This is how our work day starts, how is yours starting?

Tia can’t be doing with the sloppy stuff, but Troy - oh my goodness!! I’m out for a few hours and after he’s said his hello’s I need a shower! He’s not a drooly breed, but he does give a good workout with his tongue. Tell me about how your dog greets you!

Leif is totally relaxed and deeply asleep, bless him, I love seeing how safe he must feel to be this relaxed, totally vulnerable and total zonked out😍

Tia is a pretty girl but she can pull some really stupid faces! Let’s see what faces your pup can pull 😅😂

Is your dog reactive? Is it sometimes reactive? Will it at times try to self-regulate because something is about to trigger a reaction? Let’s remember that reactivity may not be the barking and lunging that we expect, it could be trying to run away, cowl down and make themselves smaller or even become submissive. Perhaps they have been injured in play and are pre-emptying another incident. My thoughts are, are we reading the signs our dogs are showing us? Or do we just accept that they can be reactive and nothing can be done? I have come to find that Leif does all the usual Lip smacking, almost tip toe, very alert signs, really focused on the oncoming dog. So I ensure that there is Leif’s comfortable distance between us and other dogs. We can then carry on, possibly walking behind the other dog, unless they are coming towards us. I do need to find enough space and at times Leif just watches and we continue our walk. How do you manage reactivity? Are you reading those tells before something happens and taking steps to support?