In a perfect world, Maisie’s owners would have no social life.
Maisie, a six year old Boxer mix, is content to hang out in her newly adoptive home. She will gladly come when called, eat her meals with gusto, watch a little TV in the evening. Its a calm, peaceful life with no surprises. That is, until someone she doesn’t know, remember, or like, comes for a visit.
“Uh oh” thinks Maisie “what the heck? My equilibrium is disturbed. Non-family members smell funny and exude unpredictability. They talk in unfamiliar voice tones. They gesture with their hands. They get up and go to the bathroom at odd moments. I don’t know what will happen next. I must monitor them with vigilance and single-minded devotion.”
Thus her owners despaired of ever having a relaxing moment with any guest since,
Naturally, visitors were acutely aware they are being watched WAY too closely by a creature with respectable teeth.
No, Maisie has never bitten anyone. Its a path she has not gone down…yet.
The problem is that Maisie can’t ever seem to truly relax. She seems to sleep with one eye open, alert with prickly tension. This is a dog that needs reassurance, but not in a human way. Soft caresses and whispered platitudes only amp up her anxiety.
Here is what Maisie’s owners did to help her navigate the tenuous territory of social interaction:
1. Designated a Place for Maisie to Stay when guests are over. Her owners practiced having Maisie Down/Stay on her Place every day. By the time visitors arrived, she knew where she was expected to go. Her Place gave her a safety zone and her owners more control over her behavior.
2. Acclimated Maisie to wearing a ThunderShirt. The gentle, steady pressure of the shirt helps to take the edge off of Maisie’s skittishness so she can relax even in stressful situations.
3. Praised good behavior. When Maisie’s owners yelled at her, it only made her anxiety worse. By focusing on giving her calm, clear instructions, she knew what was expected of her and how to please them. They could then reward her appropriately.
With her owners’ help, Maisie began to feel more comfortable with guests, even occasionally falling asleep during visits.
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