Happy Walks for Happy Dogs
Some great dog walks this week. We began on Monday, walking in the meadows and playing chase with our doggy friends. Midweek, as the weather was warming, we headed to the cooler woodlands and streams. By the end of the week, our dog walks were all in the morning shade, and complemented with a free offer of afternoon home visits to protect from the heatwave.
I was especially delighted to be accepted by a nervous pooch that I have begun to work with this week. With some great Freework sessions, R has grown confident enough to trust me with some gentle TTouch massage. Building up relationships with the dogs is one of the best parts of my job. 
Always Learning – Building confidence through exploration (ACE Freework)
This week, I have been using ACE Freework to build confidence in some nervous dogs.
When we feel confident, we are happy to explore new items and experiences. And the same is true in reverse: if we explore new things within a calm and safe environment, we become more confident. We learn that new things are not all scary.
We can do this for our dogs too. Start simple by bringing home something interesting that you found on your way home from work – maybe a feather or a pine cone. Place it down away from your dog, so that they can choose to go and explore it, and carefully watch their reaction.
If you’d like to learn more about Freework set-ups (like the one Brian is demonstrating in the photo), please get in touch for a 1-2-1 masterclass.
What novel items your dog has enjoyed exploring this week? Leave a comment below.
Previous posts:
- Heather’s Happy Dogs: Great Adventures and if and when to neuter and spay
- Heather’s Happy Dogs: Great Adventures and Freework for Fun
- Heather’s Happy Dogs: Fun Walks and Co-regulation for Calm
- Heather’s Happy Dogs: Fun Walks and Building Confidence
- Heather’s Happy Dogs: Weekly walk photos, and foraging for health
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