Understanding Your Dog’s Needs
When we think of a dog’s needs, we typically imagine they require walks, affection, a quiet place to sleep, and training, among other essentials. While these activities are beneficial, they serve as methods to fulfil a dog’s broader needs. Engaging in these activities without considering what each individual dog needs at any given moment can impact their well-being. Living in London with a dog presents unique challenges; for example, walking a fearful dog near busy roads or giving affection to a tired, stressed dog might not always be appropriate. Therefore, let’s delve into understanding the canine hierarchy of needs to ensure our canine companions thrive in the London setting.
Physiological Needs: The Foundation
At the heart of your dog’s well-being are the physiological needs: food, water, sleep, and shelter. The environment must necessitate a comfortable living space, constant access to clean water, and a nutritious diet tailored to your dog’s unique needs. Given the wide range of brands and dietary options, conducting thorough research or consulting with a Vet or Nutritionist can guide you towards making well-informed decisions.
Safety Needs: Creating a Secure Environment
Safety, the next tier in the hierarchy, is absolutely critical. Navigating the diverse landscapes of London, from the serene expanses of Hyde Park in West London to the bustling hub of Oxford Circus, presents a variety of challenges. Each environment demands a specific approach to ensure your dog feels secure. It’s essential to understand that your dog will only become comfortable in busy areas through gradual exposure. This process must be coupled with your proactive response to their behaviour, demonstrating that you are attentive to their safety needs. By doing so, you actively show your commitment to their well-being, helping them navigate and eventually feel at ease within the myriad settings London has to offer. Whether your dog training in Kensington in the quiet corners of a park or the crowded city streets, your reaction and guidance are key to providing a sense of security for your canine companion.
Belonging Needs : Social Needs
Dogs, as inherently social beings, thrive on regular interaction and affection to foster a sense of belonging. A primary purpose of belonging is to pinpoint the responsibilities and position of each member of the family: in other words, to determine who is in charge and who makes decisions for needs fulfilment.
Where the dog fits in with the family
All types of relationship are possible through attachment. You can have a dog who looks to you as a guardian who fulfils all its needs, a friend who fulfils some of its needs, or someone they need to take care of. The type of relationship your dog thinks it has with you is a direct result of how you communicate with it. In turn this dictates the dog’s behaviour, with the dog either looking to the human for a response and following suit, or taking on the huge responsibility to fulfil its needs in a world it does not understand.
Socialising
In London, there are multiple parks you can take your dog to socialise them. However if your dog looks scared or nervous be sure to intervene. Then look for well mannered dogs that will allow your dog to learn the rules of play.
Esteem Needs: Building Confidence
The fulfilment of the dog’s esteem needs follows from a feeling of confidence in its environment, your ability as leader and through an understanding of how it should behave.
Confidence
All dogs want to feel happy and relaxed in their environment. London’s environments are full of situations, in which the dog will feel uncertain and will need teaching and nurturing by you, its owner, to feel confident it is behaving appropriately. If the dog perceives the guardian as the leader and understands it should look to him or her for its physiological and security needs, it will also get its guidance from the guardian on the rules of the environment and what is and isn’t appropriate. This gives the guardian the opportunity to be viewed as the one to teach the dog what is and what is not allowed.
Teaching
In order for the dog to have confidence and know what they should be doing, they need us to teach them. If a dog is not sure what to do in a given situation, and subsequently feels confused and out of its depth, then scolding it will only have the knock-on effect of lowering its confidence and self-esteem. Our world can be a confusing place for a dog, so it may require lessons on how to behave in every situation, from meeting another dog to the arrival of visitors
By diligently catering to each level of your dog’s hierarchy of needs with understanding and steadfast action, you lay the groundwork for a harmonious coexistence in London. A well-behaved dog is not merely a reflection of obedience but a testament to the fulfilled needs that engender a sense of security, love, and appreciation.
Case Study: Sarah and Millie
I worked with a client named Sarah and her Border Collie, Millie. Sarah, new to dog ownership, adored Millie deeply but initially struggled to fully grasp her needs. One day, she recounted an experience that highlighted this learning journey.
Sarah had noticed Millie’s reluctance to walk near busy streets and believed that exposure was the solution to overcoming her fear. Determined, she decided to take Millie for a walk through the crowded areas around Kensington High Street, hoping it would help Millie adjust. However, as they approached the busy roads, Millie’s anxiety became evident. She would freeze, attempt to turn back, and sometimes whimper. Confused and frustrated, Sarah couldn’t understand why Millie wasn’t adapting despite her attempts to reassure her.
After Sarah realised she needed help, she searched for a dog behaviourist in London and found my website. We scheduled a consultation to observe Millie’s behaviour firsthand. It quickly became apparent that Millie felt overwhelmed by the noise and movement of the busy London streets, a common reaction among many dogs not gradually accustomed to such environments.
I explained to Sarah the critical importance of understanding and meeting a dog’s core needs, especially safety. We discussed starting with gradual exposure to busy areas, beginning in the quieter parts of Hyde Park, where Millie could observe from a distance without the immediate pressure of being in the midst of chaos. I stressed the significance of positive reinforcement, praising and rewarding Millie for calm behaviour, and using language to show she would protect her.
Furthermore, we focused on signals of safety and comfort. I taught Sarah how to read Millie’s body language to understand when she was anxious and how to respond appropriately. We practised commands that reassured Millie of Sarah’s leadership and protection, thereby building her confidence in Sarah and reducing her anxiety in stressful situations.
Over time, with patience and a bespoke approach, Millie began to exhibit signs of improvement. The turning point came when Sarah managed to take Millie through a moderately busy area near the park without any signs of distress. It was a significant moment of success for both, highlighting the importance of genuinely understanding and responding to a dog’s individual needs.
This experience with Sarah and Millie serves as a reminder of the profound impact that empathy, patience, and knowledge can have in overcoming the challenges of urban dog ownership. By tuning into Millie’s needs and adapting her approach, Sarah transformed their walks from sources of stress into enjoyable explorations, strengthening their bond and enhancing Millie’s well-being in their London environment.
