I’ve always had the philosophy that it’s beneficial to subject your dog to strange situations to help build trust and confidence. Something as simple as putting a hat on a dog’s head can be a great lesson for them. Nico was initially a little suspicious of the hat on his head, but with a bit of reinforcement, he realized the hat wasn’t hurting him at all; it may have even felt nice on his ears. When Nico was younger, he was suspicious of so many things. If you put a piece of paper near him, he would jump up and look at you like you were about to murder him. He also wouldn’t stick his head inside anything. Now, we can set paper on him while he’s sleeping, and he’ll stick his head inside a box without hesitation. These may seem inconsequential things to teach a dog, but collectively, they help him understand what he doesn’t need to be fearful of and that he can trust us. My previous dog, Khyber, had so much trust and confidence that he would climb up nearly vertical rock faces while wearing a special harness and roped up on a belay system. And that all started with little things like this.

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Gear Used For This Shot

Sony A7RIV - Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM - Godox AD300 Pro - Godox X ProS - Godox 1D-S60S

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