Tails From The Couch :: ch. 1 — Broken Leg

I’m docked for a while, on my couch, due to a broken leg. Naturally, it’s become a time for reflection, and some of the insights I’m having will change the way I work with dogs forevermore. Since we can learn through each others experiences, and none of you need a broken leg, I thought I’d share some of my insights. 

Chapter One: Tails from the Couch

It was a lovely Friday afternoon in June, and I was out in our large yard letting the dogs run around and do their thing. I was with three of our canine guests who were staying at our B&B for Dogs, and one of my own dogs. 

A young woman who presumably lives in our neighborhood came walking along the street side of our yard. She was accompanied by her very high energy dog who was obviously under very little control. Her dog’s non-aggressive but frenetic energy was triggering for my dogs, inciting barking and intense fence pacing. 

One of our dog guests, who we’ll refer to as Cliff for his anonymity, is a 85lb young German Shepherd. Cliff’s type could be described as a bull in a China shop. He has stayed with us a couple of times before, but like any new relationship, we’re still getting to know each other.  

So, once the reactivity started, I called my pack away from the fence, and they responded. However, they were especially amped up [and this is a noteworthy moment we’ll come back to] and began to run around with next-level hyper energy. As we walked back toward the house, I looked back at the fence to make sure all the dogs were coming with me.. When I turned my head back around, there was just enough time to perceive Cliff running at MGSS (Maximum German Shepherd Speed) directly at me, head-on. It was as if he looked right through me, focused solely on the other dog he wanted to chase like a lunatic. I was simply an invisible obstacle he knew he would overcome. And boy did he! I went flying. I don’t hold a grudge though… ya can’t blame a young and energetic dog for being who they are!

Each of us fared from this collision very differently. Cliff barely noticed anything happened. Meanwhile, my tibia was fractured in two places. The cracks are in such a way that makes it very susceptible to displacement of that whole corner of the bone. So, the treatment plan is zero weight-bearing on the left leg until it heals over several weeks/months. (you can insert the emoji with the big eyeballs here! ;) 

It’s times like this I’m reminded of a VERY important truth:
We get to choose whether we see each experience as a grievance, or a miracle. 

There’s a chance to learn and grow into better versions of ourselves when we’re able to pull the lessons from every encounter, especially the ones that pack a significant punch. One big lesson I’ve already gained from this accident is the significant importance of staying in the present moment with animals. This is required for making conscious responses to each moment as they arise. It’s a matter of cause and effect, which can be a critical component in working with dogs. Timing is everything. 

So, in my case specifically, I was doing what I basically thought was best to do: keep calm and carry on. Essentially, call all the dogs over and head back to the house. Yet.. Oh there’s always a YET!!.. I did not consider nearly enough how triggered and totally different my pack was acting now, in response to the passersbys. 

A BETTER first response could have looked like: 
Stay physically still and heighten my awareness to each of the dogs. Intentionally call each dog over and ensure each is responding. Hold their attention with me, to the best of my ability, until the passersbys were out of range. Stay still and alert until it is clear the dog's heighten behavior has decreased and normalized. Then, direct them back home. 

The moral of the story is:
Match and synch your own energy to that of your pack, moment to moment, to regain balance and maintain harmony.

With so many things in life, it comes to making the best split second decision possible. But the only way we know how to do that is to slow down a scenario to a frame-by-frame review. Then we can usually pick out a critical moment that influenced everything moving forward from there. These micro-moments are particularly important when working with animals. It’s worth taking a look from this perspective so we can hone our interspecies communication skills and have more successful (and safe) relationships together. 

Have you ever been bed-bound for a long duration? Or have you had a similar “run-in” with a dog? What insights came through for you? I’m very interested to hear.