Quote:
Originally Posted by cassingermany
I need to snap out of it and know that any behavior is up to me and my state of mind. If I'm on edge, she will be too.
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Well, yes and no
.
I think it's
always a good idea to avoid a negative emotional reaction to behavior, and that being calm and positive will be of some help in any situation.
That said, I feel that it is an unfair expectation (of yourself or your dog) to hold that your behavior will dictate their personality or emotional response. Dogs are autonomous, sentient beings. They have their own likes, dislikes, fears, and silly superstitions that you can influence, but not alter.
In working with dogs, I am always intrigued by their personalities in contrast to those of their people. More often than not, shy or nervous folks come in with more confident dogs, while the outgoing social butterflies show up with the wallflowers - not for any particular reason, it's just who they are.