How to keep your dog stress-free and happy
Three good dogs
Many of us who share our lives with dogs love our animals deeply - we strive to give them everything they need to feel safe, secure, happy, and fulfilled. We depend on dogs in so many ways to give us company, emotional support, and love, as well as to perform a huge variety of tasks for us. They offer us complete non-judgemental devotion and want to please us. For so many of us our dogs are so important that we prioritise their needs, occasionally even over our own.
Offering love and freedom to our pets to do as they please is often the natural way we show how much we care. Dogs, however, think differently from humans. They thrive on understanding the rules and boundaries of their lives and knowing what is expected of them. Think of herding dogs and gun dogs; they are never happier than when they can perform a valuable satisfying job. Even if our dogs do not have an easily identifiable job (as working dogs do), all dogs benefit from knowing their place and what they can do for us. Dogs have been bred for many thousands of years to do jobs for us and to please us.
Choice is obviously an important part of canine welfare and emotional wellbeing. Too much choice though (and ensuing feelings of responsibility) can lead to worrying behavioural issues: confusion, anxiety, stress, insecurity, or even aggressive patterns of behaviour. This certainly applies to humans as well, but dogs are aliens in our human world with lesser mental capabilities than we have and so are far more easily overwhelmed. In my experience the happiest and most secure dogs are the ones who recognise that their role is to fit into our lives - they accept and follow the rules and boundaries we create. When we're making the important decisions, they can relax.
Here’s an example. When I greet visitors to my home, my guests are my focus, not my dogs. The dogs love to meet new people or other dogs, and they can become very excited. When they were younger, they would push for attention from my guests - this would have changed the focus of the visit entirely. This kind of decision-making would soon lead to them ignoring my requests for calm in other situations too, and could lead to problems in many situations. They have, over time, learnt what is expected of them - they've learnt when it is time to relax, and wait for my instruction. They now stay in crates (or at least away from visitors) unless I give them permission to join us. When they are calm and relaxed they are an absolute joy to have with us in company. (If you are interested in this psychological concept, check out the ‘Paradox of Choice’ which was developed by Barry Schwartz).
Comfortable in company
I am convinced that dogs are most content when their people act this way. Too much autonomy leads to confusion and insecurity. So much of our lives must be stressful and confusing for them; busy streets, loud noises, riding in cars, artificial surfaces to walk on, strange and overpowering smells. When they have calm, consistent rules and a trusting bond with their people, most dogs will take it all in their stride and enjoy life.
