Owners don’t have to look far to see their pets wanting & needing more space. Many dogs take their treats further away from us to ensure that they are a safe distance before they can enjoy it. In multi dog households where fights have broken out they often happen in tight quarters. The tighter the space the less options dogs have to get their point across.
Many resorting to snarling, lunging, and biting if they have no options.
Even hugging your dog can encroach on his comfort zone when it comes to his need for space.
What we have determined is that it is a dog’s freedom to give or take space helps create a sense of safety for them. In most all aspects of a dog’s life the use of space is the difference between success and failure, conflict and resolution, stress free situations and stressful situations. The appropriate use & understanding of the use of space is one of the easiest and most underused tools available.
A tight lead restricts a dogs option when meeting another dog. If the lead is tight then the choice to give space is not an option. Without that choice, communication between dogs is limited. Without the ability to communicate properly, stress or frustration builds and that often leads to growling & snapping.
Nowhere is having a safe sense of space more important than working with reactive dogs, finding enough distance is a priority.