The Value of Information Gathering

One of the things I do a lot when working with rescue dogs is... ...very little.

At least, it probably looks that way from the outside.

I'm not encouraging interaction.

I'm not asking the dog to approach.

I'm not trying to persuade them to engage.

Instead, I give them time to gather information.

• To watch.

• To listen.

• To observe.

• To investigate their environment at their own pace.

Many of the dogs that come into rescue have arrived in a completely unfamiliar world. New people, new routines, new smells, new sounds and new environments. Before I ask anything of them, I often want to see how they choose to explore and assess that world for themselves.

Some dogs gather information through observation. They may sit or stand quietly and watch people, dogs or activity around them.

Some gather information through scent. They investigate where others have been and what has happened in the environment.

Some move between observation and investigation, taking breaks and returning when they are ready.

Another reason I spend so much time observing rescue dogs is that I am also allowing them to observe me. They learn my routines, my body language, how I move through the environment and what my presence means. Relationships are built over time, and those relationships often influence how willing a dog is to investigate, explore and engage with the world around them.

Over time, I have learned that allowing dogs to gather information can provide valuable insight into the individual.

• What captures their attention?

• What do they repeatedly return to?

• What do they ignore?

• How do they use the space around them?

• How long do they spend observing before moving closer?

• What choices do they make when nobody is asking anything of them?

These observations help build a picture of the dog.

There can sometimes be a tendency to think that every walk, outing or interaction needs an objective. Sometimes the most useful thing we can do is remove the agenda and simply watch.

Owners can try this too.

The next time you are out with your dog, spend ten minutes observing rather than directing.

Notice:

• What your dog chooses to look at.

• What they spend time investigating.

• What they return to repeatedly.

• What they avoid.

• How they gather information about the world around them.

• What they choose to do when nobody is asking anything of them.

You may discover things about your dog that no training exercise could reveal.

References

Horwitz, D. F., & Mills, D. S. (2009). BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine (2nd ed.). BSAVA.

McGreevy, P. D. (2009). A Modern Dog's Life: The Human Consequences of Canine Behavioural Adaptations. University of New South Wales Press.

Overall, K. L. (2013). Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats. Elsevier.