A few of the possible benefits of Canicross
You will often hear us say just how amazing Canicross and Canitalk is for our wellbeing, as well as that of the dogs.
However, we often tend to talk about it when we are running taster sessions and we keep it very short. So we thought we would do a post all about what it can mean to us, and your dogs.
The photo above is from a group run we had on Monday at Lyminge Forest. The 4 dogs you see in the photo would have been, or are currently classed as reactive, anxious, shouty, nervous, not good around people, not good around dogs, too boisterous, scary etc and their owners have all at some point been made to feel that their dog is not welcome in some places.
If you have a dog that does not ‘FIT’ the norm; judgement feels to be around every corner, without people knowing the circumstances. Each person in the photo was worried whether it would be okay to give canicross a go and what would happen if their dog could not cope and how will others in the class react if their dog kicked off.
The first thing that happens when someone gets in contact, is that we arrange a chat over the phone to find out what the dog’s triggers are so we do not ever throw them in at the deep end; their first experience should be a good one that they can cope with.
Once we have worked out what will work for your dog we fit you into the right session. The dogs below all needed lots of space when they started their canicross journey and each dog got what they needed.
Over time the dogs have learnt to trust that their welfare is always put first, they recognise their human is relaxing more which in turn helps the dog, and they realise the world does not always have to be difficult for them to navigate.
This is all done by giving them a lovely outlet for some of that energy, the space they need, having all dogs on a lead at all times, and no judgement!
Canicross at Skellywags is not a training workshop for dogs that find the world tough, but it is a place that hopefully, dependant upon the dog, we can offer somewhere for them to relax and learn that the world does not have to be so tough for them. We do not claim that canicross will change your dogs outlook and it’s the only way forward but what we can say is that it has definitely helped more cases than not!
All 4 dogs below have seen huge improvements in their day to day life, do they still have those big emotions? Yes they do sometimes, and do they deal with the situations better now? Absolutely!!
One dog from the group below found being around dogs and human contact difficult when she first joined Skellywags, fast forward 12 months and she is now helping a new dog make friends and feel comfortable in an environment that would usually be very difficult. As for human contact, well Bailey loves her treat and cuddle at the end of a class now and that is what it is all about.
We have said it often and will always say it, “It is not how far you go and how fast you get there, it is about the time spent with your dog”.
If you would like to know more, but have been worried that it might not be for your dog, then please get in touch and we are happy to have a chat.
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Life Skills course is a great follow on course from our puppy classes as well as a great starting point Read more
