A dog doesn’t get to choose their pet sitter and while the dog might not be perfect, you probably won’t have to train them. But, since you’re moving into their house, you should know how to provide leadership and earn their trust.

In the dog world, trust and respect are important. A dog is only happy when they feel secure within their pack.
When you’re house-sitting with dogs, you become the dog’s pack.
That means a sitter’s ability to build trust and earn respect is important to the dog’s well-being.
Why?
Because you’re a stranger, because you’ve invaded the dog’s space, and because you are going to be living with the dog.
The dog needs you to demonstrate that you’re not a threat. Hint: giving the dog cookies doesn’t earn trust.
There’s a universally accepted right way to greet a strange dog. When you say hi politely and respectfully, the dog’s reaction is positive. They might think something like:
“A new human! Wow, you’re cool. You’re staying for a bit? Great news!”
When you greet a dog, you either nurture trust and respect or you will create anxiety.

 

Build Trust, Not Barriers

Dog leadership is a way of interacting with dogs that the dog recognises as leadership.
For example, when we greet a strange human, we often shake hands, talk and make eye contact.
If you greet a dog this way, you probably make the dog nervous or anxious. That means their first experience with you is negative.
This builds a barrier to trust. As dog sitters, our goal is to make the dog’s first experience with us positive.
That means we use great doggie manners to say hi. When you meet a dog, any dog, the rules are:
Do not look at the dog, do not talk to the dog, and do not touch the dog.
The dog will be amazed by your great manners and feel respected. They’ll associate you with positive feelings.
That’s the beginning of a good relationship with a “stranger” dog.

Dog Leadership for House Sitters

Dog Leadership for House Sitters is a course designed by full-time house sitters, advanced dog handlers and professional trainers.
Each dog is a stranger, and each requires that you earn their trust.
Our course teaches you how to assume leadership, build trust, nurture calm, and make friends with strange dogs.
You also learn proven dog-handling techniques like food, door and resource control that demonstrate your leadership to the dog in a way the dog understands.
What we’re teaching you is how to provide a dog with a feeling of security.
When you take over their pack, they expect you to lead. If you do, the dog will present fewer behavioural issues and generally be calmer and happier.
It lets you communicate and demonstrates to the dog that they can trust our leadership.
We nurture calm, set rules, and use leadership cues that all dogs understand. All dogs.
Dog leadership skills are universal. Every dog on Earth knows what you’re doing.
When you provide the dog in your care with leadership, you’re nurturing their nature and desire to follow.
Dog’s love it because nature made them great followers. They want you to lead.

To learn more about dog leadership, visit us at https://dogleadership.ca