The Dog Listener

I’m also working hard on the psychology. The canine psychology, that is, with the Dog Listener, Jan Fennell. I’ve got a pile of books to read, and I think there’ll be an exam next week when Mrs D gets back from her shifts. The psychology makes a lot of sense, I have to say, working with the dog as still, essentially, a pack animal descended from the wolf, rather than some sort of furry version of a human child. The idea is to establish that it is you, the human, the owner, who must be the leader of the pack. The four questions each dog owner should ask themselves every day are, apparently:

When the pack reunites after a separation, who is the boss? (Each time you come home)
When the pack goes on a hunt, who is going to lead them? (Each time you go for a walk)
When the pack eats its food, what order do they eat in? (You first, dog next)
When the pack is under attack, who is going to protect them? (That’s you as well)

I hope the SMD has read the same book. Nine days to puppydom.