Bike light

Bike light

George is a friend of ours who lives and works in Chicago. His bike is his primary means of transportation. Chicago streets are often precarious. He has to stay ever vigilant of the quality of the pavement, to the pedestrians stepping out from between parked cars, and the busy traffic around him. The traffic is the most disconcerting, with harried, inattentive, or otherwise preoccupied drivers swerving into his path. Often, they are not thinking about whether or not a cyclist is there. Their focus is getting to their destinations as quickly as possible; and they have to react spontaneously to creatively maneuver the lane patterns, curling around and speeding around slower and stopped/turning obstacles. Even though George has reflective gear on his bike and wears reflective clothing, he shared with me that he feels at risk, especially biking at night.

George told me that he has figured out a way to claim the space next to him on the street to his left. He rides with a small apparatus on his belt that projects a red laser beam. He purchased it through Hammacher Schlemmer. A bright line of light is projected about 4 feet from him and creates a visual traffic/bike lane. George contends that drivers see the light and cede control of the space around him in his private bike lane.

Space around us gives comfort and safety

Maintaining a certain amount of space around us is healthy, and for George, the way he moves about the city, it is essential. His projection of a visible boundary creates a mobile safety zone around him. He has devised a way to get drivers attention and tapped into a primal respect for the lines of boundary. (Admission: I’m reading Joseph Campbell’s/Bill Moyers “The Power of Myth”). The boundaries that dogs create for themselves are not as visible to us as a bright red line of light on the pavement. To other dogs, though, they are clear.

Dogs understand well the concept of personal space. Space is important, serious stuff. That is what we are discussing here, isn’t it? When dogs spaces are invaded or disrespected they will defend what they perceive as theirs with their lives. Space and ownership of space is the underlying understanding for canine social systems to function.

Watch the dogs posturing and playing at a dog park. They are definitely aware of spatial effects and consequences. Notice how they intentionally position themselves in relation to other dogs. They are constantly vying for, negotiating, and declaring ownership of space. It is the way they create a hierarchy. By controlling space, they determine who the leaders are and who the followers are.

The one who owns the space, then, is the leader.

Boundaries

Setting responsible boundaries makes for healthy relationships. We know that when we set limits for behaviors for our children they are happier and play well with others. We set boundaries for friends, which is why some friends stay for life and others fall away. We establish patterns with family that define us and our relationships. We set boundaries and expectations for employees. These are so ingrained in our management philosophies that we create job descriptions to define them. This is what you can or cannot wear, eat, drink, smoke, say, and act. When we know what is expected, we are more comfortable in meeting expectations.

Who owns the space in your home?

Some of us treat our dogs as honored royal guests. We allow behaviors that would never be permitted with people. Who moves through doorways first? Who sleeps as an immovable boulder in the middle of the bed? Who lounges in a doorway, making everyone walk around her? Who makes the decisions about when to go for a walk, when to play, and when to eat? Who screams at the front door or window? Who eats the furniture? Who owns the space in your home?

Who decides where the massage will be?

If you have a canine massage practice, who decides where the massage will be? Are you able to put the dog on a table (which is sometimes a challenge) or do you work on the floor (which is where the dog has more options to move about)? Who controls the session, you or the dog? Does the dog distract you by licking your face or hands? Does she paw at your shoulders? Does she lean completely into you? Does she circle away to the other side of the table? These are all ways dogs communicate. Dogs do not have words. They make their needs known by manipulating space!

PetMassageTM has a solution

In the “Confident Dog Handling for the Canine Massage Practitioner” part of the PetMassageTM Foundation training, we help you identify that when the leadership roles are unclear, dogs naturally step into the role of leader. After all, if there is no leader, the social network breaks down. When that happens, their safety and existence are at risk. It is a scary canine pack emergency. Who will be the one to lead them to food, to rest, and to shelter?

Confusion of leadership

Confusion of leadership causes dogs to act out. Separation anxiety, food aggression, dog and human aggression, extremes of submissive behaviors, lethargy, respiratory and autoimmune imbalances, are just some of the ways dogs show us they are confused.

What does confusion look like?

So, you may be looking at a dog with leadership confusion when a dog presents with:

  • inability to make direct eye contact with you
  • an uneven gait (as would happen with a tight psoas m.)
  • a stiff inflexible spine
  • greater muscle development on the fore end or the hind
  • coughing
  • asthma
  • overt barking
  • nipping/biting
  • obesity
  • bowel and bladder problems (diarrhea, constipation, incontinence)
  • eating problems (swallowing, throwing up)
  • tenderness in the belly region
  • skin irritation from incessant licking
  • hot spots
  • infestation of fleas
  • yeasty, greasy, smelly ears
  • uneven, patchy coat
  • hyperactivity, jumping/mounting people
  • stiffness in stifles, hips, shoulders and/or neck
  • numbness or lack of responsiveness to touch
  • current behavior of chewing inappropriate objects
  • difficulty bonding (new adoptees) or fitting into family patterns
  • separation anxiety

PetMassageTM does not treat any of these. PetMassageTM addresses their underlying causes which are stress related.

Can you image how stressful it must be to live your life never knowing where you belong or what is expected of you and not being understood whenever you attempt to find out?

Watch how the dog interacts with his owner. How does he walk with you? How do his movements feel through the leash? Is he pulling, dragging, distracted, or moving with you?

Leadership skills are teachable and learnable.

In our workshops we teach the skills that will lead to leadership. You will learn to breathe, move, posture, and think in ways that will let the dog know, in a very clear and gentle manner, that the human is the boss.

The concept of owning space begins with how we greet the dog, demonstrating to the dog that we own the floor. We own everything on the floor. We own the massage table. The dog may only use it or mount it when she has the leader’s permission and is invited onto it. The dog must learn table manners. This ensures that she can remain safe, and the PetMassageTM practitioner can remain safe for the duration of the session.

And it is all about establishing, declaring, and owning space. The subtle, yet consistent message of who is managing the space is maintained. During the PetMassageTM session, the dog becomes calm, balanced and comfortable in her body. As she settles into her role of follower, she knows she is safe. We can note that her respiration slows. Her mouth and tail relax. Her eyes soften. Her coat shines as it lies comfortably over the skin. She takes her new sensibility with her when she returns to the floor and rejoins her owner.

With repeated sessions, the acceptance of follower role becomes more ingrained. Habituates. She is happier more often in her body. Her fellow dogs are more comfortable in her presence. Her human family is less stressed since they can build trust of her and her behaviors.

We do not consider this dog training, per se; although this certainly applies to training. We are simply recognizing and sharing with you what we’ve noticed the dog needs to be secure and happy and what we can do to make that happen. The dog isn’t trained to do anything new. We just want her to act like a dog and respond as a (socialized) dog responds. While she just has to continue being a dog, her owners need to learn the skills to claim ownership of their space.

PetMassageTM venues for learning leadership skills

At the PetMassageTM School, we offer dog handling workshops and home study courses for canine massage professionals. We also have created a short, 3-hour hands-on dog handling course for dog owners, taught on-site at our school in Toledo, OH.

The next professional level courses in 2015 will be on Fridays, July 17 and November 6. They are included in each of the Foundation Level PetMassageTM workshops.

The next Dog Handling for Dog Owners workshop will be on Saturday, August 8, 2015.

Here are some links to resources:

Confident Dog Handling in Canine Massage Workshop http://petmassage.com/?product=4-hour-wkshp-confident-dog-handling-for-practitioners

Confident Dog Handling in Canine Massage Home study course http://petmassage.com/?product=confident-dog-handling-for-the-massage-practitioner-course

Dog Handling for the Dog Owner workshop http://petmassage.com/?product=3006

If you would like an easy and inexpensive way to learn at home, order the one-hour DVD “Dog Handling in Canine Massage, Yoga Consciousness” http://petmassage.com/?product=dog-handling-in-canine-massage-yoga-consciousness-dvd

Do you like what you read in these newsletters? Please let us know and share them with your friends and colleagues. They are posted on our Facebook page: PetMassageTM and also available online: http://petmassage.com/category/helpful-hints/

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