our dogs , a WHOLEisitic approach for all beings in the partnership to feel safe.
There will be safe, non judgmental spaces to engage and to access:
- Short courses to add to a "toolbox" of self support and support for our dogs.
- Ebooks and fact sheets
- Resources including curated information for world class experts.
So... WATCH THIS SPACE, look out for a website and FB page. If this is something you would like to know more about or think some help would support you then please email peacefulpsawstherapy@gmail.com . If you are interested in adding to our research please complete this form we welcome your thoughts .
Comments
Post a Comment