Do you have a sensitive dog? A dog who is hypersensitive, nervous, or fearful around large crowds or when a fast car drives past? If you’re nodding yes, you’ll probably have a lot in common with Ulla Kjeldgaard and her Labrador, Bella.
Bella had a hard time adjusting to busy city life. She didn’t have a back garden or yard to run about in, which meant going out into the city was unavoidable for potty breaks and daily walks. However, Bella was afraid of everything and everyone. It wasn’t until Ulla changed her own mindset and started to listen to her dog’s concerns that big changes began to happen.
Today, Ulla and Bella are Brilliant Partners who tackle life together as a team. Listen to this episode of Enlightened By Dogs as Kathy and Ulla discuss some valuable lessons that come with having a hypersensitive dog in a really big city.
In This Episode:
- How Ulla and Bella found each other
- Early struggles that Bella faced in the big city
- Why Bella was so fearful of city-life
- Why we have to stop trying to “fix” our dogs
- Key lessons from the “Safe, Calm, and Happy Protocol”
- The importance of giving your dog the choice and why you need to listen to your dog when they’re fearful, nervous, or uncomfortable
- How to make a sensitive dog feel more relaxed
- How to be a good role model for your dog
- Why and how to give your dog their own personal space
- Tips to help you make a sensitive dog feel safe, happy and confident
Read the blog post on this topic.
Quotes
“She was afraid of people, dogs, cars, anything that moved and walked – and I live in the center of the city!”
“The leash is like a communication tool”
“What I actually did was imagine a golden bubble around her and I was using the string (or leash) as the connection”
“I made a promise to her that I would never ever make her meet people that she didn’t like”
“The relationship finally started to grow”
“I was just being attentive without being alert”
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