Ignore your dog

Dear friends,

Underneath you will find the copy of a message I received from Terry-Ann in South-Africa. This lady is practicing what she has been reading about in my weekly letters. Her story is a perfect illustration of how the ignoring of dogs really works. Well, if it did not work, I would not write and speak about it would I?

HI, Bruno,  thought you would like this story.
On Friday I went to fetch my daughter from a friend (I had never met the parents or been there before , as my husband had dropped her off)
They had 4 dogs.
3 jack russels, and a male ridgeback.
They told me the ridgeback and the male jackrussel do not come into the house as they are so excitable, lively and the jack russels fight.
I asked them to do one thing.  I asked the daughter to get up off the floor (as the one jack russel female was on her lap getting attention) and to stand up and be silent.
I asked the mom and my daughter to do the same.
I asked the daughter to let the dogs inside and to ignore all the dogs, not speak, not look at them, not to touch them.
They came inside, sniffed me, (as they hadn’t met me yet), and calmly wandered around, there was no jealousy or aggression at all.
The mother was amazed. Said the dogs had never been so calm before.   She said she was going to have to really work hard to not touch any of them.
I explained to her that she needs to only give attention on her terms, not when they jump up and demand it.  Then the big dog gets into trouble every time as everyone is scared he kills a jack russel if there is a fight.

People always have to jump in and pet and screech around animals!
Few stand back and observe.

Terry-Ann