Over the past decade, I have spent most of my career helping dogs and their owners handle high-rise living. While the city’s sense of liveliness and vibrancy can be attractive, it can also be overwhelming for both dogs and people. There is so much stimulation around urban dogs that excitement and arousal often overcomes them and their ability to control themselves. It’s one thing to see one stimulus at a time—such as one neighbor during your walk—and something else entirely to be surrounded by numerous stimuli all at once. Dogs in high rises have a higher responsibility: they need to learn to control themselves in small spaces such as elevators, hallways, lobbies, etc. They also need to learn to ignore distractions such as neighbors sharing the elevators, or other dogs passing in the hallway. By learning such self-control, dogs and humans can live in harmony and share common space without conflict.
However, doing this takes a village and, in this case, the cooperation of the entire building’s residents and staff. Clients working diligently with their dogs often complain that some residents, on-site staff, or management staff become obstacles when they cannot follow the same rules to keep dogs safe and under control.
This is why we have created a 90-minute seminar particularly for mid- and high-rises in Chicago. Our seminar is open to all staff and residents, whether or not they live with a dog in the building. Our goal is to create a universal language for all dogs living in multi-unit buildings. Our seminar covers a variety of topics, including:
- Reading and Interpreting Canine Body Language
- How to Greet a Dog
- Three Skills Every Dog Living in a High-Rise Should Know
- How to Prevent Barking in Your Condominium
- How to Approach a Shy Dog
- How to Prevent Wild or Aggressive Dog Behavior in Common Areas
By working together, we believe we can make our shared spaces happy spaces for all human and canine residents of any building. If you are interested in having us speak to your group, please email us at judit@caninadogtraining.com
